The purpose of a parable is to conceal spiritual truths. Mark 4:11 tells us this much,
"And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables." Mark 4:11 KJV
Each time Jesus spoke in parables it was for the purpose of mystifying those that are without and enlightening those that are within. This is why the disciples when they are alone always asking for the meaning of parables that they don't understand and then the master with joy begins to show them what these mysteries mean!
The setting for this event here we found in Luke 15:1-7
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he finds it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoices with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance"
Jesus spoke this parable because the Pharisees and Sadducees as always are complaining of him always mingling with sinners and the low lives in the society. Luke did say he spoke a parable, but in the true sense of the word parable, this was not a parable because the master spoke with the intent to make the Pharisees understand the basis for his relationship with sinners!
The way the master spoke here is consistent with the way he always speaks especially to the Pharisees. Look up at other scriptures herein
"And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fell into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?"
Luke 14:3-5 KJV
The way Jesus spoke in the first instance was the same way he spoke here. In Luke 15:3 he asks, "what man of you", he was speaking to the lifestyle of the pharisee, he was using their lifestyle to illustrate the point he wants to drive home then at the end he uses this lifestyle to relate to what he has done. Like in Luke 14 he also started with the words, " Which of you shall have an ass...". He was pointing to the Pharisee's lifestyle if you people can rescue your dying or lost ass on Sabbath day I too can rescue one of my dying sons or daughters! It was straight to the point comparative analysis, the Pharisees understand each time he speaks like this and that's why often than not they don't argue with him! It was not a parable to conceal the truth but one to reveal the truth and 'gamified' the opposers of the son of God!
Each time Jesus wants to speak a parable, the real parable which conceals the truth, he always has two approaches because Jesus parables are in two categories: general parables and the kingdom related parables.
The general parables always start thus:
"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead" Luke 10:30 KJV.
You would have read many of the parables beginning with a "certain man" or a certain thing. This is always the approach.
However, for kingdom related parables, the opening is always like this if you have read enough of this kind of parables you should know what to expect at this point,
"Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it." Luke 13:18-19 KJV
There are so many parables along this line: the parable of the great pearl, of the field and many others.
What I am trying to point out here is that the so-called parable in Luke 15 is not really a parable in the truest sense of the word parable because Jesus here was trying to catch the Pharisees on their own lifestyle and ways of living. He was telling them, now read the account all over again.
"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he finds it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoices with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance"
Jesus began by directing His critics’ attention to their own attitudes and actions as it related to a lost sheep. Which one of them, if they owned 100 sheep, would not leave the 99 to search for but one lost sheep? After a diligent search, would they not rejoice greatly at finding the one lost sheep? Would they not tenderly put the sheep on their shoulders, lovingly carrying it back to the fold, rather than “kicking it back,” scolding it all the way? And would they not then let their friends know of their success and have them over to celebrate the finding of the one lost sheep?
The assumption is that every one of the Pharisees would have responded to the loss and finding of one sheep just as Jesus suggested. In a similar way, Jesus added, all of heaven rejoices over the repentance of one lost sinner. Heaven, too, rejoices more at the repentance of one lost sinner, more than over the 99 “righteous” who seemingly did not need to repent. The second so-called parable started off with a woman, Jesus maybe was trying to strike a balance, do gender equality thing, so he uses a woman for the second but the theme of the second parable was just like the first!
Just as the sheep rancher would be touched by the loss of but one sheep, the loss of part of the family finances would deeply touch the woman of the house. It would seem that the loss of that one coin was equal to one day’s wages. The woman would “turn the house upside-down” to find that one lost a coin. She would light a lamp to illuminate her search, and then she would sweep and clean until she found it. We get the impression that she would not stop until the lost coin was found.
When the coin is found, she, like the sheep rancher, would rejoice greatly at finding it. She, too, would call her friends and neighbors, so that they could rejoice with her. Once again, it is assumed by our Lord that all of His audience would be nodding their heads in agreement. They would search for the lost coin, just as they would rejoice in finding it.
Once again, heaven’s joy at the repentance of one sinner is like this too!
Now there are similarities between the two parables and here they are outlined
1) In both parables, sinfulness is not stressed (in going astray, getting lost), but lostness. This parable was not about people who sinned and lost, but about losing a precious possession
(2) In both parables, the owner takes the initiative, seeking the lost.
Read the rest of the blog post here: UNDERSTANDING CHRIST: A Look Through The Book Of Luke - Luke 15
"And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables." Mark 4:11 KJV
Each time Jesus spoke in parables it was for the purpose of mystifying those that are without and enlightening those that are within. This is why the disciples when they are alone always asking for the meaning of parables that they don't understand and then the master with joy begins to show them what these mysteries mean!
The setting for this event here we found in Luke 15:1-7
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he finds it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoices with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance"
Jesus spoke this parable because the Pharisees and Sadducees as always are complaining of him always mingling with sinners and the low lives in the society. Luke did say he spoke a parable, but in the true sense of the word parable, this was not a parable because the master spoke with the intent to make the Pharisees understand the basis for his relationship with sinners!
The way the master spoke here is consistent with the way he always speaks especially to the Pharisees. Look up at other scriptures herein
"And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fell into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?"
Luke 14:3-5 KJV
The way Jesus spoke in the first instance was the same way he spoke here. In Luke 15:3 he asks, "what man of you", he was speaking to the lifestyle of the pharisee, he was using their lifestyle to illustrate the point he wants to drive home then at the end he uses this lifestyle to relate to what he has done. Like in Luke 14 he also started with the words, " Which of you shall have an ass...". He was pointing to the Pharisee's lifestyle if you people can rescue your dying or lost ass on Sabbath day I too can rescue one of my dying sons or daughters! It was straight to the point comparative analysis, the Pharisees understand each time he speaks like this and that's why often than not they don't argue with him! It was not a parable to conceal the truth but one to reveal the truth and 'gamified' the opposers of the son of God!
Each time Jesus wants to speak a parable, the real parable which conceals the truth, he always has two approaches because Jesus parables are in two categories: general parables and the kingdom related parables.
The general parables always start thus:
"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead" Luke 10:30 KJV.
You would have read many of the parables beginning with a "certain man" or a certain thing. This is always the approach.
However, for kingdom related parables, the opening is always like this if you have read enough of this kind of parables you should know what to expect at this point,
"Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it." Luke 13:18-19 KJV
There are so many parables along this line: the parable of the great pearl, of the field and many others.
What I am trying to point out here is that the so-called parable in Luke 15 is not really a parable in the truest sense of the word parable because Jesus here was trying to catch the Pharisees on their own lifestyle and ways of living. He was telling them, now read the account all over again.
"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he finds it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoices with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance"
Jesus began by directing His critics’ attention to their own attitudes and actions as it related to a lost sheep. Which one of them, if they owned 100 sheep, would not leave the 99 to search for but one lost sheep? After a diligent search, would they not rejoice greatly at finding the one lost sheep? Would they not tenderly put the sheep on their shoulders, lovingly carrying it back to the fold, rather than “kicking it back,” scolding it all the way? And would they not then let their friends know of their success and have them over to celebrate the finding of the one lost sheep?
The assumption is that every one of the Pharisees would have responded to the loss and finding of one sheep just as Jesus suggested. In a similar way, Jesus added, all of heaven rejoices over the repentance of one lost sinner. Heaven, too, rejoices more at the repentance of one lost sinner, more than over the 99 “righteous” who seemingly did not need to repent. The second so-called parable started off with a woman, Jesus maybe was trying to strike a balance, do gender equality thing, so he uses a woman for the second but the theme of the second parable was just like the first!
Just as the sheep rancher would be touched by the loss of but one sheep, the loss of part of the family finances would deeply touch the woman of the house. It would seem that the loss of that one coin was equal to one day’s wages. The woman would “turn the house upside-down” to find that one lost a coin. She would light a lamp to illuminate her search, and then she would sweep and clean until she found it. We get the impression that she would not stop until the lost coin was found.
When the coin is found, she, like the sheep rancher, would rejoice greatly at finding it. She, too, would call her friends and neighbors, so that they could rejoice with her. Once again, it is assumed by our Lord that all of His audience would be nodding their heads in agreement. They would search for the lost coin, just as they would rejoice in finding it.
Once again, heaven’s joy at the repentance of one sinner is like this too!
Now there are similarities between the two parables and here they are outlined
1) In both parables, sinfulness is not stressed (in going astray, getting lost), but lostness. This parable was not about people who sinned and lost, but about losing a precious possession
(2) In both parables, the owner takes the initiative, seeking the lost.
Read the rest of the blog post here: UNDERSTANDING CHRIST: A Look Through The Book Of Luke - Luke 15
