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Commentary on Luke 15 verses 1–10
Here is, I. The diligent attendance of the publicans and sinners upon Christ's ministry. Great multitudes of Jews went with him (Luk 14:25), with such an assurance of admission into the kingdom of God that he found it requisite to say that to them which would shake their vain hopes. Here multitudes of publicans and sinners drew near to him, with a humble modest fear of being rejected by him, and to them he found it requisite to give encouragement, especially because there were some haughty supercilious people that frowned upon them. The publicans, who collected the tribute paid to the Romans, were perhaps some of them bad men, but they were all industriously put into an ill name, because of the prejudices of the Jewish nation against their office. They are sometimes ranked with harlots (Mat 21:32); here and elsewhere with sinners, such as were openly vicious, that traded with harlots, known rakes. Some think that the sinners here meant were heathen, and that Christ was now on the other side Jordan, or in Galilee of the Gentiles. These drew near, when perhaps the multitude of the Jews that had followed him had (upon his discourse in the close of the foregoing chapter) dropped off; thus afterwards the Gentiles took their turn in hearing the apostles, when the Jews had rejected them. They drew near to him, being afraid of drawing nearer than just to come within hearing. They drew near to him, not, as some did, to solicit for cures, but to hear his excellent doctrine. Note, in all our approaches to Christ we must have this in our eye, to hear him; to hear the instructions he gives us, and his answers to our prayers.
II. The offence which the scribes and Pharisees took at this. They murmured, and turned it to the reproach of our Lord Jesus: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them, Luk 15:2. 1. They were angry that publicans and heathens had the means of grace allowed them, were called to repent, and encouraged to hope for pardon upon repentance; for they looked upon their case as desperate, and thought that none but Jews had the privilege of repenting and being pardoned, though the prophets preached repentance to the nations, and Daniel particularly to Nebuchadnezzar. 2. They thought it a disparagement to Christ, and inconsistent with the dignity of his character, to make himself familiar with such sort of people, to admit them into his company and to eat with them. They could not, for shame, condemn him for preaching to them, though that was the thing they were most enraged at; and therefore they reproached him for eating with them, which was more expressly contrary to the tradition of the elders. Censure will fall, not only upon the most innocent and the most excellent persons, but upon the most innocent and most excellent actions, and we must not think it strange.
III. Christ's justifying himself in it, by showing that the worse these people were, to whom he preached, the more glory would redound to God, and the more joy there would be in heaven, if by his preaching they were brought to repentance. It would be a more pleasing sight in heaven to see Gentiles brought to the worship of the true God than to see Jews go on in it, and to see publicans and sinners live an orderly sort of life than to see scribes and Pharisees go on in living such a life. This he here illustrates by two parables, the explication of both of which is the same.
1.The parable of the lost sheep. Something like it we had in Mat 18:12. There it was designed to show the care God takes for the preservation of saints, as a reason why we should not offend them; here it is designed to show the pleasure God takes in the conversion of sinners, as a reason why we should rejoice in it. We have here,
(1.)The case of a sinner that goes on in sinful ways. He is like a lost sheep, a sheep gone astray; he is lost to God, who has not the honour and service he should have from him; lost to the flock, which has not communion with him; lost to himself: he knows not where he is, wanders endlessly, is continually exposed to the beasts of prey, subject to frights and terrors, from under the shepherd's care, and wanting the green pastures; and he cannot of himself find the way back to the fold.
(2.)The care the God of heaven takes of poor wandering sinners. He continues his care of the sheep that did not go astray; they are safe in the wilderness. But there is a particular care to be taken of this lost sheep; and though he has a hundred sheep, a considerable flock, yet he will not lose that one, but he goes after it, and shows abundance of care, [1.] In finding it out. He follows it, enquiring after it, and looking about for it, until he finds it. God follows backsliding sinners with the calls of his word and the strivings of his Spirit, until at length they are wrought upon to think of returning. [2.] In bringing it home. Though he finds it weary, and perhaps worried and worn away with its wanderings, and not able to bear being driven home, yet he does not leave it to perish, and say, It is not wroth carrying home; but lays it on his shoulders, and, with a great deal of tenderness and labour, brings it to the fold. This is very applicable to the great work of our redemption. Mankind were gone astray, Isa 53:6. The value of the whole race to God was not so much as that of one sheep to him that had a hundred; what loss would it have been to God if they had all been left to perish? There is a world of holy angels that are as the ninety-nine sheep, a noble flock; yet God sends his Son to seek and save that which was lost, Luk 19:10. Christ is said to gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, denoting his pity and tenderness towards poor sinners; here he is said to bear them upon his shoulders, denoting the power wherewith he supports and bears them up; those can never perish whom he carries upon his shoulders.
(3.)The pleasure that God takes in repenting returning sinners. He lays it on his shoulders rejoicing that he has not lost his labour in seeking; and the joy is the greater because he began to be out of hope of finding it; and he calls his friends and neighbours, the shepherds that keep their flocks about him, saying, Rejoice with me. Perhaps among the pastoral songs which the shepherds used to sing there was one for such an occasion as this, of which these words might be the burden, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost; whereas they never sung, Rejoice with me, for I have lost none. Observe, he calls it his sheep, though a stray, a wandering sheep. He has a right to it (all souls are mine), and he will claim his own, and recover his right; therefore he looks after it himself: I have found it; he did not send a servant, but his own Son, the great and good Shepherd, who will find what he seeks, and will be found of those that seek him not.
2.The parable of the lost piece of silver. (1.) The loser is here supposed to be a woman, who will more passionately grieve for her loss, and rejoice in finding what she had lost, than perhaps a man would do, and therefore it the better serves the purpose of the parable. She has ten pieces of silver, and out of them loses only one. Let this keep up in us high thoughts of the divine goodness, notwithstanding the sinfulness and misery of the world of mankind, that there are nine to one, nay, in the foregoing parable there are ninety-nine to one, of God's creation, that retain their integrity, in whom God is praised, and never was dishonoured. O the numberless beings, for aught we know numberless worlds of beings, that never were lost, nor stepped aside from the laws and ends of their creation! (2.) That which is lost is a piece of silver, drachmēn - the fourth part of a shekel. The soul is silver, of intrinsic worth and value; not base metal, as iron or lead, but silver, the mines of which are royal mines. The Hebrew word for silver is taken from the desirableness of it. It is silver coin, for so the drachma was; it is stamped with God's image and superscription, and therefore must be rendered to him. Yet it is comparatively but of small value; it was but seven pence half-penny; intimating that if sinful men be left to perish God would be no loser. This silver was lost in the dirt; a soul plunged in the world, and overwhelmed with the love of it and care about it, is like a piece of money in the dirt; any one would say, It is a thousand pities that it should lie there. (3.) Here is a great deal of care and pains taken in quest of it. The woman lights a candle, to look behind the door, under the table, and in every corner of the house, sweeps the house, and seeks diligently till she finds it. This represents the various means and methods God makes use of to bring lost souls home to himself: he has lighted the candle of the gospel, not to show himself the way to us, but to show us the way to him, to discover us to ourselves; he has swept the house by the convictions of the word; he seeks diligently, his heart is upon it, to bring lost souls to himself. (4.) Here is a great deal of joy for the finding of it: Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost, Luk 15:9. Those that rejoice desire that others should rejoice with them; those that are merry would have others merry with them. She was glad that she had found the piece of money, though she should spend it in entertaining those whom she called to make merry with her. The pleasing surprise of finding it put her, for the present, into a kind of transport, heurēka, heurēka - I have found, I have found, is the language of joy.
3.The explication of these two parables is to the same purport (Luk 15:7, Luk 15:10): There is joy in heaven, joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth, as those publicans and sinners did, some of them at least (and, if but one of them did repent, Christ would reckon it worth his while), more than over a great number of just persons, who need no repentance. Observe,
(1.)The repentance and conversion of sinners on earth are matter of joy and rejoicing in heaven. It is possible that the greatest sinners may be brought to repentance. While there is life there is hope, and the worst are not to be despaired of; and the worst of sinners, if they repent and turn, shall find mercy. Yet this is not all, [1.] God will delight to show them mercy, will reckon their conversion a return for all the expense he has been at upon them. There is always joy in heaven. God rejoiceth in all his works, but particularly in the works of his grace. He rejoiceth to do good to penitent sinners, with his whole heart and his whole soul. He rejoiceth not only in the conversion of churches and nations, but even over one sinner that repenteth, though but one. [2.] The good angels will be glad that mercy is shown them, so far are they from repining at it, though those of their nature that sinned be left to perish, and no mercy shown to them; though those sinners that repent, that are so mean, and have been so vile, are, upon their repentance, to be taken into communion with them, and shortly to be made like them, and equal to them. The conversion of sinners is the joy of angels, and they gladly become ministering spirits to them for their good, upon their conversion. The redemption of mankind was matter of joy in the presence of the angels; for they sung, Glory to God in the highest, Luk 2:14.
(2.)There is more joy over one sinner that repenteth, and turneth to be religious from a course of life that had been notoriously vile and vicious, than there is over ninety-nine just persons, who need no repentance. [1.] More joy for the redemption and salvation of fallen man than for the preservation and confirmation of the angels that stand, and did indeed need no repentance. [2.] More joy for the conversion of the sinners of the Gentiles, and of those publicans that now heard Christ preach, than for all the praises and devotions, and all the God I thank thee, of the Pharisees, and the other self-justifying Jews, who though that they needed no repentance, and that therefore God should abundantly rejoice in them, and make his boast of them, as those that were most his honour; but Christ tells them that it was quite otherwise, that God was more praised in, and pleased with, the penitent broken heart of one of those despised, envied sinners, than all the long prayers which the scribes and Pharisees made, who could not see any thing amiss in themselves. Nay, [3.] More joy for the conversion of one such great sinner, such a Pharisee as Paul had been in his time, than for the regular conversion of one that had always conducted himself decently and well, and comparatively needs no repentance, needs not such a universal change of the life as those great sinners need. Not but that it is best not to go astray; but the grace of God, both in the power and the pity of that grace, is more manifested in the reducing of great sinners than in the conducting of those that never went astray. And many times those that have been great sinners before their conversion prove more eminently and zealously good after, of which Paul is an instance, and therefore in him God was greatly glorified, Gal 1:24. They to whom much is forgiven will love much. It is spoken after the manner of men. We are moved with a more sensible joy for the recovery of what we had lost than for the continuance of what we had always enjoyed, for health out of sickness than for health without sickness. It is as life from the dead. A constant course of religion may in itself be more valuable, and yet a sudden return from an evil course and way of sin may yield a more surprising pleasure. Now if there is such joy in heaven, for the conversion of sinners, then the Pharisees were very much strangers to a heavenly spirit, who did all they could to hinder it and were grieved at it, and who were exasperated at Christ when he was doing a piece of work that was of all others most grateful to Heaven.
(Hom. de Mul. Pecc.) But when the shepherd had found the sheep, he did not punish it, he did not get it to the flock by driving it, but by placing it upon his shoulder, and carrying it gently, he united it to his flock. Hence it follows, And when he hath found it, he layeth it upon his shoulders rejoicing.
Thou hadst learnt by what went before not to be occupied by the business of this world, not to prefer transitory things to eternal. But because the frailty of man can not keep a firm step in so slippery a world, the good Physician has shown thee a remedy even after falling; the merciful Judge has not denied the hope of pardon; hence it is added, Then drew near unto him all the publicans.
Tell me, O Pharisee, why do you grumble because Christ did not scorn to be with publicans and sinners, but purposely provided for them this means of salvation? To save people, he yielded himself to emptiness, became like us, and clothed himself in human poverty.
(in Hom. 34. in Evang.) From which we may gather, that true justice feels compassion, false justice scorn, although the just are wont rightly to repel sinners. But there is one act proceeding from the swelling of pride, another from the zeal for discipline. For the just, though without they spare not rebukes for the sake of discipline, within cherish sweetness from charity. In their own minds they set above themselves those whom they correct, whereby they keep both them under by discipline, and themselves by humility. But, on the contrary, they who from false justice are wont to pride themselves, despise all others, and never in mercy condescend to the weak; and thinking themselves not to be sinners, are so much the worse sinners. Of such were the Pharisees, who condemning our Lord because He received sinners, with parched hearts reviled the very fountain of mercy. But because they were so sick that they knew not of their sickness, to the end that they might know what they were, the heavenly Physician answers them with mild applications. For it follows, And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you having an hundred sheep, and if he lose one of them, does not go after it, &c. He gave a comparison which man might recognise in himself, though it referred to the Creator of men. For since a hundred is a perfect number, He Himself had a hundred sheep, seeing that He possessed the nature of the holy angels and men. Hence he adds, Having an hundred sheep.
One sheep then perished when man by sinning left the pastures of life. But in the wilderness the ninety and nine remained, because the number of the rational creatures, that is to say of Angels and men who were formed to see God, was lessened when man perished; and hence it follows, Does he not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, because in truth he left the companies of the Angels in heaven. But man then forsook heaven when he sinned. And that the whole body of the sheep might be perfectly made up again in heaven, the lost man was sought for on earth; as it follows, And go after that &c.
(in Hom. 34.) He placed the sheep upon his shoulders, for taking man's nature upon Him he bore our sins. But having found the sheep, he returns home; for our Shepherd having restored man, returns to his heavenly kingdom. And hence it follows, And coming he collects together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. (1 Pet. 2:24, Isai. 53.) By His friends and neighbours He means the companies of Angels, who are His friends because they are keeping His will in their own stedfastness; they are also His neighbours, because by their own constant waiting upon Him they enjoy the brightness of His sight.
(in Hom. 34.) And we must observe that He says not, "Rejoice with the sheep that is found," but with me, because truly our life is His joy, and when we are brought home to heaven we fill up the festivity of His joy.
(ubi sup.) But he allows there is more joy in heaven over the converted sinner, than over the just who remain stedfast; for the latter for the most part, not feeling themselves oppressed by the weight of their sins, stand indeed in the way of righteousness, but still do not anxiously sigh after the heavenly country, frequently being slow to perform good works, from their confidence in themselves that they have committed no grievous sins. But, on the other hand, sometimes those who remember certain iniquities that they have committed, being pricked to the heart, from their very grief grow inflamed towards the love of God; and because they consider they have wandered from God, make up for their former losses by the succeeding gains. Greater then is the joy in heaven, just as the leader in battle loves that soldier more who having turned from flight, bravely pursues the enemy, than him who never turned his back and never did a brave act. So the husbandman rather loves that land which after bearing thorns yields abundant fruit, than that which never had thorns, and never gave him a plentiful crop. But in the mean time we must be aware that there are very many just men in whose life there is so much joy, that no penitence of sinners however great can in any way be preferred to them. Whence we may gather what great joy it causes to God when the just man humbly mourns, if it produces joy in heaven when the unrighteous by his repentance condemns the evil that he has done.
But on the contrary, those who are accustomed to taking pride in false justice look down on all others, show no mercy in condescending to the weak; and because they do not believe themselves to be sinners, they become sinners all the more grievously. The Pharisees certainly belonged to this number, who, judging the Lord because he received sinners, with their dry hearts criticized the very fountain of mercy.
But because they were sick in such a way that they did not know they were sick, the heavenly physician heals them with gentle remedies so that they might recognize what they were; he presents a kind parable and presses upon the swelling of the wound in their heart.
But the tax collectors and sinners were approaching him to hear him, and the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." Because not only can the righteous sin through inertia, but also the sinner can repent through diligence, after it is narrated that the tasteless salt must be cast outside, immediately a group of penitents is described being admitted within, who, approaching to hear the word of God, were received not only for conversation but also for dining together. Seeing this, the Pharisees were indignant, because true righteousness has compassion, and false righteousness has indignation, although the righteous may rightly be indignant with sinners. But it is one thing to act out of pride, and another out of zeal for discipline. But those who were so sick that they did not realize they were sick, until they recognized what they were, the heavenly physician heals them with gentle remedies, presents a kind example, and presses with tenderness on the swollen heart of the wound; he says:
For this was His wont, for the sake whereof He had taken upon Him the flesh, to receive sinners as the physician those that are sick. But the Pharisees, the really guilty, returned murmurs for this act of mercy, as it follows, And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying, &c.
The heavenly powers thus are called sheep, because every created nature as compared with God is as the beasts, but inasmuch as it is rational, they are called friends and neighbours.
(interlin.) That is, those who collect or farm the public taxes, and who make a business of following after worldly gain.
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SUMMARY
Luke 15:2 captures the critical reaction of the religious elite—the Pharisees and scribes—to Jesus' radical ministry. They "murmured," expressing deep disapproval because Jesus not only welcomed but also shared intimate meals with individuals considered societal outcasts and moral failures, thereby challenging their rigid purity codes and demonstrating a divine compassion that transcended human legalism. This verse sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent parables, which powerfully illustrate God's heart for the lost and His joy over repentance.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse immediately follows Luke 15:1, which establishes the setting: "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him." The murmuring of the Pharisees and scribes in Luke 15:2 is a direct response to Jesus' welcoming posture towards these marginalized groups. This accusation then serves as the direct impetus for Jesus to deliver three profound parables in quick succession: the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Parable of the Lost Coin, and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. These parables collectively articulate God's boundless love for the lost, His active pursuit of them, and the celebratory joy in heaven over a sinner's repentance, directly refuting the Pharisees' self-righteous condemnation.
Historical & Cultural Context: The "Pharisees and scribes" represented the religious and legal authorities of first-century Judaism. The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect known for their strict adherence to the Mosaic Law and their extensive oral traditions, which they considered equally binding. Scribes were experts in the Law, often serving as teachers and interpreters. Both groups emphasized ritual purity and separation from anything considered unclean, including "sinners" (tax collectors, prostitutes, and those who did not adhere to their legalistic interpretations of the Law). In ancient Jewish culture, sharing a meal was far more than a physical act; it was a profound social and religious statement of fellowship, acceptance, and solidarity. To "eat with" someone was to extend honor, intimacy, and a bond of communion. For Jesus to share a table with "sinners" was, in the eyes of the Pharisees, a scandalous act that compromised His own purity and implicitly condoned their sinful lifestyles, violating their deeply held social and religious norms.
Key Themes: Luke 15:2 is pivotal in highlighting several core themes within Luke's Gospel and Jesus' ministry. Firstly, it underscores Jesus' radical inclusivity and compassion, demonstrating His willingness to cross social and religious boundaries to reach those ostracized by society. This stands in stark contrast to the religious legalism and self-righteousness embodied by the Pharisees, who prioritized external purity and social separation over divine mercy and transformation. Secondly, the verse implicitly affirms Jesus' core mission to seek and save the lost, as articulated elsewhere in Luke, such as when He declares, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" or "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance". The Pharisees' complaint inadvertently validates Jesus' divine purpose, setting the stage for the powerful parables that follow, which vividly portray God's joyful pursuit of every lost soul, whether symbolized by a sheep, a coin, or a son.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Luke's concise reporting in Luke 15:2 effectively employs several literary devices. Irony is prominent, as the very accusation leveled against Jesus—that He "receiveth sinners, and eateth with them"—is precisely what defines His divine mission and character. What the religious leaders intended as a condemnation, the Gospel presents as a commendation of Jesus' profound compassion and His purpose to seek and save the lost. There is also a strong element of Contrast established between Jesus' inclusive, grace-filled approach and the exclusive, legalistic mindset of the Pharisees and scribes. This contrast highlights the fundamental difference between a religion of rules and a relationship of grace. Furthermore, the act of "eating with" carries significant Symbolism. Meals in the ancient world were not just for sustenance but represented fellowship, covenant, and belonging. Jesus' shared meals with sinners symbolize God's desire for restored communion with humanity, foreshadowing the ultimate fellowship offered through the New Covenant.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 15:2 is a profound theological statement, revealing the heart of God through the actions of Jesus. It underscores the divine priority of seeking the lost and extending grace over rigid adherence to human-made traditions or legalistic purity codes. The Pharisees' complaint exposes their misunderstanding of God's character, which is fundamentally merciful and redemptive, not merely judgmental and exclusive. Jesus' willingness to associate intimately with "sinners" demonstrates that God's love is not contingent on human worthiness or social standing, but is freely offered to those who recognize their need for Him. This encounter sets the stage for the parables that follow, which collectively teach that heaven rejoices more over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance, shifting the focus from human merit to divine grace and the transformative power of repentance.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 15:2 serves as a timeless mirror, inviting believers to examine their own attitudes towards those outside the perceived boundaries of faith or societal acceptance. It challenges us to move beyond judgmentalism and self-righteousness, embracing the radical inclusivity and compassion that characterized Jesus' ministry. True faith, as exemplified by Christ, is not about maintaining a pristine, isolated purity, but about actively pursuing and welcoming the lost, the marginalized, and the broken. We are called to embody God's heart, extending grace and love, and creating spaces where all can encounter the transformative power of the Gospel, rather than erecting barriers based on human standards. This verse reminds us that our mission, like Jesus', is to seek and save the lost, recognizing that we ourselves were once "sinners" in need of His boundless grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was eating with "sinners" such a big deal to the Pharisees?
Answer: In first-century Jewish culture, sharing a meal was a profound act of social and religious fellowship, signifying acceptance, honor, and even a shared covenant. For the Pharisees, who rigorously adhered to purity laws and sought to separate themselves from anything considered ritually or morally unclean, eating with "sinners" (tax collectors, prostitutes, and those who did not observe their strict interpretations of the Law) was scandalous. They believed it would defile them, compromise their religious standing, and implicitly condone the sinful lifestyles of those with whom Jesus associated. It was seen as a direct violation of their understanding of righteousness and separation from unholy things.
What does "receiveth" imply about Jesus' actions?
Answer: The Greek word prosdéchomai (receiveth) implies more than passive tolerance. It means to actively welcome, accept, and even take someone to oneself with favor and hospitality. It suggests an intentional and open-hearted reception. Jesus wasn't merely allowing sinners to be in His presence; He was actively inviting them into fellowship, listening to them, teaching them, and demonstrating genuine care and acceptance, which was a radical departure from the prevailing social norms and the religious leaders' exclusionary practices.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 15:2, though an accusation, profoundly reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of God's redemptive purpose. The Pharisees' complaint that "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them" is, in fact, the very essence of the Gospel and the heart of God's mission in Christ. Jesus, as the incarnate Son of God, did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, embodying the divine compassion that seeks out the lost rather than waiting for them to clean themselves up. His willingness to share meals with outcasts foreshadows the ultimate communion offered through His sacrifice—the new covenant in His blood, where all who believe, regardless of their past, are welcomed to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), the Prodigal Son's Father who runs to embrace His returning child (Luke 15:20), and the one who came to give His life as a ransom for many. Thus, Jesus' actions in Luke 15:2 are not a deviation from righteousness but the very embodiment of God's righteousness, which is revealed in His boundless grace and His passionate pursuit of humanity's reconciliation with Him.