The Parables Of The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, And The Lost Boy
AS WE have already seen, in Luke 13:22--17:10 we have an account of the Perean ministry of our Lord which fell in the last three months of His life. In the fourteenth chapter Jesus was invited to dine with one of the rulers of the Pharisees. This occasion, as we see in chapter 14, gave rise to our Lord's teaching some most important lessons. In the latter part of this chapter He taught the lesson concerning the price of discipleship.
There was, on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ, such a tenderness for and sympathy with sinners that they naturally felt at home in His presence; or better, they felt drawn to Him instinctively, because of His great heart of love and compassion. The despised taxgatherers and sinners, therefore, constantly came to Him when they had opportunity and listened attentively to His teaching: "Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." (Luke 15:1,2). When these notorious taxgatherers, most of whom made themselves obnoxious because of their unjust treatment of the Jews, and the outcasts--those recognized as sinners--gathered around Jesus to hear His message, the scrupulously religious people--the scribes and the Pharisees--began to murmur against Him and to attack His character. It is quite probable that they put Jesus in the same class with these taxgatherers and out-and-out sinners, because they were flocking around Him to hear His message. We are told that "birds of a feather flock together." About, that proposition ordinarily there can be no question. But this principal is not always true. There are those who have a love and a compassion for the lost, and who are in quest for the salvation of the lost. When a person is thus motivated, he should not be classed with those whom he is endeavoring to help and to bless. This was true with Jesus. He did not like their sins any more than anyone else did. But He had a passion and a love for their souls and wanted to bring them to a saving knowledge of Himself.
Jesus Spoke a Parable
In order to justify His association with taxgatherers and sinners, Jesus spoke a parable. Let us notice that the word parable is in the singular number. Yet, when we read the chapter, we see that there are three different stories. Since Luke tells us that they constitute a parable, we must understand that the three stories put together constitute one parable, one comparison. These three narrations are drawn from different spheres: From animal life, from the material realm, and from the human sphere. The same fundamental teaching is presented in each account. At the same time each of these has one special feature that is different from the others. It seems difficult to find an illustration that can cover every phase of the situation. He therefore used these three comparisons. Now let us study each of these stories.
1. The Lost Sheep
The first story or section of this parable is the narrative concerning the lost sheep. Jesus asked His critics if they knew of any man who, having a hundred sheep and discovering that one of them had strayed away, would not leave ninety and nine and go out to hunt for the lost sheep, searching until he finds it. And when it is found, he brings it back to the fold and calls in his friends to rejoice with him because he has found the lost sheep. Everyone of Christ's critics would have done that very thing if they had a sheep that had strayed away and was lost. In a manner analogous to this case Jesus the Great Shepherd was passing by those who thought that they were saved (He could not help one who did not want assistance) and was seeking those who were lost and who realized their condition--the very thing to which his critics were objecting.
One can do very little good with a person until he realizes that he is lost and without God and hope in the world. When he acknowledges his need, such a person can be dealt with and can see the reasonableness of the gospel story of Christ's dying in behalf of the lost.
But why did Jesus use the story of the lost sheep to illustrate the lost sinner? One of the outstanding characteristics of a sheep is that it strays away unconsciously and does not know its way back to the shepherd of the fold. If left to itself, the sheep will be lost. Thus the sinner has strayed away from God and cannot by himself find his way back to the Lord.
But the Pharisees and scribes could retort that they were not like a dumb sheep. In some respects they were not, but in other ways they were. (The heart, according to Jeremiah, is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.) They unconsciously stray away from God. They do not have a new heart (Deut. 29:4). The good shepherd, has to go after the lost sheep and bring them back to the fold. That was exactly what Jesus was attempting to do in His association with the taxgatherers and sinners.
Just as the shepherd, when he finds his lost sheep, takes it and brings it back to the fold and then calls upon his friends to rejoice with him, because his sheep that was lost is found and is safe in the fold again, thus when the Saviour, the Good Shepherd, finds the lost sinner and brings him back into the fold of safety, there is joy, more joy, among the angels of God than there is joy among them over the ninety and nine righteous ones who need no repentance.
2. The Lost Coin
Since the critics of Jesus could retort that they were not like the dumb sheep, the Lord used another illustration. This time He compared the lost sinner to a lost coin. The story is as follows: Jesus asked His critics if there was a woman who, having ten pieces of silver and losing one of them, would not hunt everywhere in search of the lost coin until she finds it. When she has found it, she will call her friends and neighbors, asking them to rejoice with her since she has found the coin. The coin to which the parable alludes is doubtless one of the ten coins of a Palestinian woman's dowry. I have seen the women at Bethel, for instance, wearing their ten pieces of silver on their headgear. This was what was given to them at their marriage. These are just as precious and dear to those women as an American woman's wedding ring is to her. Any married lady today who loses her wedding ring will spare no effort in an attempt to recover it. It means much to her, being a symbol of her marriage.
The difference between the lost sheep and the lost coin is this: The sheep realizes that it is lost, but it does not know how to get back to safety and to the fold. The coin, on the other hand, is lost but does not know it. It will remain where it falls unless someone interested in it hunts, finds, and recovers it. Thus Jesus, in giving us this story, emphasizes the fact that sinners--all of whom are precious in God's sight--are lost and undone. But they do not know and realize what it is to be lost.
3. The Lost Boy
The critics of Jesus could reply to Him by saying that they were not like the lost sheep, nor were they like the lost coin. Jesus in substance admits this by giving the third story which covers the entire case, and which emphasizes another feature of the lost sinner. The story is as follows: There was a man who had two sons. The older one was faithful and true to his father, remaining at home and working hard all the time. The younger one, on the other hand, was of a restless spirit. He did not care for the things of the home life into which he was born. He was enamored by the whirl of society in a far country. Thus he came to his father, asking him to give him all of the substance which he would normally inherit in order that he might take it and go into another land and enjoy life--as he saw fit. Since the boy's heart was not at home, but was in a far country, the father refused to keep him there. In that case he would be there in body only, but not in spirit. Hence the father gave the boy all that was coming to him. When he received his share, he made his preparations and left home, thinking that all would be well with him.
After the young man arrived in the other country, he wasted his substance in riotous living. He did not have to work for the money he was spending. It came easily; and, as is often the case, it went easily. It was not long until he discovered that he had spent every penny that he had. Then he was brought to want. He was not among friends, for those who had appeared to be his friends while he had money no longer were interested in him. The grim monster of hunger and suffering and hardship was at his heels all the time. Since self-preservation is the first law of nature, the boy hunted a job. It was probably difficult to find one. When he did finally manage to land one, it was the hated task of feeding swine for Gentiles. But the wage that he received for his labor was very meager indeed.
The days came and went, lengthening into weeks and months. The miserable lot of the boy became more obvious as the hours passed. He began to meditate upon his condition and thought about the home where he had plenty of food to eat, and where love was extended to him upon all occasions. Moreover, he thought about the hired servants who worked for his father, and who had more than they could consume. By such meditation he came to himself. That expression implies that he was not his normal self, but his wretched circumstances caused him figuratively speaking, to bump his head. He then came to himself. When he thus came to himself, he decided that the only wise and prudent thing that he could do was to return to his father's home. When he came to this conclusion, he thought of what he would tell his father. He made up his speech and memorized it. "I will arise and go to my father," he thought to himself, "and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: 19 I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of they hired servants." (Luke 15:18,19.) It was a humble, pathetic statement indeed! And yet it was music to his father's ears.
We can in fancy see the young man as he arose, straightened himself up, and started off down the long road, with his face turned homeward. As he plodded along, he was thinking of his prodigal life.
In the meantime, the father at home was hoping expectantly that the boy would return at any time. We may assume that the father watched the road constantly, waiting, longing, hoping for his son's return to him and to his home. Thus when the boy came in sight of his father's house, the latter was watching for him. As he drew near, he begins to speak to him as he had decided to do. But the father interrupted his prepared speech and received his son with a most cordial welcome. He commanded his servants, "bring forth quickly the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet." Then the father gave orders for the fatted calf to be killed in order that they might have a feast to celebrate his son's return. These things the servants naturally did.
While this joyous scene was taking place, the older son, who had remained at home, and who had performed loyal, faithful service to his father all this time, was returning from the field to the house. Upon approaching, he heard music and merriment. He could not understand what it was all about. He therefore called to one of the hired servants, asking him what was the occasion of all the merriment. The servant answered him saying: "Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound." Instead of receiving the news with gladness and joy, the older brother was moved with jealousy and anger. He pouted and refused to go into the house. Then the father went out and remonstrated with him. But the older son, being filled with hatred and revenge, even reproved his father for receiving the wayward boy back home again. The father, however, patiently explained the entire situation. Someone has called this third story, not the parable of the prodigal son, but the parable of a father's love. This latter title seems to be the more appropriate, since that is the dominant feature of the entire story.
By this parable our Lord taught that the sinners with whom He was associating were like that lost boy who, lured by the attractions and pleasures of the world, had gone astray in a far country. They too in effect, are consuming their substance in riotous living, are utterly lost, and are in need, absolute need, of salvation.
The boy, when he began to meditate upon his miserable condition, saw what a horrible mistake he had made in life and decided to return to the paternal home, which thing he did. Thus the sinner can think of his waywardness and of his past and then of his present condition. He can come to himself and with resolution say, "I will arise and return to my Father's house. Though I am not worth to be received by Him, yet I will return and will do anything--I will be whatever He wants me to be!"
"Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!"
Let us remember that God made of one man every nation to dwell upon the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek after God and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. It is the will of God that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God will do everything in His power--short of forcing the will--in an effort to bring every lost sinner to realize his need of salvation so that he will arise and return to his Father. Let us, however always remember that God never coerces the will of anyone but that He is willing to receive back into fellowship with Himself everyone who will come to God through Christ, regardless of what his condition may be. "I say unto you," our Lord told the scribes and Pharisees, "that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance ... there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:7,10).
False Interpretation of This Parable
Some, ignoring the occasion of the Lord's speaking these three stories, have read into the passage something that is not there, especially in the last one. According to these theorists the prodigal son represents the Gentiles, and the older son who remained at home, and who was faithful to his father--but who had the wrong spirit--is the Jew. Thus a national aspect is given to the parable.
Jesus was not discussing the Jewish problem in relation to the Gentiles. As seen in the very beginning of this study, the scribes and the Pharisees were objecting to Christ's associating with and teaching the taxgatherers and sinners. Jesus was justifying Himself and showing the reasonableness of His action.
We praise God that the Good Shepherd is always hunting the lost sheep in order to bring them safely into the fold!
