John Calvin Commentary Luke 15:12

"and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of [thy] substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living." — Luke 15:12 (ASV)

And the younger of them said to his father. The parable opens by describing a mark of wicked arrogance in the youth, which appears in his desire to leave his father, and in thinking that he cannot be content without being permitted to indulge in debauchery, free from his father’s control. There is also ingratitude in leaving the old man,⁵²⁴ and not only withholding the performance of the duties which he owed to him, but crippling and diminishing the wealth of his house.⁵²⁵ This is eventually followed by wasteful luxury and wicked extravagance, by which he squanders all that he had.⁵²⁶ After so many offenses, he deserved to find his father implacable.⁵²⁷

Under this image, our Lord unquestionably depicts to us the boundless goodness and inestimable forbearance of God, so that no crimes, however aggravated, may deter us from the hope of obtaining pardon.

There would be some foundation for the analogy if we were to say that this foolish and insolent youth resembles those persons who, enjoying from the hand of God a great abundance of good things, are moved by a blind and mad ambition to be separated from Him, so that they may enjoy perfect freedom; as if it were not more desirable than all the kingdoms of the world to live under the fatherly care and government of God.

But as I am afraid that this allusion may be thought overstrained, I will satisfy myself with the literal meaning.

This is not because I disapprove of the opinion that this figure reproves the madness of those who imagine that it will be advantageous for them to have something of their own and to be rich apart from the heavenly Father, but rather because I now confine myself within the limits of a Commentator.⁵²⁸

Christ here describes what usually happens with young men when they are carried away by their natural disposition. Destitute of sound judgment and maddened by passion, they are ill-fitted for governing themselves and are not restrained by fear or shame. Therefore, it is inevitable that they will abandon themselves to everything to which their sinful inclination prompts them and rush on in a disgraceful course until they are involved in shameful poverty.

He afterwards describes the punishment which, in the righteous judgment of God, generally overtakes spendthrifts and prodigals. After having wickedly squandered their means, they are left to pine in hunger; not knowing how to use in moderation an abundant supply of the best bread, they are reduced to eat acorns and husks. In short, they become the companions of swine and are made to feel that they are unworthy to partake of human food, for it is swinish gluttony⁵²⁹ to squander wickedly what was given for the support of life.⁵³⁰

Regarding the ingenious exposition which some have brought forward, that it is the just punishment of wicked scorn when those who have rejected delicious bread in the house of our heavenly Father are driven by hunger to eat husks, it is a true and useful doctrine. Meanwhile, however, we must bear in mind the difference that exists between allegories and the natural meaning.⁵³¹

And was desirous to fill his belly. This means that, as a result of hunger, he no longer thought of his former luxuries but greedily devoured husks; for of that kind of food he would not be short, when he was giving it to the swine.

There is a well-known saying of Cyrus who, having for a long time suffered hunger during a flight and having been slightly refreshed by eating coarse black bread, declared that he had never tasted savory bread until now. In the same way, the young man who is mentioned here was compelled by necessity to resort with appetite to husks.

The reason is added, because no man gave to him; for the copulative conjunction and (καὶ) must, in my opinion, signify because,⁵³² and what is said here does not refer to husks, which he had at hand.

Instead, I understand the meaning to be that no man pitied his poverty. For prodigals who throw away all their property are persons whom no one thinks himself bound to relieve—indeed, as they have been accustomed to squander everything, people think that nothing ought to be given to them.⁵³³

⁵²⁴ “Delaissant le bon vieil hemme de pere;” — “leaving the good old man his father.”;” — “leaving the good old man his father.”

⁵²⁵ “Mais aussi diminue le bien de la maison, et en emporte une bonne partie;” — “but also diminishes the wealth of the house, and carries off a good part of it.”;” — “but also diminishes the wealth of the house, and carries off a good part of it.”

⁵²⁶ “Tout ce qu’il avoit eu du pere;” — “all that he had got from his father.”;” — “all that he had got from his father.”

⁵²⁷ “Il avoit bien merite de trouver puis apres un pere rigoreux, et qui teint son coeur contre luy iusqu’au bout;” — “he had well deserved to find afterwards a father who was severe, and who kept his heart shut against him to the end.”;” — “he had well deserved to find afterwards a father who was severe, and who kept his heart shut against him to the end.”

⁵²⁸ “Pource que ie me tien maintenant dans mes limites, et ne veux point passer l’office d’expositeur;” — “because I now keep myself within my limits, and do not wish to go beyond the duty of an expositor.”;” — “because I now keep myself within my limits, and do not wish to go beyond the duty of an expositor.”

⁵²⁹ “C’est une gourmandise plustost convenable a des porceaux qu’a des hommes;” — “it is a gluttony more suitable to swine than to men.”;” — “it is a gluttony more suitable to swine than to men.”

⁵³⁰ “Pour subvenir aux necessitez de ceste vie;” — “to supply the necessities of this life.”;” — “to supply the necessities of this life.”

⁵³¹ “Mais cependant il faut tousiours aviser quelle difference il y a entre les allegories et le vray sens naturel d’un passage;” — “but yet we must always consider what difference there is between allegories and the true natural meaning of a passage.”;” — “but yet we must always consider what difference there is between allegories and the true natural meaning of a passage.”

⁵³² “Car selon mon avis ce mot et se doit resoudre en Car, ou Pource que;” — “for in my opinion this word ;” — “for in my opinion this word and must mean must mean For, or , or Because..”

⁵³³ “Il semble que ce qu’on leur donne soit autant de perdu;” — “what is given to them appears to be as good as thrown away.”;” — “what is given to them appears to be as good as thrown away.”