Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 15:29-30

"But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and [yet] thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf." — Luke 15:29-30 (ASV)

And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

"I am a consistent Christian; I have maintained the excellence of my moral character. I have tried to be orthodox, and attentive to all religious duties. You know that it is so; yet I seldom have any joy in my religion.

"Thou never gavest me a kid. I go trembling and mourning all my days. I get very little delight out of my religion; yet here is one just converted, and all this fuss is made over him, and he is rejoicing, too.

"You feast him with the best fatted calf. He is as glad as glad can be, and everybody is glad about him; and nobody seems to take much notice of me. I go on my steady quiet course, and I have never caused you such grief as this your son has done."