A Three-fold Parable (Luke 15)

by R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, Scotland | Category: The Lord's Parables | Feb 1991

The Lord Jesus, greatest Teacher of all time with perfect understanding of earthly things as well as heavenly (John 3:12), conveys in simple terms and easily understandable literary style, profound spiritual truths in the trilogy of Luke 15.

This Gospel is one of gladness. Joy and happiness are major themes throughout its historical account. The parable might be fittingly titled "Lost and Found".

The Lord's audience was a mixed one. Those who were despised and sinful, conscious of the need for repentance and having the desire for forgiveness, came to Him: self-righteous rulers and authorities criticized Him. The latter forfeited the benefit of the Lord's reception and welcome.

The three stories are one parable (v.3). They represent the total picture of humanity's fallen condition and lost state - the sheep lost itself, the silver lost by its possessor, the son lost to his father. Common features appear: three persons suffering loss; the first losing an animal, the second an object, the last someone precious. Searching and seeking, the joy of finding and resultant celebrations are shared by all three. The love of the Father, Son and Spirit is illustrated in the separate incidents. The sheep was in need of help from its provider, the silver possessed value to its owner and the son required love and forgiveness from his parent. In the first incident we find shelter and security where there was sorrow and fear; the second moves from silence and worry to shouting and triumph; the third from famine to feasting.

The lost Sheep:

One missing out of a hundred might appear hardly worth the effort of long and difficult searching, but not one single animal of creation escapes the attention and watchfulness of a faithful Creator. He ensures the food supply of the birds of heaven (Mat. 6:26; Job 38:41). Their death He individually notes (Mat. 10:29). People are of infinitely more value. Each sheep was of value to the shepherd. One lost meant the shepherd's going out, having first provided adequate care for those remaining. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. His commission to His apostles was to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mat. 10:16). The nation as a whole and every single individual in it had gone astray, wilfully turning aside (Is. 53:6). Only the long-promised and long-awaited Messiah had the desire and the ability to do something about it. Finding the lost involved for Him suffering and anguish, crossing some of the pitiless terrain of this world, and collecting wounds, bruises and scars in the painstaking labour of love to locate the lost. These involved Calvary experiences, suffering for those whose loss was self-inflicted. The shepherd knew the appearance, habits and personality of the missing sheep. He went after it no matter the cost until he found it. The cost of redemption, the price of salvation, the sacrifice for sin are all here. This story also illustrates the sad plight of the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes. The Lord could not call the righteous for there was none. They were convicted as they listened.

How long did the shepherd spend searching and to what extent did he suffer? These details are not recorded. We shall never be able to evaluate completely the cost and suffering of our Saviour, Shepherd and Lord. To Him each individual sheep was precious, valuable, and the object of His saving love. Those who remain ignorant of their lost state can never be saved. Everyone is in need of repentance. Joy is not only in the heart of the Finder but that of His friends. The elation of verses 6 and 7 recalls the lovely phrases of Isaiah 53:10 and 11. The shepherd's gladness, the sheep's restoration, the joy of others clearly depict the Redeemer's joy, the sinner's forgiveness and the angels' delight when one sinner is "found".

The lost Silver:

In the second story the loss sustained is substantially more (ten per cent as opposed to one per cent). Silver is a valuable commodity in the world. Its monetary appeal is often referred to in Scripture, in many instances contrasting with the greater worth of God's work and Word (Ps. 119:72; Acts 3:6). There is no let-up of activity until the missing piece is found: the lamp lit, the house cleaned, a diligent search undertaken of the whole area. These clearly portray the sovereign work of God and the movement of the Spirit of God. The work of "recovery" where darkness and blindness is present is attributed to this divine Person in Luke 4:18. The power of the Spirit was so evident in the Lord Jesus "... I by the Finger of God cast out ..." (Luke 11:20). Blasphemously, some attributed the Lord's acts to the activity of Satan and were thus guilty of an unforgivable sin (Luke 12:10). The Spirit uses the Word of God - the lamp (Ps. 119:105) which exposes sin, analyses our need and illuminates the way of salvation. His constant activity is focused on the value of the sinner-soul, exposing his unrighteousness, illuminating and declaring the Saviour whose person He glorifies (see John chaps. 14 and 16). He is a Searcher and Revealer (1 Cor. 2:10,12). His sovereign and diligent exercises in salvation are beautifully and graphically illustrated in this woman's pursuit of a valuable but' lost item. His motivation is pure divine love. That love is shed abroad (or "Poured Out within" NASB) in the believer's heart (Rom. 5:5). Joy abounds in heaven as well as on earth over each sinner who repents.

The Lost Son:

Who would deny the glorious truth of the Father's love in this story? It is a story of love that covers those lost through sin. Sin is selfish ("give me"); alienates from God ("a far country"); destroys ("wasted his substance"); robs ("began to be in want"); devastates and ultimately kills ("I perish"). What a contrast this story is to the Son of the Father's love (Col. 1:13), who never for one moment caused grief to His Father. The distinction here from the precious stories is the showing of the steps to repentance before the exercise of faith. Only when he was left with nothing (v.14) did he find himself in a world with nothing to offer that will last; a place of famine, friendships evaporating at the same rate as his money. Being joined to a stranger was hard enough, but to feed unclean animals was worse and strictly forbidden to this formerly wealthy Jewish son (Lev. 11:7,8). His shame, need and sense of being lost were great, "no man gave unto him".

The realization of perishing awakened him to thoughts of the father and the need for home. "I will go to my father" (v.18). Convicted of his sin firstly against God, he cried, like David (Ps. 51:4). He needed mercy, he was worthy of death as a riotous liver (Deut. 21:20). The father had been offended, but this did not affect his love. He was waiting, looking, searching. His eyes had never left that road of repentance and return. The father saw him, his heart filled up, his eyes watered, he ran and embraced him. Ephesians 2:4-9 touches a chord in every redeemed heart. Excuses were futile, repentance was necessary, confession made; "I have sinned". Nothing less, nothing more required. Between themselves the issue is resolved, then the son is brought back into the house (v.22). From rags of sin to riches of grace in a robe of righteousness (Is. 61:10). It was the best suit - God's work is never less than perfect. The ring symbolizes the pledge of the father's love, in salvation the unique gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13,14), pledge of future complete and final possession. The shoes take us to service in sonship responsibility. The fatted calf, the riches of the Father's provision in Christ - "in Him ye are made full" (Col. 2:10). Great joy follows; it has no ending; so will our eternal glory be in Christ.

In this parable is revealed by the Son the love and joy of deity in a way no human mind or fleshly heart could expound. Only the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has the capacity to unfold the intimate emotions of the three Persons of the Godhead.

Glory to the Holy Three,

Father, Son and Spirit be;

Him who gave, and Him who died,

Him who with us doth abide.

R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, Scotland | Feb 1991
The Lord's Parables