From: "Fr John W Fenton (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: HP: Notes on Luke 15 Date: Thursday, November 01, 2001 1:03 PM Notes on Luke 15.1-10 (randomly and incompletely presented) 1. A sinner is someone who knows and believes that he is desolate and afflicted without God’s mercy. (Introit) And so he begs God to increase and multiply His mercy. (Collect) The sinner also does not rely on his own strength and spirituality, but freely and willingly humbles himself under the Lord’s mighty and caring hand. (Epistle) And Our Lord does not turn away or disappoint the hope of those who know and feel their sin; instead, he gladly welcomes, receives, seeks out and eats with them. (Gospel) In this way, Our Lord sustains, saves and delivers sinners. (Gradual) 2. Our Lord is condemned for eating with sinners. Yet this condemnation does not stop Him. He eats with us, and invites us to feed on Him. For in that Supper of His broken Body and shed Blood, He gives us sinners what we need most – forgiveness of sins. And that forgiveness then also delivers to us life in Him and salvation into eternity. 3. Any analysis of the Gospel must keep in mind these things: 3.1. This pericope, which includes two parables, is set within an immediate context that contains the parable of the prodigal son. All three answer this censure: “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” All three have the same general theme—what is lost (sinners) is found (received). 3.2. Our Lord speaks these parables not to His disciples, but to the Pharisees and scribes. What precede them are parables and discourses to the Pharisees or other skeptics (Lk 11.14-14.35) who variously test or question Jesus’ authority in word and deed. These parables are immediately followed by several parables and discourses primarily to the disciples (Lk 16.1-18.43) where the Pharisees and skeptics are used as a foil or negative example. 4. The story of the lost sheep seems to parallel a similar story in Mt 18.12-14. However, there the 99 are put in a better light (they do not go astray), and it appears that they are in the sheep fold (not wilderness) while Jesus goes seeking the lost in the mountains. Furthermore, in the Matthew pericope the lost sheep is compared to “one of these little ones” (i.e., a little child set in the midst of Christ who is not to be despised) rather than a tax collector or sinner. 4.1. There is no parallel for the lost coin or prodigal son. 5. This pericope follows immediately after the Gospel for Pentecost III (Trinity II). In both, eating is the context of the parable. Then, the Lord shows the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who consider themselves blessed because, on their own terms, they have determined to eat bread in the kingdom of God they have created. Here, the Lord shows the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who wish to ostracize the Lord and others (tax collectors and sinners) because they are not worthy to be found at table with the self-righteous Pharisees. 5.1. “Christ’s reply to this ostracism is to show that God’s mercy had never failed to welcome sinners. This is in line with His teaching about the Father’s unrelaxing search for sinners.” (Guide for the Christian Assembly, 1966). 6. On another list, Robert Schaibley indicates that the 99 are NOT righteous, and that the point of the parable is that Jesus forsakes the self-righteous to seek the truly repentant. Schaibley says: The point of this parable is that NO shepherd in His right mind would do this! But Jesus does. Why? Because the 99, in this case—which may not be the same as when Jesus tells the parable as recorded in Matthew—are NOT his sheep! They are those who think that they are righteous and need no repentance! They are lost. The remaining lost sheep represents ALL Christians, who are equally lost as those who think they are righteous and need no repentance. BUT, for reasons of His own, when and where the Holy Spirit chooses to work in those who hear the Gospel, THESE lost sheep (represented by the 100th sheep in the parable) are saved by the Good Shepherd, causing great celebration and rejoicing in heaven. 7. While the general meaning of the lost coin is the same as the lost sheep (lost is found), the difference is that no coin loses itself. A sheep may wander off, but a coin cannot. Nevertheless, the same antiphon applies: “Rejoice with me, for what was lost is found.” Followed quickly by the Lord’ s own summary: “There will be more joy over one sinner who repents.” 8. One commentator suggests that the order of the three parables is influenced by Jeremiah 31. There we hear that God, like a shepherd, will gather His scattered people and there will be much joy (31.10-14); that a weeping woman will find her lost children (31.15-17); and that Ephraim returns, is converted and becomes God’s favored child (31.18-20). Then comes the summary of all three—the New Covenant is based on the Lord’s forgiveness (31.31-34). 9. From Blessed Martin Luther (Hauspostille): This certainly portrays the heart of our Lord Jesus in tenderest, most ardent terms. It would be impossible to paint in a more winsome and kindly manner the trouble, worry, toil, and concern that he has in setting right the wayward sinner. He strikes a responsive chord in our hearts when he reminds us of how we feel at the loss of something dear to us. Thus, his heart is greatly troubled and filled with compassion and concern, is his point here, when he sees the devil overcoming some poor sinner with sin and deception. Moreover, just as he is tender-minded toward the poor sinner, so also there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine who require no repentance. He repeats those words once more, that the angels in heaven rejoice greatly over one sinner who repents. The dear angels and heavenly spirits celebrate with joy and sing a special Te Deum Laudamus, “We praise thee, O God,” when a poor sinner turns about and repents. If a man finds joy in finding a lost sheep, and a woman delights in finding a lost coin, and the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents, why do you scribes and Pharisees judge and rebuke me, says Christ, when I receive publicans and sinners who come to me to listen to my preaching with all diligence and hearts delight? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Rev. Fr. John W. Fenton, S.T.M. Zion Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Detroit 4305 N. Military Ave. Detroit, MI 48210-2451 Voice: 313.894.7450 Email: zion@flash.net ZIONNEWS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Web: www.flash.net/~zion ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Historic Preaching + The Historic Preaching list is devoted to preaching on the Propers of the Historic Lectionary as found in The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) and Service Book and Hymnal (SBH). Subscribe? Send ANY message to: Unsubscribe? Send ANY message to: Respond? Click 'Reply' or write to For further information about this list, contact the list administrator at: Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski or visit our website: + + + + + +