The Parables of The Seeking Shepherd and the Lost Coin (15:1-10).
In these twin parables Jesus illustrates Heaven's concern over all lost persons, whoever they may be, and of whatever class they be, and stresses that His purpose in coming is to reach out to them and find them. He has the love of the shepherd for his wayward sheep. He has concern at the loss of a treasured possession. At the same time it illustrates God's election of those who are His, and whom He has given to His Son (John 6:37; John 6:44-45; John 10:26-29). For Jesus makes clear that there is a certain inevitability about the finding of the sheep because it is His, and about the finding of the coin because it is in the house and is His own treasured possession. Both are sought for until they are found. In this picture of a compassionate God who seeks out those who have sinned against Him in order to have mercy on them we have an idea which is unique in religious history.
We may analyse the passage as follows:
a All the public servants and sinners were drawing near to Him to hear Him (Luke 15:1).
b Both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners, and eats with them” (Luke 15:2).
c He spoke to them this parable, saying, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:3-4).
d “And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing”
e “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost'.” (Luke 15:5-6).
d “I say to you, that even so there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7).
c “Or what woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?” (Luke 15:8).
b “And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.' ” (Luke 15:9).
a “Even so, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
Note how in ‘a' the sinners draw near to Him to listen, and in the parallel the sinner repents and causes joy in Heaven. In ‘b' the Pharisees and Scribes grumble at Jesus receiving sinners (those who have been lost and are now being found) and eating with them, while in the parallel the woman calls her sinner friends together to celebrate with them that what was lost has been found (something at which Heaven rejoices). In ‘c' the man has lost his sheep, and is not satisfied until he has found it, and in the parallel the woman has lost her coin and is not satisfied until she has found it. In ‘d' the shepherd rejoices over finding his sheep, and in the parallel Heaven rejoices over the ‘found' sinner who repents. Central in ‘e' is the calling of all together to rejoice at finding the lost sheep.