Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Luke 15:14

δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα. Historically,

“On that hard Roman world, disgust

And secret loathing fell;

Deep weariness, and sated lust

Made human life a hell.”

M. ARNOLD.

Individually, “The limits are narrow within which, by wasting his capital, a man obtains a supply of pocket-money.” G. Macdonald.

ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἰσχυρὰ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην. God has given him his heart’s desire and sent leanness withal into his bones. The worst famine of all is “not a famine of bread or a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11); and in such a famine even “the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst” (id. Luke 15:13). “They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water,” Jeremiah 2:13.

ἰσχυρά. Λιμὸς is made fem. as in Doric.

ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι. The whole heathen world at this time was saying, “Who will shew us any good?” Weariness, despair, and suicide were universal. Individually this is the retributive anguish of those who have wasted the gifts of life.

“My days are in the yellow leaf,

The flowers and fruits of love are gone,

The worm, the anguish, and the grief

Are mine alone.

The fire that on my bosom preys

Is lone as some volcanic isle;

No torch is kindled at its blaze—

A funeral pile.”

BYRON.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Luke 15:14

Old Testament

New Testament