Luke 15:3 - Printer Friendly

The Pharisees are condemning Jesus' choice to associate willingly and warmly with immoral, socially outcast people (Luke 15:1–2). This is not new for Jesus (Luke 5:27–32; 7:36–39). The Pharisees are afraid of becoming ceremonially unclean if they interact with sinners (Mark 7:1–4), not to mention the damage to their reputation. Jesus has explained that He associates with sinners to draw them to repentance. He is not endorsing sin, but offering forgiveness, so they can be restored to relationship with God: "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).

In response to this latest critique, Jesus gives three parables. This is also characteristic to Jesus' interactions with Pharisees. Parables are extended metaphors set on earth that represent a spiritual truth. They're also a kind of code. Only people who trust Jesus enough to ask can accept their spiritual meaning. The rest of the audience, which often includes the Pharisees, usually don't understand what Jesus is really saying. As He told the disciples, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand'" (Luke 8:10). If audience members don't want to know what Jesus is talking about, He makes it easy for them to remain in their ignorance.

The three parables represent three different ways a person can pull away from God and how God responds to each. The parable of the lost sheep shows how willing God is to pursue someone who abandons Him because of their foolishness. The parable of the lost coin talks about someone who doesn't even know they've left God. The parable of the prodigal son shows how God waits patiently for those who deliberately rebel against Him to come home so He can restore them with His love.

Luke 15:3–7 contains the parable of the lost sheep. This is Jesus' first response to the Pharisees who demand perfection and reject repentance (Luke 15:1–2). The story typifies sinners who abandon faithfulness to God the way a stupid sheep wanders into danger. When the shepherd finds the lost animal, he rejoices. Later parables refer to those who don't know they're lost (Luke 15:8–10) and those who are intentionally rebellious (Luke 15:11–32). Matthew includes a similar parable to the lost sheep in a slightly different context (Matthew 18:10–14).

To answer criticisms that He associates with sinners, Jesus tells three parables. A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to rescue a single lost member. A woman searches diligently to locate a lost coin. A father eagerly forgives his wayward son when the young man returns in humility and repentance. All these lead to celebration. In the same way, Jesus teaches that God cares about restoring those who have fallen, and we should mirror His joy whenever that happens.

Luke 15 contains three parables with the theme of something "lost." The lost sheep, coin, and son represent sinners who leave God foolishly, unknowingly, or rebelliously. God seeks the foolish and the ignorant and waits patiently for the rebel to return to Him in humble repentance. Next is a collection of teachings on the differences between worldly and kingdom living (Luke 16:1—17:10). After two more groups of a miracle, teachings on the kingdom, and teachings on salvation (Luke 17:11—19:27), Jesus will enter Jerusalem and prepare for the crucifixion.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.