One of the complaints brought against the Lord Jesus was, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2). This criticism of His eating with sinners drew forth the three parables in Luke 15. The publicans and sinners were the lowest class in Jewish society. The publicans were Jews who collected taxes from their countrymen for the Roman Empire. They were much despised for their disloyalty and dishonesty. Yet Jesus chose to feast with them and with those who were commonly called sinners. This eating declared that the Savior would not only save them but also spread a feast for them. Such behavior offended the Pharisees and scribes, who were part of high society in Jewish culture.
Who is eligible for God’s salvation? What standing do you take when you come for salvation? God does not offer salvation to Pharisees, nor kings, nor presidents, nor even gentlemen. Salvation is only for those who come down and take the position of sinners.
These three parables give us a threefold picture of God’s seeking of man, with the last one the consummate one. The parable of the lost sheep tells how the shepherd leaves his ninety-nine sheep and goes in search of the one missing. This is a picture of the Son as the good Shepherd, accomplishing redemption for us. In the second parable the woman lights a candle and sweeps her house in order to find her lost coin. We sinners, chosen by God, are the coin. We were God’s possession, but we got lost. The woman is the Holy Spirit, sent to enlighten the house, our inner chamber, in order to find us. The last parable, that of the prodigal son, brings in the Father, who received the returned sinner.
The Spirit’s enlightening work is based on the foundation of the Son’s redemption, just as the Father’s receiving of the repentant sinner is the fruit of the Spirit’s seeking.
As we pointed out in the previous message, it was not until the third stage of eating that the promised goal of God came into view. The two earlier stages were not complete without it. With these three parables, the same principle applies. Not until we come to the third parable do we see a complete salvation.
A son left his father, squandered his inheritance, and eventually found himself in the fields feeding pigs while he himself was starving. He returned to his father in repentance, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (Luke 15:21).
The father’s reception of his son illustrates the full salvation which is ours in Christ.
The prodigal son came home as a beggar, with bare feet and pathetic in every respect. Yet “when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (v. 20). Interrupting the son’s confession that he had sinned and was no more worthy to be called a son, “the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe [lit., a robe, the first], and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet” (v. 22).
The way the father referred to this robe makes it seem likely that he had especially prepared it beforehand for the son to wear whenever he might return. By being covered with this robe, he was qualified to enter the father’s splendid home, no more a beggar but a justified son, matching his father in an outward way.
The best robe signifies Christ as our righteousness, covering us and justifying us in the eyes of God. But notice that the robe only takes care of the outward cover. It represents an objective righteousness; Christ is not within us at this point.
Home | First | Prev | Next