Luke 15:3 Study Bible: He told them this parable.

◄ Luke 15:3 ►

Then Jesus told them this parable:

So He
This phrase refers to Jesus Christ, the central figure of the New Testament. In the context of Luke 15, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and scribes who were critical of His association with tax collectors and sinners. The Greek word for "He" is "αὐτός" (autos), emphasizing the authority and intentionality of Jesus in delivering His message. Jesus, as the Son of God, speaks with divine authority, and His words are meant to reveal the heart of God to His listeners.

told
The Greek word used here is "εἶπεν" (eipen), which is a form of the verb "λέγω" (lego), meaning to speak or to say. This verb indicates not just casual conversation but a purposeful declaration. Jesus is not merely chatting; He is imparting wisdom and truth. His words are meant to instruct, correct, and inspire transformation in the hearts of His audience.

them
This refers to the Pharisees and scribes, as well as the broader audience that included tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees and scribes were religious leaders who often held a self-righteous attitude, believing themselves to be superior in their adherence to the law. Jesus' parables often challenged their perceptions and invited them to see God's kingdom from a new perspective. The inclusion of "them" highlights the universal nature of Jesus' message, which is intended for all people, regardless of their social or spiritual status.

this parable
The Greek word for "parable" is "παραβολή" (parabole), which means a comparison or an illustration. Parables are a distinctive teaching method used by Jesus to convey deep spiritual truths through simple, relatable stories. They are designed to provoke thought and self-reflection, often revealing the listener's own heart and attitudes. In the context of Luke 15, the parables that follow—such as the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son—illustrate God's immense love and grace towards sinners, emphasizing themes of repentance, forgiveness, and joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jesus
The central figure in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is the one who tells the parable. He is teaching the Pharisees and scribes who are questioning His association with sinners.

2. Pharisees and Scribes
Religious leaders of the time who were critical of Jesus for welcoming and eating with sinners. Their attitude prompts Jesus to share the parable.

3. The Parable
While Luke 15:3 itself does not specify which parable, it introduces the Parable of the Lost Sheep, which is a account Jesus uses to illustrate a spiritual truth.

4. The Lost Sheep
Represents sinners who have strayed from God, whom Jesus seeks to bring back into the fold.

5. The Shepherd
Symbolizes Jesus or God, who actively seeks out the lost and rejoices upon their return.

Teaching Points

The Heart of God for the Lost
God actively seeks those who are lost, demonstrating His love and desire for reconciliation with sinners.

The Joy of Repentance
There is great rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents, illustrating the value of each individual to God.

The Role of Believers
As followers of Christ, we are called to share in His mission to seek and save the lost, showing compassion and grace to those who are far from God.

Self-Reflection on Attitudes
Believers should examine their own attitudes towards sinners, ensuring they reflect Christ's love and not the judgmental stance of the Pharisees.

Understanding Parables
Parables are a teaching tool used by Jesus to convey deep spiritual truths in a relatable way, encouraging us to seek deeper understanding and application.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the attitude of the Pharisees and scribes in Luke 15:3 challenge us to reflect on our own attitudes towards those who are considered "lost" or "sinners"?

2. In what ways can we actively participate in seeking out the lost, as the shepherd does in the parable that follows Luke 15:3?

3. How does the concept of joy in heaven over one sinner who repents influence our perspective on evangelism and outreach?

4. What parallels can you draw between the role of the shepherd in the parable and Jesus' description of Himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10?

5. How can understanding the cultural and historical context of the Pharisees and scribes enhance our interpretation of Jesus' parables and teachings?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Matthew 18:12-14
This passage also contains the Parable of the Lost Sheep, emphasizing God's care for each individual and His desire that none should perish.

Ezekiel 34:11-16
God is depicted as a shepherd who seeks out His scattered sheep, paralleling the theme of divine pursuit and care.

John 10:11-18
Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, willing to lay down His life for the sheep, highlighting His sacrificial love and commitment to His followers.

Sermons

Murmurs on Earth, and Joy in Heaven	W. Clarkson	Luke 15:1-10
A Search that Never Fails		Luke 15:3-7
Angels' Joy Over Penitence	C. S. Robinson, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
Anxieties of Pastoral Care		Luke 15:3-7
Celestial Sympathy	De Witt Talmage, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
Christ Seeking the Lost	N. Rogers.	Luke 15:3-7
Christian Joy At a Sinner's Conversion	C. H. Spurgeon.	Luke 15:3-7
Christ's Sympathy for Sinners	C. E. Walker.	Luke 15:3-7
God Mindful of the Unit	N. Rogers.	Luke 15:3-7
God Seeking After Men	T. Arnold, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
In Search of Stray Sheep		Luke 15:3-7
Joy Enhanced by Partnership	H. W. Beecher.	Luke 15:3-7
Joy in Heaven	W. R. Clark, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7
Joy of a Community in Recovering the Lost		Luke 15:3-7
Joy Over Penitents	R. Hall, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7
Joy Over the Saved	Dr. Ide.	Luke 15:3-7
Last and Found	E. S. Attwood.	Luke 15:3-7
Lost and Found	D. C. Hughes, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7
Lost and Found	J. R. Thomson, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7
Lost, Sought, Found	J. W. Burn.	Luke 15:3-7
No Instinct To	J. Wells.	Luke 15:3-7
On the Joy Which is in Heaven At the Repentance of a Sinner	Archbishop Tillotson.	Luke 15:3-7
One Sheep Against Ninety and Nine		Luke 15:3-7
Parable of the Lost Sheep	J. Burns, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
Rejoicing. -- Christ's Joy in Saving Sinners	Canon Clayton.	Luke 15:3-7
Repentance not Better than Obedience	H. Melvill, B. D.	Luke 15:3-7
Rescue of Lost		Luke 15:3-7
Saving the Lost	W. H. H. Murray.	Luke 15:3-7
Search for Soul-Jewels		Luke 15:3-7
Search Prompted by Love	H. E. Manning.	Luke 15:3-7
Seeking a Lost Shep	Sunday School Times	Luke 15:3-7
Seeking the Lost	J. R. Boyd.	Luke 15:3-7
Seeking the Wanderer	The Quiver.	Luke 15:3-7
Tact in Teaching	De Witt Talmage, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
Tenderness of the Good Shepherd	T. Guthrie, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
The Danger of the Soul Astray	H. E. Manning.	Luke 15:3-7
The Good Shepherd in Three Positions	C. H. Spurgeon.	Luke 15:3-7
The Joy Occasioned by the Lost Sheep Being Found	W. Jay.	Luke 15:3-7
The Last Sheep	Archdeacon Farrar.	Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Found		Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Sheep	Repertorium Oratoris Sacri.	Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Sheep	A. Mursell.	Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Sheep	W. M. Taylor, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Sheep Brought Home	C. Bradley, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7
The Parable of the Lost Sheep	C. H. Spurgeon.	Luke 15:3-7
The Parable of the Lost Sheep	W. Clarkson	Luke 15:3-7
The Sheep that was Lost and Found	Stopford A. Brooke, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7
The Shepherd Misses One When it has Strayed from the Flock	W. Arnot.	Luke 15:3-7
The Tendency to Wander	Archbishop Trench.	Luke 15:3-7
Third Sunday After Trinity	J. A. Seiss, D. D.	Luke 15:3-7
Until He Find It	H. P. Hughes, M. A.	Luke 15:3-7

People

Jesus, John

Places

Road to Jerusalem

Topics

Figurative, Language, Parable, Saying, Simile, Spake, Spoke, Story

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Luke 15:1-4

5576 tax collectors

Luke 15:1-7

7464 teachers of the law

Luke 15:1-10

5940 searching
7950 mission, of Christ

Luke 15:1-32

6040 sinners

Luke 15:3-7

1220 God, as shepherd
2330 Christ, as shepherd

Luke 15:3-32

6650 finding

Library

June 10 Morning
The younger son took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.--LUKE 15:13. Such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.--We . . . were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

June 11 Morning
He arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.--LUKE 15:20. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

The Humanity of God
ST. LUKE xv. 7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. There are three parables in this chapter: all agree in one quality-- in their humanity. God shows us in them that there is something in his character which is like the best and simplest parts of our characters. God himself likens himself to men, that men may understand him and love him. Why there should be more joy over the …
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons

The Prodigal and his Father
'And 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 falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

Gifts to the Prodigal
'... Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it....' --LUKE XV. 22, 23. God's giving always follows His forgiving. It is not so with us. We think ourselves very magnanimous when we pardon; and we seldom go on to lavish favours where we have overlooked faults. Perhaps it is right that men who have offended against men should earn restoration by acts, and should have to ride quarantine, as it were, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

'That which was Lost'
'An hundred sheep ... ten pieces of silver,... two sons.'--LUKE XV. 4,8,11. The immediate occasion of these three inimitable parables, which have found their way to the heart of the world, needs to be remembered in order to grasp their import and importance. They are intended to vindicate Christ's conduct in associating with outcasts and disreputable persons whom His Pharisaical critics thought a great deal too foul to be touched by clean hands. They were not meant to set forth with anything like …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Prodigal and his Brother.
Preached February 21, 1853. THE PRODIGAL AND HIS BROTHER. "And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; was lost, and is found."--Luke xv. 31, 32. There are two classes of sins. There are some sins by which man crushes, wounds, malevolently injures his brother man: those sins which speak of a bad, tyrannical, and selfish heart. Christ met those with denunciation. …
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton

Number one Thousand; Or, "Bread Enough and to Spare"
It appears that when the prodigal came to himself he was shut up to two thoughts. Two facts were clear to him, that there was plenty in his father's house, and that he himself was famishing. May the two kindred spiritual facts have absolute power over all your hearts, if you are yet unsaved; for they were most certainly all-important and pressing truths. These are no fancies of one in a dream; no ravings of a maniac; no imaginations of one under fascination: it is most true that there is plenty of …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

The Lost Silver Piece
But, my dear friends, the three parables recorded in this chapter are not repetitions; they all declare the same main truth, but each one reveals a different phase of it. The three parables are three sides of a vast pyramid of gospel doctrine, but there is a distinct inscription upon each. Not only in the similitude, but also in the teaching covered by the similitude, there is variety, progress, enlargement, discrimination. We have only need to read attentively to discover that in this trinity of …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

The Turning Point
I. We shall begin by noticing that HERE WAS ACTION--"He arose, and came to his father." He had already been in a state of thoughtfulness; he had come to himself, but now he was to go further, and come to his father. He had considered the past, and weighed it up, and seen the hollowness of all the world's pleasures; he had seen his condition in reference to his father, and his prospects if he remained in the far-off country; he had thought upon what he ought to do, and what would be the probable result …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 20: 1874

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Our divine Lord defended himself by what is called an argumentum ad hominem, an argument to the men themselves; for he said, "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not go after that which is lost, until he find it?" No argument tells more powerfully upon men than one which comes close home to their own daily life, and the Saviour put it so. They were silenced, if they were not convinced. It was a peculiarly strong argument, because in their case it was only a sheep …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 30: 1884

An Appeal to Sinners
Yours in much affection, C. H. S. "This man receiveth sinners."--Luke 15:2. IT WAS A SINGULAR GROUP which had gathered round our Saviour, when these words were uttered; for we are told by the evangelist--"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him." The publicans--the very lowest grade, the public oppressors, scorned and hated by the meanest Jew--these, together with the worst of characters, the scum of the streets and the very riff-raff of the society of Jerusalem, came …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

The Prodigal's Return
"When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." First, I shall notice the position intended in the words, "a great way off ;" secondly, I shall notice the peculiar troubles which agitate the minds of those, who are in this condition; and then, thirdly, I shall endeavor to teach the great loving-kindness of our own adorable God, inasmuch as when we are "a great way off," he runs to us, and embraces us in the arms of his love. …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Jer. 6:16 the Good Way.
[5] "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Jer. 6:16. THE book of the prophet Jeremiah receives from most Christians far less attention than it deserves. It is a noteworthy fact that hardly any portion of Holy Scripture is the subject of so few exhaustive commentaries and expositions. I fail to see the reason of this comparative neglect. The book was written, under God's inspiration, …
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times

The Yoke of Jesus.
At that time Jesus answered and said,--according to Luke, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said,--'I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. 'All things are delivered unto me of my father; and no man knoweth the son,'--according to Luke, 'who the son is,'--'but the father; neither knoweth any man the father,'--according to Luke, 'who …
George MacDonald—Hope of the Gospel

Nor Let us Allege that we are Justly Rendered Timid by a Consciousness of Sin...
Nor let us allege that we are justly rendered timid by a consciousness of sin, by which our Father, though mild and merciful, is daily offended. For if among men a son cannot have a better advocate to plead his cause with his father, and cannot employ a better intercessor to regain his lost favour, than if he come himself suppliant and downcast, acknowledging his fault, to implore the mercy of his father, whose paternal feelings cannot but be moved by such entreaties, what will that "Father of all …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith

Privilege and Experience
"And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." --Luke 15:31. The words of the text are familiar to us all. The elder son had complained and said, that though his father had made a feast, and had killed the fatted calf for the prodigal son, he had never given him even a kid that he might make merry with his friends. The answer of the father was: "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." One cannot have a more wonderful revelation of the heart of …
Andrew Murray—The Deeper Christian Life

Second Great Group of Parables.
(Probably in Peræa.) Subdivision A. Introduction. ^C Luke XV. 1, 2. ^c 1 Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing hear unto him to hear. 2 And both the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. [For publicans see p. 76, and for eating with them see p. 349. The Pharisees classed as "sinners" all who failed to observe the traditions of the elders, and especially their traditional rules of purification. It was not so much the wickedness of …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Second Great Group of Parables.
(Probably in Peræa.) Subdivision C. Parable of the Lost Coin. ^C Luke XV. 8-10. ^c 8 Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp [because oriental houses are commonly without windows, and therefore dark], and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. [The drachma, or piece of silver, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Ill-Temper
"He was angry, and would not go in."--LUKE xv. 28. THE ELDER BROTHER THOSE who have studied the paintings of Sir Noel Paton must have observed that part of their peculiar beauty lies, by a trick of art, in their partial ugliness. There are flowers and birds, knights and ladies, gossamer-winged fairies and children of seraphic beauty; but in the corner of the canvas, or just at their feet, some uncouth and loathsome form--a toad, a lizard, a slimy snail--to lend, by contrast with its repulsiveness, …
Henry Drummond—The Ideal Life

The Three Parables of the Gospel: of the Recovery of the Lost - of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Drachm, the Lost Son.
A SIMPLE perusal of the three Parables, grouped together in the fifteenth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, will convince us of their connection. Although they treat of repentance,' we can scarcely call them The Parables of Repentance;' for, except in the last of them, the aspect of repentance is subordinate to that of restoration, which is the moral effect of repentance. They are rather peculiarly Gospel-Parables of the recovery of the lost:' in the first instance, through the unwearied labour; in the …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Lost Sheep.
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

The Prodigal Son.
"And he said, A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

The Lost Coin.
"Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."--LUKE xv. 8-10. The three parables of this group, as has been already intimated, do not …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

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