Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” — Luke 15:1-10, NASB

Linked in theme and context to the story of the prodigal son, these two parables deal with the topics of repentance and redemption. By this point in His ministry Jesus had gotten crosswise with the religious establishment, and in the first couple of verses we are told that the Pharisees and scribes are grumbling over His association with the pariahs of society. The principles taught in these parables were a direct shot at the prejudices of the religious elites.

The parables are pictures of the earthly mission of Jesus, to seek and save that which was lost. To illustrate He uses the examples of a shepherd searching for a lost sheep and a woman looking for a lost coin.

In the first, a shepherd with a flock of 100 sheep has discovered that a single one is missing and relentlessly goes about finding it. Shepherds have a great responsibility. Their role is not just to watch over the sheep and keep them from going astray, but to protect them from dangerous terrain, threatening weather and marauding beasts as well. It is no wonder that our Lord refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. Reflecting God's faithfulness to His elect, the shepherd is heavily invested in his flock. If even one sheep is to stray, he is tireless in his attempt to recover it, and it is a cause for celebration when it is found and returned to the fold. In the same way, Jesus is fully committed to seeking out and delivering lost souls to His eternal love and protection.

The second parable uses the illustration of a woman searching for a lost coin to make the same point. She had in her possession ten coins and has discovered one missing, and so begins a fervent search. In the original Greek text the coins are identified as drachmas. Comparable to the Roman denarius, a drachma was roughly equivalent to a day’s wages, so the loss was significant. She goes to considerable effort looking throughout the house and expends valuable oil to light a lamp in aid of the search. Likewise, God spared no effort or expense in His actions to save the lost, offering the Light of the world—His only begotten Son—in sacrifice so that we may gain everlasting life. When she is finally successful, the community rejoices just as all of heaven rejoices when a sinner repents and is saved. Contrast that with the view of the Pharisees and scribes regarding the unregenerate.

As the lost sheep and the coin represent unsaved sinners, it is important to note that both belonged to their owners, who as we see, are not seeking every sheep and coin in existence. God actively seeks His own. The natural man doesn’t seek God and has no faculty of his own to do so. Despite having other sheep or coins, the owners remain tireless in their search for the one that is lost, as it has no ability to be found on its own.

God’s plan calls for gathering lost souls to a relationship with Jesus, to be included in His Church and eternal kingdom. His search for His own is relentless. Those who hear His call must repent, that they may be found.

Image:
Millais, John Everett (1829-1896); The Lost Piece of Silver