Luke 15:3
in Luke 15Then Jesus told them this parable:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he spake unto them this parable, saying,
KJV
And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
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This verse in Luke 15
Commentary
16 notes on this verseThe woman did not idly rejoice to find her coin. The coin, having the image of the emperor, is not ordinary. The image of the King is the register of the church. We are sheep. Let us pray that he would be pleased to place us beside the water of rest. We are sheep. Let us seek pastures. We are coins. Let us have a price. We are sons. Let us hurry to the Father. Let us not fear because we have squandered the inheritance of spiritual dignity that we received on earthly pleasures.
This site's exposition
he spake this parable
on Luke 15:3-7
And he spake this parable unto them: what man of you, having an hundred sheep, does not leave the ninety and nine for the one lost, a question expecting the answer of every working shepherd, the parable's scandal hiding in its arithmetic, one percent justifying the search. The shepherd seeks until he find it, lays it on his shoulders rejoicing, and calls the neighbourhood to share the joy; the seeking is all his, the sheep contributing nothing but its lostness. The application names heaven's own emotion, joy over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance, and the bench hears the edge in that last clause, spoken to men who believed themselves the ninety and nine. The shepherd thread of the whole Bible stands behind the figure, Ezekiel 34's seeking shepherd now speaking in person.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
What meaning for us have those themes of the Lord's parables? Is not the fact that a woman has lost a drachma, and seeks it and finds it, and invites her female friends to share her joy, an example of a restored sinner? There strays, withal, one little ewe of the shepherd's; but the flock was not more dear than the one: that one is earnestly sought; the one is longed for instead of all; and at length she is found, and is borne back on the shoulders of the shepherd himself; for much had she toiled in straying. That most gentle father, likewise, I will not pass over in silence, who calls his prodigal son home, and willingly receives him repentant after his indigence, slays his best fatted calf, and graces his joy with a banquet.
So, to, she is found in those holy examples touching patience in the Lord's parables. The shepherd's patience seeks and finds the straying ewe: for Impatience would easily despise one ewe; but Patience undertakes the labour of the quest, and the patient burden-bearer carries home on his shoulders the forsaken sinner.
St. Luke did not idly present three parables in a row. By the parables of the sheep that strayed and was found, the coin which was lost and was found, and the son who was dead and came to life, we may cure our wounds, being encouraged by a threefold remedy. "A threefold cord will not be broken." Who are the father, the shepherd and the woman? They are God the Father, Christ and the church. Christ carries you on his body, he who took your sins on himself. The church seeks, and the Father receives. The shepherd carries. The mother searches. The father clothes. First mercy comes, then intercession, and third reconciliation. Each complements the other. The Savior rescues, the church intercedes, and the Creator reconciles. The mercy of the divine act is the same, but the grace differs according to our merits. The weary sheep is recalled by the shepherd, the coin which was lost is found, the son retraces his steps to his father and returns, guilty of error but totally repentant.
Leaving those that have not strayed, the good Shepherd seeks you. If you will surrender yourself, he will not hold back. In his kindness, he will lift you up on his shoulders, rejoicing that he has found his sheep that was lost. The Father stands and awaits your return from your wandering. Only turn to him, and while you are still afar off, he will run and embrace your neck. With loving embraces, he will enfold you, now cleansed by your repentance.… He says, "Truly I say to you that there is joy in heaven before God over one sinner who repents." If any one of those who seem to stand will bring a charge that you have been quickly received, the good Father himself will answer for you. He will say, "It is fitting that we should celebrate and be glad, for this my daughter was dead and is come to life again. She was lost and is found."
You shall have leave to begin with the parables, where you have the lost ewe re-sought by the Lord, and carried back on His shoulders. Let the very paintings upon your cups come forward to show whether even in them the figurative meaning of that sheep will shine through (the outward semblance, to teach) whether a Christian or heathen sinner be the object it aims at in the matter of restoration.
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
And he spoke a parable to them. After he manifested the Jewish impiety, so secondly he makes known the divine mercy for confuting the Jewish impiety. And since the mercy of God is especially toward man in the restoration of the human race, in which …
(in Hom. 34. in Evang.) For it follows, And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you having an hundred sheep, and if he lose one of them, does not go after it, &c. He gave a comparison which man might recognise in himself, though it referred to the Creator of men. For since a hundred is a perfect number, He Himself had a hundred sheep, seeing that He possessed the nature of the holy angels and men. Hence he adds, Having an hundred sheep.
For he says: "Which of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one that was lost?" Behold, with wonderful dispensation of mercy, the Truth gave a similitude which man might recognize in himself, and yet which pertained especially to the very author of mankind. For since one hundred is a perfect number, he himself had a hundred sheep when he created the substance of angels and men.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He spake - Three parables of the same import: for the sheep, the piece of silver, and the lost son, all declare (in direct contrariety to the Pharisees and scribes) in what manner God receiveth sinners.
And he spake this parable unto them,.... To the Pharisees, for their conviction and confutation; and to the publicans and sinners for their encouragement; and in vindication of himself; and not only this, but the other two, concerning the lost piece of money, and the prodigal son, which were said at this time, and on the same occasion; saying, as follows.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The chapter which begins with these verses, is as well known to Bible readers as any. Few chapters perhaps have done more good to the souls of men. Let us take heed that it does good to us. We should first observe in these verses — the striking testimony which was borne to our Lord by His enemies. We read that when "all the publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him, the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, saying: This man receives sinners, and eats with them!"
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Occurring again (Mt 18:12-14); but there to show how precious one of His sheep is to the Good Shepherd; here, to show that the shepherd, though the sheep stray never so widely, will seek it out, and when he hath found, will rejoice over it.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The chapter which begins with these verses, is as well known to Bible readers as any. Few chapters perhaps have done more good to the souls of men. Let us take heed that it does good to us. We should first observe in these verses — the striking testimony which was borne to our Lord by His enemies. We read that when "all the publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him, the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, saying: This man receives sinners, and eats with them!" These words were evidently spoken with surprise and scorn — and not with pleasure and admiration. These ignorant guides of the Jews could not understand a religious preacher having anything to do with wicked people! Yet their words worked for good. The very saying which was meant for a reproach — was adopted by the Lord Jesus as a true description of His ministry. It led to His speaking three of the most instructive parables which ever fell from His lips. The testimony of the Scribes and Pharisees was strictly and literally true — the Lord Jesus is indeed one who "receives sinners." He receives them — to pardon them, to sanctify them, and to make them fit for Heaven. It is His special office to do so. For this end He came into the world. He came not to call the righteous — but sinners to repentance. He came into the world to save sinners . What He was upon earth — He is now at the right hand of God, and will be to all eternity. He is emphatically the sinner's Friend. Have we any sense of sin? Do we feel bad, and wicked, and guilty, and deserving of God's wrath? Is the remembrance of our past lives, bitter to us? Does the recollection of our past conduct, make us ashamed? Then we are the very people who ought to apply to Christ — just as we are, pleading nothing good of our own, and making no useless delay. Christ will receive us graciously, pardon us freely, and give us eternal life.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
This parable - See the notes at Mat 13:3.
The words behind it
8 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εἶπεν | eipen | He spoke | G2036 → | 925 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παραβολὴν | parabolen | parable | G3850 → | 50 times |
| ταύτην | tauten | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
ΕἶπενHe spoke
eipenG2036 →925 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
παραβολὴνparable
parabolenG3850 →50 times
ταύτηνthis
tautenG3778 →1381 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke; Basil of Caesarea, LETTER 46; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 15; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Tertullian, On Repentance; Tertullian, Of Patience and Tertullian, On Modesty.