And he spoke to them this parable, saying:
ειπεν δε προς αυτους την παραβολην ταυτην λεγων
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
How does the Lord act? He shows compassion to both the tax collectors and those who disparage His compassion. He does not reject them as beyond redemption or as complainers; instead, He heals them with tenderness, sharing the parable of the sheep. Through this, He persuades them and encourages them not to be troubled by such an abundance of grace.
Surely, you have also engaged with what you have read; you have pondered the profound statements of the Savior: have you fully and spiritually comprehended them, and applied your reflective mind to their deeper significance? Have you captured the essence of what was conveyed? Or, perhaps, the message, having resonated in your ears, has drifted away, leaving behind nothing of value. However, I trust that as believers who cherish learning, the Savior has illuminated your insight. For it is He who ‘opens the depths of darkness and puts the light of understanding into the hearts of those who love Him.’ Thus, the two parables that follow each other present us with a portrayal of Divine compassion: they share the same meaning and, in a sense, harmonize with one another.
To address such an allegation, the Lord shared three parables. The first was about a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep in the mountains to search for one that is lost, carrying it back on his shoulders. The second concerns a woman who lights a lamp to search for a drachma, rejoicing with her neighbors upon its discovery, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found a lost drachma’ (Luke 15:9). The third parable revolves around two sons, which I was urged to discuss briefly. Although the parables of the sheep and the drachma revolve around a common theme, we need not delve into them at this moment.
It suffices to acknowledge that these stories serve the purpose of illustrating the joy of repentance, inspiring those for whom repentance is unnecessary to rejoice alongside the repentant, much like the angels and neighbors celebrated when the sheep and drachma were recovered.
Thus, I am astonished that Tertullian, in his treatise on Chastity, which opposes the notion of repentance and seeks to distort an age-old truth with a novel interpretation, concluded that the publicans and sinners who dined with the Lord were Gentiles. This contradicts Scripture, which states, ‘Let there be no tribute-gatherer from among the Israelites’ (Deut. 23:18 according to the LXX), as if Matthew, a publican of the circumcised, were not an Israelite, or as if the publican who prayed in the temple, too ashamed to look up to heaven, were not one of God’s chosen people. Furthermore, Luke writes, ‘and all the people that heard, and the publicans justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John’ (Luke 7:29), showing that publicans were indeed considered among the Jews.
It is highly implausible to think that a Gentile entered the temple or that the Lord would share meals with them, given His careful adherence to the Law. He came first to seek the lost sheep of Israel. When a Canaanite woman sought healing for her daughter, He replied, “It is not good to take away the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs” (Matt. 15:26). Additionally, He instructed His disciples, ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles or enter a Samaritan city’ (Matthew 10:5). This indicates that the term tax collectors in Scripture generally refers to sinners, encompassing both Gentiles and Jews. Thus, those who claim, alongside their foolish and slanderous partners, that those who repent should not be welcomed back into the Christian community have failed to prove their point, asserting that tax collectors can only refer to Gentiles. Therefore, without further elaboration, I will present the very words of the Gospel and provide my commentary on them.
He silenced them with a parable, conveying that His incarnation was not for the sake of the just, but for the benefit of the sinners. This parable is also mentioned by Matthew in his eighteenth chapter; the interpretation found there is clearly articulated. For the significance of the number 100, refer to Luke 15:8.
Due to their deep affliction, they were unaware of their condition; lacking awareness of their true state, the Divine Healer tends to them with appealing nourishment, presenting an engaging parable, and within their hearts, He reveals the magnitude of their injury.
It was not the Pharisees and scribes who approached Him with sincere hearts, but rather the tax collectors and sinners. The expectations placed on the former were too burdensome, while the latter willingly let go of what the Lord required. The arrogance of the Pharisees blinded them to the genuine participation and joy the Lord felt in welcoming all who turned to Him from that marginalized group. As illustrated in the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, the compassionate Lord revealed how He cherishes every repentant soul.
Among those who accompanied Jesus were numerous tax collectors and sinners eager to hear Him speak. Rather than turning them away, He welcomed them with divine grace, engaging in fellowship with each one who came forward. This conduct provoked the Pharisees, who viewed contact with a publican or a sinner as contaminating, leading them to murmur and express their condemnation among themselves. To challenge their arrogance and defend His actions, Jesus presented three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. In these stories, Christ illustrated God's compassion for repentant sinners and His delight in their return. By reflecting the nature of God, whom the Pharisees professed to serve while despising those who strayed, He exposed the emptiness of their self-righteousness and affirmed the validity of His own actions.
Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Drachma
"Do you reproach me," Christ inquired, "for welcoming sinners who have strayed from God, reaching out to them, guiding them to repentance, and rescuing them from destruction in order to return them to the Lord? Yet you do the same for what is precious to you. Which of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness to search diligently for the lost one until it is found? Or what woman, possessing ten drachmas, would not light a lamp and sweep her house, searching intently until she recovers the lost coin (Luke 15:8)? If you show such effort to recover your own possessions, why do you criticize me for redeeming those who have strayed from their heavenly Father?
The good shepherd, upon finding a lost sheep, does not reprimand it for having wandered off, nor does he drive it back in anger. Instead, filled with joy at its discovery, he places it on his shoulders and brings it home, calling his friends and neighbors to celebrate, saying, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. I assure you that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous individuals who do not require repentance' (Luke 15:6-7). Likewise, I rejoice when I lead back to God the lost members of His flock.”
Confronted by these words, the Pharisees and scribes were left in silent anger; had they been willing to see their own faults, they would have felt ashamed. But was it only Jesus who exposed their shortcomings through His parables? Do we not also fall into the same pattern of Pharisaism? Do we not shy away from associating with our fallen brethren for fear of tarnishing our dignity? Do we not regard them with the same prideful disdain that characterized the Pharisees? May we feel shame for this resemblance and choose to follow Christ; let us journey with Him to assist those in need, no matter how far they have fallen. Let us engage them not with contempt or hollow admonitions but with warmth and the transformative power of love. Let us see them as the sick who need mercy rather than punishment for their afflictions, even if they have brought their troubles upon themselves. If we succeed in redeeming the lost and guiding them back onto the righteous path, we will come to understand the joy that Christ felt in bringing sinners to genuine repentance. We will recognize that our calling is not to amplify the joy of those who flourish without us but to rescue those burdened by sin, sorrow, and despair—those who have lost all grounds for rejoicing.
Some readers wonder: How could the good shepherd leave one lost sheep and abandon the rest of his flock? Who should be understood as the ninety-nine sheep that did not stray, and the nine drachmas that remained lost? The answer is that the shepherd did not leave his flock to chance, but in a safe pasture, which might seem deserted only because it is free from danger. Opinions vary regarding who the ninety-nine sheep and the nine drachmas represent. Some suggest they symbolize angels and the souls of the righteous deceased, while others believe they refer to the so-called righteous, like the Pharisees, who are blind to their own sins and thus dismiss all efforts for their salvation. However, neither explanation fully aligns with Christ’s intention; angels and the souls of the deceased cannot be counted among the same flock as the living sinners, nor can the Pharisees be seen as truly righteous when they are lost to both the earthly kingdom of God and His heavenly kingdom. In our attempts to interpret the minor details of Christ's parables, we must remember that He drew upon everyday experiences familiar to His audience, using them to convey a primary message rather than to focus on nuances that may not relate directly to the core theme. Recognizing this will spare us the fruitless effort of laboring over every detail of each parable and help us avoid losing sight of the overarching message, as the saying goes, "missing the forest for the trees."
The term “parable” refers broadly to teachings drawn from everyday life experiences. This particular parable is comprised of two parts: the story of the lost sheep (4-7) and the tale of the lost coin (8-10). Both narratives aim to highlight the immense value that God places on the repentance of a sinner, illustrating the Lord's deep concern for those who stray, including sinners and tax collectors. As one engages with these parables and those that follow, it is important to remember St. Chrysostom's guidance that not every detail should be interpreted in a veil of mystery; not all aspects hold the highest hidden meaning. Otherwise, one risks wandering into arbitrary interpretations that satisfy curiosity without offering genuine spiritual growth.
To dispel temptation, the Lord Jesus Christ shared poignant parables illustrating God's boundless love for humanity in its fallen state. The human heart finds joy not in what has never been lost, but in what has been rediscovered after its absence. The connection that arises on a momentous occasion is far more powerful than the bond that has dulled through routine, remaining in the soul like a flicker beneath the ashes. In the first parable, the Lord drew upon the life of a shepherd to highlight this aspect of the human spirit. What man among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and seek after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing; and upon arriving home, he gathers his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep." I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous individuals who do not need repentance. There are no truly righteous people on earth; all have sinned and require repentance (1 Jn. 1:8). Thus, the deeper meaning of the parable, as explained by Blessed Theophylact, points to the Lord Jesus Christ, who referred to Himself as the good Shepherd, giving His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11-14). He left the ninety-nine (the angels) in heaven and, donning the form of a servant, came to seek out one sheep, representing human nature, rejoicing over it more than over the unwavering goodness of the angels. The overarching message of the parable is that God cares deeply for the salvation of sinners and finds greater joy in their repentance than in those who are steadfast in righteousness.
Greek text, 8 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS