John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 15:20
Verse 20 20.And while he was still afar off. This is the main point of the parable. If men, who are by nature prone to revenge, and too tenacious of their own rights, are moved by fatherly love kindly to forgive their children, and freely to bring them back, when they are sunk in wretchedness, God, whose boundless goodness exceeds all the affection of parents, (536) will not treat us more harshly. (537) And certainly nothing is here attributed to an earthly father which God does not promise... read more
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 15:24
Was dead - Lost to all good - given up to all evil. In this figurative sense the word is used by the best Greek writers. See many examples in Kypke. read more