The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8 Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Tax collectors were considered collaborators with the Roman occupiers and were especially reviled for their perceived exploitation of the vulnerable, including the poor. Tax collectors were known for overcharging the people and keeping the surplus for themselves, enriching themselves at the expense of others. They were often considered unclean and were excluded from religious and social life. Individuals who were seen as living in a way that violated the ethical or moral codes derived from the Law of Moses, and those who were socially marginalized, such as prostitutes, gamblers, and others whose professions or lifestyles were deemed impure, were considered “sinners” by religious leaders. The Pharisees, who prided themselves on meticulous observance of the purity laws, believed associating with sinners would make them impure.
The Pharisees and scribes, who prided themselves on religious observance, complained because Jesus was eating with sinners. Eating with someone in Jewish culture was a sign of fellowship and acceptance. Jesus directed two parables to the Pharisees and scribes, who saw themselves as righteous, to emphasize God’s mercy and the joy in heaven over the repentance of sinners. The 99 sheep in the parable do not necessarily represent the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes but rather those who are already “safe,” whereas the lost sheep represent sinners who have wandered away from God and are in need of rescue. God desires that not even one of his sheep should be lost (cf. Ezekiel 34:11–16) and is willing to go to great lengths to bring back those who have gone astray. Jesus portrays himself as the Good Shepherd who cares deeply for each of his sheep (cf. John 10:11). The image of the shepherd carrying the sheep on his shoulders highlights the personal care and effort God expends in restoring a sinner. The celebration with friends and neighbors indicates the communal celebration and joy over an individual’s repentance and salvation. This joy over the recovery of the lost sheep contrasts with the relative indifference of the Pharisees toward those they view as sinners.
Jesus’ second parable compares God to a woman searching for a lost coin. The lost coin was equivalent to a day’s wage for a laborer at the time of Jesus. To give some context, ten coins (drachmas) would have been a significant amount of money, likely representing her personal savings or even a dowry, so losing one coin would have been a considerable financial loss for this woman, and recovering it would have been important. The lost coin represents a sinner who has wandered from God, and while the sinner may be "helpless" in returning to God on their own, the focus is on God's unwavering initiative to seek them out, not simply on the sinner's helplessness. The woman was persistent and thorough in searching for the coin representing God's unwavering determination to seek out and bring back those who stray. The woman’s joy upon finding her lost coin is so great that she calls together her friends and neighbors to share in her happiness. Again, the communal rejoicing highlights that the restoration of even one individual is a cause for celebration not only for God but also for the entire community of believers. This contrasts sharply with the Pharisees’ grumbling at Jesus’ association with sinners. There is divine joy over repentance of sinners which transcends the human experience and involves the heavenly realm.
Almighty God, You seek us with boundless love, never leaving us lost in our sin. Like the shepherd who finds his sheep and the woman who rejoices over her coin, You celebrate our return to You. Help us to trust in Your mercy, and may our hearts always be open to Your call. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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