stempublishing.com : J. N. Darby : Synopsis : Luke : Chapter 15 | Next chapter |
Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapters 19 and 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 24 |
The sovereign energy of grace: God's grace contrasted with man's self-righteousnessHaving thus unfolded the difference in character between the two dispensations, and the circumstances of the transition from the one to the other, the Lord turns (chap. 15) to higher principles — the sources of the one that was brought in by grace. It is indeed a contrast between the two, as well as the chapters we have been going through. But this contrast rises to its glorious source in God's own grace, contrasted with the miserable self-righteousness of man. The publicans and sinners draw near to hear Jesus. Grace had its true dignity to those who needed it. Self-righteousness repulsed that which was not as contemptible as itself, and God Himself at the same time in His nature of love. The Pharisees and the scribes murmured against Him who was a witness of this grace in fulfilling it. I cannot meditate on this chapter, which has been the joy of so many souls, and the subject of so many testimonies to grace, from the time that the Lord pronounced it, without enlarging upon grace, perfect in its application to the heart. Nevertheless I must confine myself here to great principles, leaving their application to those who preach the word. This is a difficulty that constantly presents itself in this portion of the word. God's joy in showing graceFirst, the great principle which the Lord exhibits, and on which He founds the justification of God's dealings (sad state of heart that requires it! marvellous grace and patience that gives it!) — the great principle, I repeat, is that God finds His own joy in showing grace. What an answer to the horrid spirit of the Pharisees who made it an objection! It is the Shepherd who rejoices when the sheep is found, the woman when the piece of money is in her hand, the Father when His child is in His arms. What an expression of that which God is! How truly is Jesus the one to make it known! It is on this that all the blessing of man can alone be founded. It is in this that God is glorified in His grace. The love that seeks: the lost sheep, and the lost piece of silverBut there are two distinct parts in this grace — the love that seeks, and the love with which one is received. The first two parables describe the former character of this grace. The shepherd seeks his sheep, the woman her piece of money: the sheep and the piece of silver are passive. The shepherd seeks (and the woman also) until he finds, because he has an interest in the matter. The sheep, wearied with its wanderings, has not to take one step in returning. The shepherd lays it on his shoulders and carries it home. He takes the whole charge, happy to recover his sheep. This is the mind of heaven, whatever the heart of man on earth may be. It is the work of Christ, the Good Shepherd. The woman sets before us the pains which God takes in His love; so that it is more the work of the Spirit, which is represented by that of the woman. The light is brought — she sweeps the house until she finds the piece she had lost. Thus God acts in the world, seeking sinners. The hateful and hating jealousy of self-righteousness finds no place in the mind of heaven, where God dwells, and produces, in the happiness that surrounds Him, the reflex of His own perfections. The love which receives: the prodigal son and the fatherBut although neither the sheep nor the piece of silver does anything towards its own recovery, there is a real work wrought in the heart of one who is brought back; but this work, necessary as it is for the finding or even the seeking of peace, is not that on which the peace is grounded. The return and the reception of the sinner are therefore described in the third parable. The work of grace, accomplished solely by the power of God, and complete in its effects, is presented to us in the first two. Here the sinner returns, with sentiments which we will now examine — sentiments produced by grace, but which never rise to the height of the grace manifested in his reception until he has returned. The Father's heart, the only measure of the ways of God
First his estrangement from God is depicted. While as guilty at
the moment that he crosses the paternal threshold, in turning his
back upon his father, as when he eats husks with the swine, man,
deceived by sin, is here presented in the last state of degradation
to which sin conducts him. Having expended all that fell to him
according to nature, the destitution in which he finds himself (and
many a soul feels the famine which it has brought itself into, the
emptiness of all around without a desire after God or holiness, and
often into what is degrading in sin) does not incline him towards
God, but leads him to seek a resource in that which Satan's country
(where nothing is given) can supply; and he finds himself among the
swine. But grace operates; and the thought of the happiness of his
father's house, and of the goodness that blessed all around it,
awakes in his heart. Where the Spirit of God works, there are
always two things found, conviction in the conscience and the
attraction of the heart. It is really the revelation of God to the
soul, and God is light and He is love; as light, conviction is
produced in the soul, but as love there is the attraction of
goodness, and truthful confession is produced. It is not merely
that we have sinned, but that we have to do with God and desire to
have, but fear because of what He is, yet are led to go. So the
woman in Luke 7.* So Peter in the boat. This produces the
conviction that we are perishing, and a sense, feeble it may be,
yet true, of the goodness of God and the happiness to be found in
His presence, although we may not feel sure of being received; and
we do not remain in the place where we are perishing. There is the
sense of sin, there is humiliation; the sense that there is
goodness in God; but not the sense of what the grace of God really
is. Grace attracts — one goes towards God, but one would be
satisfied to be received as a servant — a proof that, though the
heart be wrought in by grace, it has not yet met God. Progress,
moreover, although real, never gives peace. There is a certain rest
of heart in going; but one does not know what reception to expect,
after having been guilty of forsaking God. The nearer the prodigal
son drew to the house, the more would his heart beat at the thought
of meeting his father. But the father anticipates his coming, and
acts towards him, not according to his son's deserts, but according
to his own heart as a father — the only measure of the ways of God
towards us. He is on his son's neck while the latter is still in
rags, before he has had time to say, "Make me as one of thy hired
servants." It was no longer time to say it. It belonged to a heart
anticipating how it would be received, not to one who had met
God. Such an one knows how it has been received. The prodigal
arranges to say it (as people speak of an humble hope, and a low
place); but though the confession is complete when he arrives, he
does not then say, Make me a hired servant. How could he? The
father's heart had decided his position by its own sentiments, by
its love towards him, by the place his heart had given him towards
himself. The father's position decided that of the son. This was
between himself and his son; but this was not all. He loved his
son, even as he was, but he did not introduce him into the house in
that condition. The same love that received him as a son will have
him enter the house as a son, and as the son of such a father
should be. The servants are ordered to bring the best robe and put
it on him. Thus loved, and received by love, in our wretchedness,
we are clothed with Christ to enter the house. We do not bring the
robe: God supplies us with it. It is an entirely new thing; and we
become the righteousness of God in Him. This is heaven's best
robe. All the rest have part in the joy, except the self righteous
man, the true Jew. The joy is the joy of the father, but all the
house shares it. The elder son is not in the house. He is near it,
but he will not come in. He will have nothing to do with the grace
that makes the poor prodigal the subject of the joy of
love. Nevertheless, grace acts; the father goes out and entreats
him to come in. It is thus that God acted, in the Gospel, towards
the Jew. Yet man's righteousness, which is but selfishness and sin,
rejects grace. But God will not give up His grace. It becomes Him.
God will be God; and God is love. It is this which takes the place of the pretensions of the Jews, who rejected the Lord, and the accomplishment of the promises in Him. That which gives peace, and characterises our position, is not the sentiments wrought in our hearts, although they indeed exist, but those of God Himself. |
Previous chapter | Index | Next chapter |