Luke 15:7

Luke 15:7

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ^a‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep ^bwhich was lost!’

7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents ^athan over ninety-nine just persons who ^bneed no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver¹ coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’

10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them ^ahis livelihood.

13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with¹ prodigal living.

14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the¹ pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, ^aI have sinned against heaven and before you,

19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

20 “And he arose and came to his father. But ^awhen he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven ^aand in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< Luke 15:6

Luke 15:8 >>

Over one sinner that repenteth (epi eni amartwlw metanoounti). The word sinner points to verse Luke 15:1. Repenting is what these sinners were doing, these lost sheep brought to the fold. The joy in heaven is in contrast with the grumbling Pharisees and scribes.

More than over (h epi). There is no comparative in the Greek. It is only implied by a common idiom like our "rather than."

Which need no repentance (oitinev ou xreian exousin metanoiav). Jesus does not mean to say that the Pharisees and the scribes do not need repentance or are perfect. He for the sake of argument accepts their claims about themselves and by their own words condemns them for their criticism of his efforts to save the lost sheep. It is the same point that he made against them when they criticized Jesus and the disciples for being at Levi's feast (Luke 5:31 f.). They posed as "righteous." Very well, then. That shuts their mouths on the point of Christ's saving the publicans and sinners.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Luke 15:7:**

Matthew 18:12
Luke 11:49
Luke 15:3
Luke 15:10
Luke 17:2
1 Peter 2:25
Revelation 7:11

<< Luke 15:6

Luke 15:8 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.