Luke 15:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’

NIV: And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’

NASB: And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin which I had lost!’

CSB: When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’

NLT: And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’

KJV: And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

NKJV: And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’

Three parables explain why Jesus chooses to interact with "sinners" and "tax collectors." The first, the parable of the lost sheep, illustrates that some are lost because of foolishness. That being the case, it's unlikely they'll be able to find their way home, so Jesus—the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)—goes after them (Luke 15:1–7).

In the parable of the lost coin, Jesus compares a missing silver coin to a person who does not know he has strayed from following God. Such a lost person cannot return on his own. God is represented by a woman who searches her house diligently until she finds the coin (Luke 15:8). When she does, she invites her friends and neighbors to celebrate with her. In the same way, when a sinner turns from his way and repents, heaven will celebrate the restoration.

The value of the coin in this example was about a day's wage. While not a trivial amount, this is also not a catastrophic loss. To men like the ancient Pharisees, a single sinner doesn't seem important enough to make such a fuss over. Certainly not enough for a respected teacher—Jesus—to sully His reputation.

"Friends" and "neighbors" here are both in feminine form as opposed to the masculine found in Luke 15:6. Luke's Gospel is known for including many stories and parables where the protagonist is a woman.

Luke 15:8–10 continues Jesus' three parables about lost things, here speaking of a coin. In this analogy, the sinner is like a lost coin that doesn't know it needs rescuing. When the woman finds the coin, she invites her neighbors to celebrate with her, like how heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. The prior parable referred to those who leave God for foolish reasons (Luke 15:3–7); the last describes sinners who intentionally rebel against God (Luke 15:11–32). When any sinner repents and returns to his Father, God is eager to restore their relationship. These parables are unique to Luke's writing.

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.