Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son, Three Parables or One
Parables of Jesus
By: Bruce P. Landry
I. What are the Three Parables?
The parables in Luke Chapter 15 are really great parables to teach us the value of things that we are placed in stewardship over, and where we should place our efforts. In the case of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7) we see the Shepherd leave the ninety-nine and seek after the one until he finds it and upon finding it he rejoices greatly. Similarly we see in the parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) the widow who losses her coin with single-minded purpose pursues her coin throughout her abode until she finds it. When she finds it she is so overjoyed she calls her friends to celebrate with her for her good fortune. Lastly, in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) we see a Father who gives his all to his son, allowing him to do things no son should nor do to his father. The Father loves his son and as the son goes out and losses his estate and finds himself dejected and in poverty finally coming to his senses he returns. His Father sees him while he is still far away which indicates the Father was hoping and praying that he would come to his sense and return. The Father puts off all facades of dignity and honor and runs to his son while he is yet far away. Coming to his son, the Father falls on his neck and kisses him and calls his servants to bring the best robe in the house and a ring—restoring to him the honor and place which the son had rightfully lost. The Father knows that this son that was lost was found and there was great value in the one that was lost being found.
We can easily see that the tree parables have common concepts and deal with something lost that we are taught is of great value, greater value than our common minds would place on these lost sheep, coin, and son.
II. What is a parable?
A parable is a word picture that uses an image or story to illustrate a truth or lesson. It creates a mini-drama in picture language that describes the reality being illustrated. It shows a likeness between the image of an illustration and the object being portrayed. It defines the unknown by using the known. It helps the listener to discover the deeper meaning and underlying truth of the reality being portrayed. It can be a figure of speech or comparison, such as "the kingdom of God ..is like a mustard seed ..or like yeast" (Luke 13:19, 21).
More commonly it is a short story told to bring out a lesson or moral. Jesus used simple stories or images to convey important truths about God and his kingdom, and lessons pertaining to the way of life and happiness which God intends for us. They commonly feature examples or illustrations from daily life in ancient Palestine, such as mustard seeds and fig trees, wineskins and oil lamps, money and treasure, stewards, workers, judges, and homemakers, wedding parties and children’s games. Jesus’ audience would be very familiar with these illustrations of everyday life. Today we have to do some "homework" to understand the social customs described.
Jesus’ parables have a double meaning. First, there is the literal meaning, apparent to anyone who has experience with the subject matter. But beyond the literal meaning lies a deeper meaning -- a beneath-the-surface lesson about God’s truth and his kingdom. For example, the parable of the leaven (see Matthew 13:33) describes the simple transformation of dough into bread by the inclusion of the yeast. In like manner, we are transformed by God’s kingdom when we allow his word and Spirit to take root in our hearts. And in turn we are called to be leaven that transforms the society in which we live and work. Jerome, an early church father and biblical scholar remarked: "The marrow of a parable is different from the promise of its surface, and like as gold is sought for in the earth, the kernel in a nut and the hidden fruit in the prickly covering of chestnuts, so in parables we must search more deeply after the divine meaning."
Jesus’ parables often involve an element of surprise or an unexpected twist, a matter of hyperbole. The original audience was taken off guard by the progression of the story and when we study them properly we also should be taken off guard. The parable moves from the very familiar and understandable aspects of every day Early Near Eastern experience to a sudden turn of events or a remarkable comparison that challenges the hearer and invites further reflection.
For example, why should a shepherd go through a lot of bother and even risk his life to find one lost sheep when ninety-nine are in his safe keeping? The shepherd’s concern for one lost sheep and his willingness to risk his own life for it tells us a lot about God’s concern for his children. Who having nine coins would worry about the lost one at the moment are at least until the nine were gone. What Father would worry about a son that for all intention had told the same Father he wished he were dead? Even our petty comings and goings, will not effect the love of our Father, which loves us through all our faults. In addition we can see what Jeremias considered the parables:
Jeremias considers the earlier form-critical distinctions of metaphor, simile, parable, and example “a fruitless labour,” since the Greek translates the Hebrew ma„sŒa„l, which referred to “figurative forms of speech of every kind: parable, similitude, allegory, fable, proverb, apocalyptic revelation, riddle, symbol, pseudonym, fictitious person, example, theme, argument, apology, refutation, jest.” This background certainly accounts for the broad semantic range of parabolhv in the New Testament. Luke, for example, can use it for as long a passage as the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32) and for as short a saying as “Physician, heal yourself” (4:23). Yet form criticism has surely taught us that forms may be more narrowly identified and classified even where the New Testament does not use a distinctive word or expression for them. The advantage of this precision is that like forms may well require like principles of interpretation. If we learn how to interpret one of a distinct kind of parables properly then perhaps the rest will fall into line more readily.
151:3.3 1. Jesus advised against the use of either fables or allegories in teaching the truths of the gospel. He did recommend the free use of parables, especially nature parables. He emphasized the value of utilizing the analogy existing between the natural and the spiritual worlds as a means of teaching truth. He frequently alluded to the natural as "the unreal and fleeting shadow of spirit realities."
151:3.4 2. Jesus narrated three or four parables from the Hebrew scriptures, calling attention to the fact that this method of teaching was not wholly new. However, it became almost a new method of teaching as he employed it from this time onward.
151:3.5 3. In teaching the apostles the value of parables, Jesus called attention to the following points:
151:3.6 The parable provides for a simultaneous appeal to vastly different levels of mind and spirit. The parable stimulates the imagination, challenges the discrimination, and provokes critical thinking; it promotes sympathy without arousing antagonism.
151:3.7 The parable proceeds from the things which are known to the discernment of the unknown. The parable utilizes the material and natural as a means of introducing the spiritual and the super material.
151:3.8 Parables favor the making of impartial moral decisions. The parable evades much prejudice and puts new truth gracefully into the mind and does all this with the arousal of a minimum of the self-defense of personal resentment.
151:3.9 To reject the truth contained in parabolical analogy requires conscious intellectual action which is directly in contempt of one’s honest judgment and fair decision. The parable conduces to the forcing of thought through the sense of hearing.
151:3.10 The use of the parable form of teaching enables the teacher to present new and even startling truths while at the same time he largely avoids all controversy and outward clashing with tradition and established authority.
151:3.11 The parable also possesses the advantage of stimulating the memory of the truth taught when the same familiar scenes are subsequently encountered.
151:3.12 In this way Jesus sought to acquaint his followers with many of the reasons underlying his practice of increasingly using parables in his public teaching.
III. The Biblical Texts and early Christian literature
We see in the beginning of Luke Chapter 15 that the tax collectors and sinners had come near to hear Jesus. The Pharisees and scribes were murmuring because Jesus would receive sinners and eat with them instead of the Pharisees. In response, to their indifference to the people truly in need, Jesus tells three parables as recorded in Luke 15.
1) "The Lost Sheep" - Luke 15:3-7
2) "The Lost Coin" - Luke 15:8-10
3) "The Prodigal Son" - Luke 15:11-32
Luke 15
1Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I 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.
8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The 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. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He 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 men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20So 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. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For 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. 26So 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. 29But 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. 30But 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. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
These three parables have the same central theme: "The Father’s
yearning love for the lost." Such love is evident by the joy "in heaven" and "in the presence of angels" when just one sinner repents. They also reveal what our own attitude should be toward the lost. We learn that Jesus not only "welcomed" the lost sinners but he also "sought" them! e.g., Luke 19:10; John 10:16
-- So our attitude should be one of both welcoming and seeking those who are lost!
All three parables "The Lost Sheep", "The Lost Coin" and “The Prodigal Son” describe the heavenly joy when a sinner repents - Luke 15:7,10,32. Is that your attitude when a sinner repents? Or are you indifferent? Do you think "Ho hum, so what." Are you skeptical? Thinking "I wonder if they really repented." Are you judgmental? Thinking "Shame on them for sinning in the first place!" Are do you feel the way that Jesus Christ describes we should by feeling full of joy?
The parable of the father and his two sons is the longest one in the gospels. What is the main point of the story? Is it the contrast between an obedient and a disobedient son or is it between the reception given to a spendthrift son by the father and the reception given by the eldest son? Jesus contrasts the father’s merciful love with the eldest son’s somewhat harsh reaction to his errant brother and to the lavish party his joyful father throws for his repentant son. While the errant son had wasted his father’s money, his father, nonetheless, maintained unbroken love for his son. The son, while he was away, learned a lot about himself. And he realized that his father had given him love he had not returned. He had yet to learn about the depth of his father’s love for him. His deep humiliation at finding himself obliged to feed on the husks of pigs and his reflection on all he had lost, led to his repentance and decision to declare himself guilty before his father. While he hoped for reconciliation with his father, he could not have imagined a full restoration of his previous relationship. The father did not need to speak words of forgiveness to his son; his actions spoke more loudly and clearly! The beautiful robe, the ring, and the festive banquet symbolize the new life -- pure, worthy, and joyful -- of anyone who returns to God. The prodigal could not return to the garden of innocence, but he was welcomed and reinstated as a son. The errant son’s dramatic change from grief and guilt to forgiveness and restoration express in picture-language the resurrection from the dead, a rebirth to new life from spiritual death. The parable also contrasts mercy and its opposite--unforgiveness. The father who had been wronged forgave. But the eldest son, who had not been wronged, was unforgiving. His unforgiveness turns into contempt and pride. And his resentment leads to his isolation and estrangement from the community of forgiven sinners. In this parable Jesus gives a vivid picture of God and what God is like. God is truly kinder than us. He does not lose hope or give up when we stray. He rejoices in finding the lost and in leading them home.
IV. Conclusion
Although there is certainly evidence that the parables have a very similar theme in the “Lost Sheep”, “Lost Coins”, and the “Prodigal Son”. The contrast and changes in characters in the Prodigal Son show a marked contrast to the prior two Parables.
The simplicity of the original two parables with the conclusion of the rejoicing in heaven over the repentance of one sinner seems to contrast greatly with the younger son, the older son and his multiple roles or the lack of his roles in the parable.
The Urantia Papers, number 169 have the following to say:
169:1.1 On Thursday afternoon Jesus talked to the multitude about the "Grace of Salvation." In the course of this sermon he retold the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin and then added his favorite parable of the prodigal son. Said Jesus:
169:1.2 "You have been admonished by the prophets from Samuel to John that you should seek for God -- search for truth. Always have they said, `Seek the Lord while he may be found.’ And all such teaching should be taken to heart. But I have come to show you that, while you are seeking to find God, God is likewise seeking to find you. Many times have I told you the story of the good shepherd who left the ninety and nine sheep in the fold while he went forth searching for the one that was lost, and how, when he had found the straying sheep, he laid it over his shoulder and tenderly carried it back to the fold. And when the lost sheep had been restored to the fold, you remember that the good shepherd called in his friends and bade them rejoice with him over the finding of the sheep that had been lost. Again I say there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. The fact that souls are lost only increases the interest of the heavenly Father. I have come to this world to do my Father’s bidding, and it has truly been said of the Son of Man that he is a friend of publicans and sinners.
169:1.3 "You have been taught that divine acceptance comes after your repentance and as a result of all your works of sacrifice and penitence, but I assure you that the Father accepts you even before you have repented and sends the Son and his associates to find you and bring you, with rejoicing, back to the fold, the kingdom of sonship and spiritual progress. You are all like sheep which have gone astray, and I have come to seek and to save those who are lost.
169:1.4 "And you should also remember the story of the woman who, having had ten pieces of silver made into a necklace of adornment, lost one piece, and how she lit the lamp and diligently swept the house and kept up the search until she found the lost piece of silver. And as soon as she found the coin that was lost, she called together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece that was lost.’ So again I say, there is always joy in the presence of the angels of heaven over one sinner who repents and returns to the Father’s fold. And I tell you this story to impress upon you that the Father and his Son go forth to search for those who are lost, and in this search we employ all influences capable of rendering assistance in our diligent efforts to find those who are lost, those who stand in need of salvation. And so, while the Son of Man goes out in the wilderness to seek for the sheep gone astray, he also searches for the coin which is lost in the house. The sheep wanders away, unintentionally; the coin is covered by the dust of time and obscured by the accumulation of the things of men.
169:1.5 "And now I would like to tell you the story of a thoughtless son of a well-to-do farmer who deliberately left his father’s house and went off into a foreign land, where he fell into much tribulation. You recall that the sheep strayed away without intention, but this youth left his home with premeditation. It was like this:
169:1.6 "A certain man had two sons; one, the younger, was lighthearted and carefree, always seeking for a good time and shirking responsibility, while his older brother was serious, sober, hard-working, and willing to bear responsibility. Now these two brothers did not get along well together; they were always quarreling and bickering. The younger lad was cheerful and vivacious, but indolent and unreliable; the older son was steady and industrious, at the same time self-centered, surly, and conceited. The younger son enjoyed play but shunned work; the older devoted himself to work but seldom played. This association became so disagreeable that the younger son came to his father and said: `Father, give me the third portion of your possessions which would fall to me and allow me to go out into the world to seek my own fortune.’ And when the father heard this request, knowing how unhappy the young man was at home and with his older brother, he divided his property, giving the youth his share.
169:1.7 "Within a few weeks the young man gathered together all his funds and set out upon a journey to a far country, and finding nothing profitable to do which was also pleasurable, he soon wasted all his inheritance in riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a prolonged famine in that country, and he found himself in want. And so, when he suffered hunger and his distress was great, he found employment with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed swine. And the young man would fain have filled himself with the husks which the swine ate, but no one would give him anything.
169:1.8 "One day, when he was very hungry, he came to himself and said: `How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare while I perish with hunger, feeding swine off here in a foreign country! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no more worthy to be called your son; only be willing to make me one of your hired servants.’ And when the young man had reached this decision, he arose and started out for his father’s house.
169:1.9 "Now this father had grieved much for his son; he had missed the cheerful, though thoughtless, lad. This father loved this son and was always on the lookout for his return, so that on the day he approached his home, even while he was yet afar off, the father saw him and, being moved with loving compassion, ran out to meet him, and with affectionate greeting he embraced and kissed him. And after they had thus met, the son looked up into his father’s tearful face and said: `Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no more worthy to be called a son’ -- but the lad did not find opportunity to complete his confession because the overjoyed father said to the servants who had by this time come running up: `Bring quickly his best robe, the one I have saved, and put it on him and put the son’s ring on his hand and fetch sandals for his feet.’
169:1.10 "And then, after the happy father had led the footsore and weary lad into the house, he called to his servants: `Bring on the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they all gathered about the father to rejoice with him over the restoration of his son.
169:1.11 "About this time, while they were celebrating, the elder son came in from his day’s work in the field, and as he drew near the house, he heard the music and the dancing. And when he came up to the back door, he called out one of the servants and inquired as to the meaning of all this festivity. And then said the servant: `Your long-lost brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf to rejoice over his son’s safe return. Come in that you also may greet your brother and receive him back into your father’s house.’
169:1.12 "But when the older brother heard this, he was so hurt and angry he would not go into the house. When his father heard of his resentment of the welcome of his younger brother, he went out to entreat him. But the older son would not yield to his father’s persuasion. He answered his father, saying: `Here these many years have I served you, never transgressing the least of your commands, and yet you never gave me even a kid that I might make merry with my friends. I have remained here to care for you all these years, and you never made rejoicing over my faithful service, but when this your son returns, having squandered your substance with harlots, you make haste to kill the fatted calf and make merry over him.’
169:1.13 "Since this father truly loved both of his sons, he tried to reason with this older one: `But, my son, you have all the while been with me, and all this which I have is yours. You could have had a kid at any time you had made friends to share your merriment. But it is only proper that you should now join with me in being glad and merry because of your brother’s return. Think of it, my son, your brother was lost and is found; he has returned alive to us!’"
169:1.14 This was one of the most touching and effective of all the parables which Jesus ever presented to impress upon his hearers the Father’s willingness to receive all who seek entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
169:1.15 Jesus was very partial to telling these three stories at the same time. He presented the story of the lost sheep to show that, when men unintentionally stray away from the path of life, the Father is mindful of such lost ones and goes out, with his Sons, the true shepherds of the flock, to seek the lost sheep. He then would recite the story of the coin lost in the house to illustrate how thorough is the divine searching for all who are confused, confounded, or otherwise spiritually blinded by the material cares and accumulations of life. And then he would launch forth into the telling of this parable of the lost son, the reception of the returning prodigal, to show how complete is the restoration of the lost son into his Father’s house and heart.
169:1.16 Many, many times during his years of teaching, Jesus told and retold this story of the prodigal son. This parable and the story of the good Samaritan were his favorite means of teaching the love of the Father and the neighborliness of man.
While the first two parables show our indifference to God’s ideas of how we should see ultimately his upcoming “Great Commission”. Jesus spins a parable truly rich in “hyperbole”. Kenneth R. Bailey truly opens the eyes of the searcher to the Ancient Near East tendencies and feeling toward the shock of what Jesus was suggesting to his audience. In effect none of them could even consider that this thing could happen they likely would have stated impossible, nonsense, who would stand for such a thing.
Bailey states that even today it is difficult for people to comprehend the hideousness of the act that the younger son committed by asking his father for his part of the inheritance.
Bailey claims, I think rightly, that the initial two parables of the lost sheep and coins might be combined as to subject structure and message all being very similar. Bailey finds that the structure included in the “Prodigal Son” or as Bailey prefers to call it the “Prodigal of the two Lost Sons” to be far more complex than the previous two and the over arching meaning is far more complicated.
David Wenham also sees the parables as different in their complexity although carrying one central theme through all three, the great love of God as He seeks out those who are lost, over and above what most of us can comprehend.
I know that several very learned and respected professors and theologians feel that Luke 15 could quite possibly be just one extensive parable. The similarity in themes cannot be denied however in the end my opinion is based on the complexity of the final parable. It does have a similar theme, but it also carries a theme of stewardship for those around a situation that fail to act and our requirement to strive to bring them to an understanding of God’s greater work and love.
Bibliography:
Multiple, Trinity Journal, (Deerfield, Illinois: Trinity Journal) 1999.
2 The Urantia Papers, Paper 151
3 THE HOLY BIBLE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
4 The Urantia Papers, Paper 169.
5 Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes, Kenneth E. Bailey, Pg. 158-206, Eerdmans
6 The Parables of Jesus, David Wenham, Pg. 99-113, InterVarsity Press
