All of the restorative work is done by the good shepherd

Pastor-Teacher
John Farley
Friday,
February 12, 2010

All of the restorative work is done by the good shepherd

God’s plan throughout all the ages is that He might be glorified by the grace that He dispenses to undeserving creatures.

the lost sheep, LUK 15:4-7,
the lost coin, LUK 15:8-10,
the lost sons, LUK 15:11-32.

God’s plan throughout all the ages is that He might be glorified by the grace that He dispenses to undeserving creatures.

the lost sheep, LUK 15:4-7,
the lost coin, LUK 15:8-10,
the lost sons, LUK 15:11-32.

Jesus addresses His parables to the Pharisees and scribes.
They become His audience.

The parable was addressed to men who were like the elder brother, men who were offended at the Gospel.

“You accuse me of reclining to eat with sinners and tax collectors and you are right! That is exactly what I do.
And not only do I let them in... I go out into the streets and shower them with affection, urging them to come in and eat with me!”

In the parable of the prodigal son, the father does exactly what the audience is accusing Jesus of having done.

There is the parable of the shepherd and the lost sheep, the woman and the lost coin, and the father and the lost sons.

The Greek is
παραβολὴν ταύτην

This is the feminine singular accusative of parabole.

Three parables, referred to in the singular.

This shows that there are not three replies, but a single reply to the question.

Jesus addresses the Pharisees and scribes as if they were shepherds.

In fact, the oral law (not the Bible but the traditions of the rabbis) labeled shepherding as a prohibited trade for law abiding Jews.

The Old Testament used the shepherd as a symbol for God (Psalm 23) and for the leaders of Israel (Ezekiel 34).

Psalm 23 has a good shepherd, a lost sheep, and repentance- restoration.

Had the Pharisees bothered to consider the implications of Ezek 34, they should have realized that THEY fit Ezekiel’s description of a leader whom the Lord was not pleased with.

In Middle Eastern culture, people do not blame themselves.

It’s the aorist active participle of

ἀπόλλυμι

apollumi means
to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively.
to destroy i. e. to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to, ruin.

You are the shepherds of Israel.
You have lost your sheep.

I have come to seek and save the lost.
I am going to lay down my life for the sheep.