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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
THE JOY OF A SINGLE REPENTANT SINNER

[“The Joy of Angels and Parents”]
Key word: Repent

Luke 15:1-7 – The Joy of Finding Lost Sheep

|| Matthew 18:12-14 665

665	Matthew 18:12-14: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

LK15:1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners approached Jesus to listen to him. LK15:2 Both the Pharisees and Bible Copyists were murmuring against him, 666 saying: “This person welcomes sinners 667 and eats with them!”

666	Murmuring against him: Compare the danger of such at Matthew 12:35-37.

667	Welcomes sinners: On the one hand the accusation reveals the extreme self-righteousness of the Jewish clergy and on the other how innocent a life Christ lived if this could be their only charge.

LK15:3 So Jesus told them a parable, saying: LK15:4 “Which one of you possessing one hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine and go into the desert until the lost sheep is found? LK15:5 Having found the one lost sheep it is shouldered with rejoicing, LK15:6 and upon arriving home friends and neighbors are all called together. Then they are told: ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the sheep that was lost!’ LK15:7 I tell you that there is more joy in heaven over a single sinner 668 that repents than over the ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.” 669

668	Joy in heaven over a single sinner: This is a repentant sinner. The celestial angels have an interest in both sinners and righteous persons. When a single sinner repents of a wrong course, heaven rejoices.

669	Righteous persons who have no need of repentance: The parables that follow deal with these two groups – the repentant sinner and the law-abiding who do not habitually break the law.

Luke 15:8-10 – A Lost Coin and Angelic Joy

LK15:8 “Or, what woman with ten drachmas 670 who loses one will not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?

670	Woman with ten drachmas: Or, silver coins. It is possible this is the wife’s dowry and so there is more meaning to the ten drachmas than just money. Women of the Middle East and other cultures often wore their dowry as a necklace, evidence of their independent means.

LK15:9 Now when she finds it she calls together friends and neighbors, saying: ‘Rejoice with me because I found my lost drachma!’ LK15:10 And so I tell you all – there is joy among God’s angels when one sinner repents.” 671

671	When one sinner repents: The Jews should have as much joy over the repentant sinner than they would over a single coin.

Luke 15:11-16 – The Prodigal Son

LK15:11 Then Jesus said: “A certain man 672 had two sons. 673

672	A certain man: Standing for God in the parable.

673	Two sons: The older son represents the law-abiding Jew, the righteous son of his Father. The younger son is the sinner who later repents.

LK15:12 Now the youngest son told his father: ‘Father, give me my part of the property.’ And so the father apportioned to him his property. LK15:13 Now a few days later the younger son gathered together everything belonging to him and left on a journey to a far away land where he squandered his possessions 674 by wild, extravagant living. 675

674	Squandered his possessions: Or, KJV: wasted his substance; TCN: squandered his inheritance; LAM: scattered his wealth. Easy come, easy go.

675	By wild, extravagant living: Or, riotous living, reckless living, living unsavingly, living a dissolute life, wildest extravagance. We learn from his older brother the accusation that prostitutes were involved.

LK15:14 Now after he had spent everything a severe famine came upon that land and so he became destitute. LK15:15 Then he attached himself to one of the citizens of that land and this person sent him into the fields to feed the pigs. LK15:16 Even then he longed to eat the food given to the pigs 676 for no one was giving anything to him.

676	The food given to the pigs: Or, husks, bean-pods, carob pods, little horns. The Greek is KERATION [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #2769, carob pods].

Luke 15:17-24 – Prodigal Son Returns

LK15:17 “Then he said to himself, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have plenty of bread with leftovers, but here I am perishing in a famine! LK15:18 I must get up and go to my father and tell him, “I have sinned 677 against heaven and you.

677	I have sinned: His repentance, regret, change of mind before God.

LK15:19 I am no longer worthy 678 to be called your son. Just make me one of your hired men.”’

678	No longer worthy: A complete sense of unworthiness. We note, unlike modern sinners, he does not blame his parents for some flaw in his upbringing. He accepts full responsibility for his foolishness.

LK15:20 Then having left he returned to his father, and though still some distance away 679 his father saw him and was overcome with empathy, 680 and embracing him with tears the father greeted his son with a kiss.

679	Some distance away: The complete fruitage of repentance has not yet been fulfilled, but the father sees the movement toward restoration.

680	Overcome with empathy: Or, compassion, moved with pity, heart went out.

LK15:21 The son told his father, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and you! I am not worthy to be called your son!’ LK15:22 However, the father said to his slaves, ‘Go quickly and bring the finest robe 681 and dress him! Get him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.

681	Finest robe: The Greek is STOLEN and is the cloak of a king or priest. The repentant son in the parable is the Jew who returns to his Father’s house to become a disciple of the Messiah.

LK15:23 Bring the fattened calf, slaughter 682 it and let us eat and be merry!

682	Slaughter: Literally, “sacrifice.”

LK15:24 Because this my son was dead and now he lives again! 683 He was lost and he has been found.’ And so they all started to really enjoy themselves. 684

683	Lives again: The Greek is ANEZESEN.

684	Really enjoy themselves: Or, be merry, celebrate. Like the angelic rejoicing mentioned before.

Luke 15:25-33 – Older Son’s Reaction

LK15:25 “Now when his older son 685 came from the fields and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

685	Older son: The law-abiding, hard-working and loyal son – the righteous.

LK15:26 So he summoned one of the servants and inquired as to what was going on. LK15:27 The servant told him, ‘Your brother is here, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because your brother returned in good health.’ LK15:28 Now he was so angry he did not want to enter, but his father came out and began pleading with him. LK15:29 Then he told his father, ‘Look, I have served you for so many years and never did I disobey any commandment 686 of yours! You never even gave me a little goat so I could have a good time with my friends!

686	Never did I disobey any commandment: The righteous, law-abiding Jew.

LK15:30 But now after this son of yours used up your property with prostitutes 687 and then returned, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him!’

687	Used up your property with prostitutes: The Greek for “prostitute” is PORNON. It is unfortunate that the law-abiding person often becomes judgmental and focuses, not on the positive repentance, but on the sinner’s past.

LK15:31 But the father said to his oldest son, ‘Child, you were always with me 688 and everything I possessed was yours.

688	You were always with me: The blessings of commandment obedience is the fullest joy in itself. The righteous brother not only displays his judgmental disposition, but a degree of jealousy over the honors, and also something of a materialistic spirit.

LK15:32 Now come and you must enjoy yourself and rejoice, because your brother who was dead has now come to life, 689 and though lost was found!’”

689	Come to life: The Greek is EZESEN.

Review Questions on Chapter Fifteen