Luke 15 - Printer Friendly

What does Luke 15 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Luke 15 continues Jesus' teachings on the proper response to the coming of the kingdom of God. The sometimes-labeled "Travelogue to Jerusalem" stretches from Luke 9:51 to Luke 19:27. It includes events, teachings, and miracles selected to provide a context for Jesus' death and resurrection and the establishment of the church. This chapter contains the three "lost parables." These are the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the prodigal son. Each parable represents someone who has left God for different reasons: foolishness, ignorance, and rebellion. Since they all result in restoration of what was lost, some also refer to them as the "found parables."

Luke 15:1–2 sets the scene. As at the beginning of Jesus' ministry (Luke 5:27–32), a crowd of social outcasts and "sinners" have gathered around Him. This disgusts the Pharisees and scribes: lawyers who specialize in the traditional oral law. The religious leaders criticize Jesus for associating with such persons. Jesus responds with three parables describing how religious leaders should react when faced with sinners who wish to repent.

Luke 15:3–7 gives the parable of the lost sheep, representing a sinner who has left God out of foolishness. A shepherd with one hundred sheep discovers one has strayed. He leaves the ninety-nine and goes on a search. When he finds the lost sheep, he carries it home and celebrates with his friends. In the same way, heaven rejoices when a sinner repents: why can't the Pharisees?

Luke 15:8–10 contains the parable of the lost coin, symbolic of a sinner who does not know he is lost. A woman has ten silver coins; one goes missing. She sweeps every corner until she finds it and, again, celebrates with her friends and neighbors. In the same way, the angels rejoice when a sinner repents; are the Pharisees more pious than angels?

Luke 15:11–32 is the parable of the prodigal son; this typifies a sinner who leaves God intentionally and rebelliously. A son dishonors his father, takes his inheritance, and spends it frivolously. Famine and poverty lead to regret and humility. The son returns home in hopes his father will make him a servant and at least feed him. Instead, the father restores him to a loving relationship. The son's older brother, however, resents his father's easy forgiveness. As educated religious leaders, the Pharisees have every advantage God can give. Why can't they rejoice when another returns to God and God restores him?

The next section contains several parables and teachings on how to respond—or not to respond—to the arrival of God's kingdom (Luke 16:1—17:10). After two more sections that include a miracle and teachings on the kingdom of God (Luke 17:11—18:34; 18:35—19:27), Jesus enters Jerusalem to face the cross.

Luke 15:1–2 sets the scene for three upcoming parables. Smug religious leaders think it disgusting that Jesus would interact with people they deem immoral. The religious leaders have forgotten their purpose; they are not to bar the repentant from God, but to gently lead people towards obedient worship of God. In the stories of the lost sheep, coin, and son, Jesus invites them to celebrate repentance instead of focusing on past failure. The setting is reminiscent of Luke 5:27–32. These parables are only found in Luke.

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).

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.

Luke 15:11–32 records the famous parable of the prodigal son. To be "prodigal" is to be wastefully extravagant. Jesus is speaking to Pharisees who condemn His association with sinners. His point is that God seeks sinners so they can be saved (Luke 15:1–10). In this parable, Jesus presses others to join God's celebration over the return of repentant sinners. This is one of the most detailed and developed parables in the Bible, almost on the level of allegory, and is unique to Luke. Next, Jesus teaches how the lives of Christ-followers should differ from those in the world (Luke 16:1—17:10).

Chapter Summary:

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.

Chapter Context:

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.

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