Luke 15 records three parables Jesus told to a very specific group of people for a very specific purpose. The beginning of each parable is found in verse 3 (The Parable of the Lost Sheep), verse 8 (The Parable of the Lost Coin), and verse 11 (The Parable of the Lost Son/The Parable of the Prodigal Son); the most familiar being the parable starting in verse 11. These names we have assigned the parables could do us a disservice because we often read these headers as parable "titles" and allow them to dictate the focal point of the parable; verses 1-3 provide us the context in which these parables are told. The Greek word παραβολή (parabolē) literally means to throw (bolē) alongside (para-); as we traverse the parable we use the parallel situation the story has been cast beside to assist us in its interpretation and application. Luke 15:1-3 says,
"All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.' So he [Jesus] told them this parable:" (CSB)
The Parable of the Seeking Shepherd
Jesus is addressing the complainers. He is telling them a set of stories that will serve as a call to self-examination and action. We're told in the opening parable the center of the story, the place where the grumblers are to focus and place themselves is the shepherd: "What man among you who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them…". We are tempted to miss this when we allow the publisher's headings to influence our attention instead of the text. We are tempted to miss the thrust of Jesus' words when we follow our natural inclination to put ourselves at the center of the story. When told with humanity at its center these parables become stories that emphasize our worth to God. While it is certainly true that God values humanity, He came to seek and save the lost, the crux of these parables is much more focused and the application much more pointed and simultaneously diverse. So here, in the parable of the lost sheep, we see the story is really the parable of the seeking Shepherd, and when the Shepherd restores the sheep a celebration is had. We are told the reality this parabolic celebration illustrates is the celebration that takes place in heaven when a sinner repents (is restored).
The Parable of The Seeking Woman
Verse 8 begins the next parable and the listeners are directed to place themselves in the shoes of the seeking woman whose mission is to recover a lost coin. Again we see that when the item being searched for is restored to its rightful place, a celebration ensues. It's also interesting to note in this parable, money wasn't the issue. It's quite possible throwing a party over the coin she found costs her a pretty penny itself. The celebration was in the restoration of the object.
The Parable of the Seeking Father
By the time Jesus gets to His third parable the pattern has already been established. The hearers are well aware they are not meant to focus on the lost object, but rather place themselves in the shoes of the seeker, the one working to restore, and see his/her overflowingly joyous response as God sanctioned and worthy of imitation. But it's here Jesus, as the Master Parable Teller brings home His point. There is a third party in this parable: A younger son (the one we would call the prodigal), the father, and an older son. While the two previous parables did run parallel to the situation, Jesus lessens the distance between the track of reality and the track of the parable making the connection more apparent. There was previously the one sheep out of the hundred and the one coin out of the ten, so the previous parables did have a group that the lost "thing" was a part of; but in this parable it isn't one of many, but one of two. And it's in this parable that the other "group" is brought to center stage. The previous parables laid the foundation that God rejoices in the restoration of sinners; an all invited, burn money like there's no tomorrow kind'a celebration. In this parable, then the prodigal is restored to his father, a party is thrown and people are rejoicing - all but the older son. The father turns his attention to his older son and explains his reasons for throwing this illustrious party for his repentant son and invites him to come join in the festivities. He invites the older son to share in the joy of restoration.
The final parable ends with no resolution. The invitation is left hanging, and the hearers had to have felt the full force of this trifecta of parables. Whose shoes are they in? Clearly, at the outset they were grumblers and firmly planted in the sandals of the older, jealous, grumbling son. Jesus' parables are the same as the parabolic father's invitation; God The Father is inviting them to come join Him in the kingdom party. What about you? Do you have the heart of The Seeking Father Who rejoices when a sinner is brought to repentance? Those who do not only celebrate over restored sinners, but seek to bring others to the party as well. Whose shoes are you in?
Comments