Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 15:21

"And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son." — Luke 15:21 (ASV)

Father, I have sinned against heaven. The iteration of the very same words comes to us with a wonderful power and pathos. The contrite soul does not play with its contrition or seek to vary its expression. But the change is as suggestive as the repetition. Now that he has seen his father, he cannot bring himself to say again, Make me as one of thy hired servants. That had been a natural and right wish before; it would suggest unreality and hypocrisy now.

This also has its parallel in the history of true penitents. In the first stirrings of contrition, they stand far off, and as they confess their sins, they hardly dare to hope for restoration to the blessedness of sons; but when they have felt the Father’s kiss, though still confessing that they are unworthy to be called sons, they cannot be satisfied with anything less than sonship.