The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15:1-7 ^{Amplified Bible}

Luke 15:3-4

So He told them this parable: “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it?

                  In the first couple of verses of this chapter the religious leaders were complaining about Jesus total disregard for their laws of cleanliness to remain undefiled by those they considered second class citizens. He even ate with sinners. This greatly disturbed the Pharisees and teachers of religious law.

                One needs to realize that the Pharisees put together a system of 613 laws, 365 of which were negative commands and 248 which were of a positive nature. All that did was produce a heartless, cold, and arrogant type of righteousness. These laws had at least 10 flaws: 1) New laws continually needed to be invented for new situations; 2) Accountability to God was replaced by peoples accountability to men; 3) It reduced a person’s ability to personally discern; 4) It created a judgmental spirit; 5) The Pharisees confused personal preferences with divine law; 6) This myriad of new laws produced inconsistencies; 7) They created a false standard of righteousness; 8) These laws became a burden to the Jewish people; 9) They were all dealing with the external; and 10) It was completed and totally rejected by Christ.

                  Regarding the parable, it may seem silly for a shepherd to leave 99 sheep unattended to go find one that had gotten itself lost, but they would have been left in the sheepfold. * Each sheep was precious to the shepherd and of great value; therefore he wouldn’t wish to lose even one. So he would search high and low until he found the lost sheep. In like manner, Jesus seeks to bring to repentance all who would be considered beyond hope. All of us are sinners until we repent and are forgiven. Then we become sinners saved by God’s grace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Outlined from Fan the Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 52; Life Application Study Bible, footnote from p. 2238.

*Sheepfold - At night the sheep are driven into a sheepfold if they are in a district where there is danger from robbers or wild beasts. These folds are simple walled enclosures. On the top of the wall is heaped thorny brushwood as a further safeguard. Sometimes there is a covered hut in the corner for the shepherd. Where there is no danger the sheep huddle together in the open until daylight, while the shepherd watches over them.