Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
LUKE 15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Application Notes
15:2 Why were the Pharisees and teachers of the law bothered that Jesus was associating with these people? The religious leaders were always careful to stay clean according to Old Testament law. In fact, they went well beyond the law in their avoidance of certain people and situations and in their ritual washings. Not surprisingly, Jesus had a different viewpoint on their practice of cleanness. He risked defilement by touching those who had leprosy and by neglecting to wash in the Pharisees' obsessively prescribed manner, and he showed complete disregard for their sanctions against certain classes of people. He came to offer salvation to sinners and to personally demonstrate how much God loves them. Jesus didn't worry about accusations from the spiritually blind religious leaders. Instead, he continued going to those who needed him, regardless of the effect that associating with them might have on his reputation. How are you following Jesus' example?
15:3-6 It may seem foolish for the shepherd to leave 99 sheep to go search for just one. But the shepherd knew that the 99 would be safe in the sheepfold, whereas the lost sheep was in danger. Because each sheep was of high value, the shepherd knew that it was worthwhile to search diligently for the lost one. God loves each individual so much that he seeks out each one and rejoices when he or she is found. Jesus associated with sinners because he wanted to bring the lost sheep—people considered beyond hope—the gospel of God's kingdom. Before you were a believer, God sought you; and he still seeks those who are yet lost.
15:4-5 We can understand how God would forgive sinners who come to him for mercy. But a God who tenderly searches for sinners and then joyfully forgives them must possess an extraordinary love! This kind of love prompted Jesus to come to earth to search for lost people and save them. God wants to give this kind of extraordinary love to you.
15:8-10 These ten silver coins may have been from the woman's marriage dowry or a family inheritance. So besides their significant monetary value, the coins may have held sentimental value, and to lose one would have been extremely distressing. Just one of these silver coins was of significant value, so for a common person in Jesus' day these coins could have been essential to survival. Any of these factors might give clues to this woman's deep concern about her lost coin. Just as this woman rejoiced at finding her lost coin, the angels rejoice over a repentant sinner. Each individual is precious to God. He grieves over every loss and rejoices whenever one of his children turns to him and enters his kingdom. Perhaps we would have even more joy in our churches if we shared Jesus' love and concern for the lost, diligently seeking them and rejoicing when they come to the Savior.
15:12 The younger son's share of the estate would have been onethird, and the older son would have received two-thirds (Deuteronomy 21:17). In most cases they would have received this at their father's death, although fathers would sometimes choose to divide their inheritance early and retire from managing their estates. What is unusual here is that the younger son initiated the division of the estate. This showed arrogant disregard for his father's authority as head of the family.
15:15-16 According to Moses' law, pigs were unclean animals (Leviticus 11:2-8; Deuteronomy 14:8). This meant that pigs could not be eaten or used as sacrifices. To protect themselves from defilement, Jews would not even touch pigs. For a Jew to stoop to feeding pigs was a great humiliation, and for this young man to eat food that the pigs had touched was to be degraded beyond belief. The younger son had truly sunk to the depths.
15:17 The younger son, like many who are rebellious and immature, wanted to be free to live as he pleased, and he had to hit bottom before he came to his senses. Some people need great sorrow and tragedy to cause them to look to the only one who can help them—Jesus. Are you trying to live life your own way, selfishly pushing aside any responsibility or commitment that gets in your way? Stop and look before you hit bottom. You will save yourself and your family much grief.
15:20 In the two preceding stories, the seeker actively looked for the coin and the sheep, which could not return by themselves. In this story, the father watched and waited. He was dealing with a human being with a will of his own, but he was ready to greet his son when he returned. In the same way, God's love is constant, patient, and welcoming. He will search for us and give us opportunities to respond, but he will not force us to come to him. Like the father in this story, God waits patiently for us to come to our senses and come to him.
15:24 The sheep was lost because it foolishly wandered away (15:4), the coin was lost through no fault of its own (15:8), and the son left out of selfishness (15:12). God's great love reaches out and finds sinners no. matter why or how they got lost.
15:25-31 The older brother found it very difficult to accept his younger brother when he returned, and it can be just as difficult for us to accept people like the younger brother today. People who repent after leading notoriously sinful lives are often held in suspicion; churches are sometimes unwilling to admit them to membership; families often find it difficult to forgive and welcome them back. Instead, we should rejoice like the angels in heaven when a runaway from the faith repents and returns to God. Like the father, accept and welcome repentant people wholeheartedly and give them the support and encouragement that they need to grow in their walk with Jesus.
15:30 In the story of the lost son, the father's response is contrasted with the older brother's. The father forgave because he was filled with love. The older brother refused to forgive because he was bitter. His resentment rendered him just as lost to the father's love as his younger brother had been. Don't let anything keep you from forgiving others. If you are refusing to forgive people, you are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience joy and share it with others. Make your joy grow: Forgive somebody who has hurt you.
15:32 In Jesus' story, the older brother represents the Pharisees, who were angry and resentful that sinners were being welcomed into God's kingdom. After all, the Pharisees must have thought, we have sacrificed and done so much for God. We can easily resent God's gracious forgiveness of others whom we consider to be far worse sinners than ourselves. But if our self-righteousness gets in the way of rejoicing when others come to Jesus, we are no different from the Pharisees.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)