Luke 15:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

there was joy for both Christ, who discovered it, and for the Divine Powers of the Heights, His allies and companions: ‘allies’ because they carry out His will; ‘companions’ because they are spiritual beings. I pose the question, are not all the Divine Powers of the Heights His allies, and the closest among them, such as the thrones, the cherubim, and the seraphim, His companions? Notice the phrase, ‘calls His allies and companions.’ This clearly suggests two aspects, even if this may not appear especially important.

Thus, through the light, what was lost has been restored, bringing great joy to the heavenly hosts. They celebrate even when a single sinner turns away from sin, as our all-knowing Lord has instructed us. If they rejoice at the salvation of one soul in perfect alignment with the divine will, and continually exalt the humility of the Savior, imagine the immense joy that fills them when all of creation is saved and invited by faith in Christ to embrace the truth, having shed the defilement of sin, liberated from the chains of death, and escaped the burden of guilt, even the guilt of straying and stumbling! For all these blessings are ours in Christ, to whom and with whom we give glory to God the Father, along with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

In His compassion, He perceives you even before you come to know Him—while you remain in sin. Were we truly the ones who pursued Christ, rather than Him seeking us? Are we the ones who approach the Healer, not the Healer who seeks out the ailing? Was it not the lost sheep for which the shepherd searched, leaving the ninety-nine behind, and upon finding it, carried it back with joy on his shoulders? Was it not a lost coin that prompted a woman to light a lamp and thoroughly search her house until she recovered it? When she found it, she joyfully proclaimed to her neighbors, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the lost coin" (Luke 15:4; 8-9). Just as that sheep was lost, and like that coin, we too were lost, but our Shepherd has found us. Indeed, He was actively searching for the sheep.

He ignited the ‘light’ - His body, and ‘cleaned the space’ - purging the world of iniquity, and ‘discovered the coin’ - the sovereign likeness (Gen. 1:26), which was burdened with desires; and upon discovering the coin, He calls forth the celestial beings that dwell in His affection, inviting them to share in the joy of those He has chosen to be witnesses of the secrets of His divine construction.

To address and refute such a charge, the Lord presented three parables: the first concerning ninety-nine sheep left in the hills, with a shepherd carrying the one sheep that had wandered away; the second about a drachma that a woman sought with a lamp, which she eventually found and invited her neighbors to celebrate with her, declaring, “Rejoice with me, for I have found a lost drachma” (Luke 15:9); and the third about two sons, which you requested I briefly discuss. While the parables of the sheep and the drachma share a common message, it is not essential to analyze them in detail at this moment.

As the woman carries out her task, so did the humanity of the Son of God. Specifically, when one drachma was lost, signifying human nature, which had been entangled in passions, He illuminated the way by revealing His incarnation to the world. According to Gregory the Theologian, He shone not merely with the glory of the divine but also with the brilliance of holiness, illuminating those who were enshrouded in ignorance. He then cleaned the house, symbolizing His purification of humanity, or this earthly realm, by dispelling the darkness of sin and removing the impurities of earthly desires that had settled upon it. After diligently seeking, as He journeyed through towns and villages and dispatched His disciples to all nations, He discovered what He sought and invited His friends and neighbors—those who served Him—to share in the celebration.

What are these others and neighbors, if not the Heavenly Authorities we've previously mentioned? As one draws closer to the Supreme Wisdom, one does so through the grace of perpetual sight.

It was not the Pharisees and scribes who approached Him with those words, but rather the tax collectors and sinners. Such a request was beyond the reach of the former; the latter, on the other hand, willingly abandoned what the Lord required. The prideful nature of the Pharisees obstructed their ability to truly recognize the sincere joy and participation with which the Lord embraced every convert from this marginalized group. As demonstrated earlier through the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, the merciful Lord illustrated His perspective towards every repentant sinner.

In the multitude that gathered around Jesus were numerous tax collectors and sinners who, like the rest, yearned to hear His teachings. He did not turn them away; rather, with compassionate humility, He welcomed each one who came to Him. This conduct by Christ provoked the Pharisees, who regarded it as a defilement to associate with a publican or a sinner, leading them to murmur and pass judgment amongst themselves. To challenge the arrogance of the Pharisees and to affirm His actions, Christ presented three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. In these narratives, Christ illustrated the Father’s love for those who repent and the joy that accompanies their return. By embodying the nature of God, whom the Pharisees claimed to honor while looking down upon sinners, He revealed the falsehood of their self-righteousness and validated His own actions.

In the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, Christ posed the question of His critics: "Do you reproach me for embracing sinners who have strayed from God, guiding them toward repentance and restoration? Yet you act similarly for those precious to you. Which of you, having a hundred sheep and losing just one, would not leave the ninety-nine in safety to search for the one that is lost? Or what woman, having ten coins, would not light a lamp and diligently sweep her home until she finds the one she misplaced? If you act this way for mere possessions, why do you judge me for seeking those who have turned away from their Heavenly Father?

In another parable that draws from common household experiences, the divine concern for the redemption of sinners is articulated with greater clarity. What woman, having ten coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she locates it, she calls her friends and neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the lost coin." In both the overarching message and the specific elements of this parable, St. Gregory the Theologian discerns a representation of the Lord Himself.