Luke 15:3-7

Luke 15:3-7

[3] And  he spake  parable  unto  them,  saying,  [4] What  man  of  having  an hundred  sheep,  if  he lose  one  of  them,  not  leave  the ninety and nine  in  the wilderness,  and  go  after  that which is lost,  until  he find  it?  [5] And  when he hath found  it, he layeth  it on  shoulders,  rejoicing.  [6] And  when he cometh  home,  he calleth together  his friends  and  neighbours,  saying  unto them,  Rejoice  for  I have found  sheep  which  was lost.  [7] I say  that  likewise  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that repenteth,  more than  over  ninety and nine  just persons,  which  need  no  repentance. 

What does Luke 15:3-7 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Matthew also recorded this parable as part of Jesus" discipleship training. Jesus" point was that God does not want any of His "sheep" to wander away from their Shepherd. He seeks them out and brings them home. It was a call to the disciples to exercise responsible pastoral leadership. Luke showed that Jesus used the parable to stress God"s joy when one of His lost "sheep" gets saved. It taught the Pharisees and lawyers how important the salvation of one "sinner" is to God. Jesus evidently used the same parable on two separate occasions to teach different lessons.