Year of the Bible
Luke 15
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Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 15:
As a part of the large crowds following Jesus (14:25-35), Luke notes that Jesus is specifically attracting sinners and choosing to welcome them, even share meals--a sign of deep fellowship--with them (vs. 1-2). In response to criticism of this practice, Jesus tells three consecutive parables that each include something or someone who has been separated from the whole or lost. That lost element, whether a sheep, coin, or person, is incapable of rescuing themselves, incapable of returning themselves to the group or owner on their own initiative or abilities. In each of the three parables, it takes the extraordinary actions of the seeker (a shepherd, woman, and father) to restore the lost one to wholeness, to full membership in the group. The extraordinary actions of the seeker are beyond rational. From a human perspective the rescuing actions of each of the three seekers are a reckless, overinvestment of effort to find and reunite with the lost. However, the seekers do not see it as an overabundant, wasteful attempt to seek, find, and rescue what has been lost. Instead, in each parable when the seeker finds the lost one, the seeker calls their friends and family together to rejoice (vs. 6, 9, 22-24, 32). The lost one is rescued and returned to rejoicing! And, as especially emphasized in the family dynamics of the third parable, the one who is rescued is restored to full inheritance of the family’s wealth by virtue of receiving a “ring,” an object of great value that was also used in the for stamping or sealing business transactions as a signature (vs. 22, 31).
The Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 15:
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this par able: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons; 12 and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. 15 So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; 23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.” (Lk 15:7) How willing am I to say sorry, receive mercy, and be restored by God? Do I accept the gifts (ring, robe, and sandals) God longs to give me? These passages remind us that God is diligently looking to restore us. He is our savior who loves to save. Lord, give me your heart for the lost in my life.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. Catholic Biblical School of Michigan (cbsmich.org/join).
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
Se le acercaban todos los publicanos
y pecadores para oírle.
2 Pero los fariseos y los escribas murmuraban
diciendo:
–Éste recibe a los pecadores y come
con ellos.
3 Entonces les propuso esta parábola:
4 –¿Quién de vosotros, si tiene cien
ovejas y pierde una, no deja las noventa
y nueve en el campo y sale en busca
de la que se perdió hasta encontrarla?
5 Y, cuando la encuentra, la pone
sobre sus hombros gozoso, 6 y, al llegar
a casa, reúne a los amigos y vecinos y
les dice: «Alegraos conmigo, porque he
encontrado la oveja que se me perdió».
7 Os digo que, del mismo modo, habrá
en el cielo mayor alegría por un pecador
que se convierta que por noventa y
nueve justos que no tienen necesidad de
conversión.
8 »¿O qué mujer, si tiene diez dracmas
y pierde una, no enciende una luz
y barre la casa y busca cuidadosamente
hasta encontrarla? 9 Y cuando la encuentra,
reúne a las amigas y vecinas y
les dice: «Alegraos conmigo, porque he
encontrado la dracma que se me perdió
». 10 Así, os digo, hay alegría entre los
ángeles de Dios por un pecador que se
arrepiente.
Dijo también:
–Un hombre tenía dos hijos. 12 El más
joven de ellos le dijo a su padre: «Padre,
dame la parte de la hacienda que me
corresponde». Y les repartió los bienes.
No muchos días después, el hijo
más joven lo recogió todo, se fue a un
país lejano y malgastó allí su fortuna viviendo
lujuriosamente. 14 Después de
gastarlo todo, hubo una gran hambre en
aquella región y él empezó a pasar necesidad.
15 Fue y se puso a servir a un hombre
de aquella región, el cual lo mandó
a sus tierras a guardar cerdos; 16 le entraban
ganas de saciarse con las algarrobas
que comían los cerdos, y nadie se las
daba. 17 Recapacitando, se dijo: «¡Cuántos
jornaleros de mi padre tienen pan
abundante mientras yo aquí me muero
de hambre! 18 Me levantaré e iré a mi
padre y le diré: “Padre, he pecado contra
el cielo y contra ti; 19 ya no soy digno
de ser llamado hijo tuyo; trátame como
a uno de tus jornaleros”». 20 Y levantándose
se puso en camino hacia la casa de
su padre.
»Cuando aún estaba lejos, le vio su
padre y se compadeció. Y corriendo a
su encuentro, se le echó al cuello y le
cubrió de besos. 21 Comenzó a decirle el
hijo: «Padre, he pecado contra el cielo
y contra ti; ya no soy digno de ser llamado
hijo tuyo». 22 Pero el padre les dijo
a sus siervos: «Pronto, sacad el mejor
traje y vestidle; ponedle un anillo en la
mano y sandalias en los pies; 23 traed el
ternero cebado y matadlo, y vamos a celebrarlo
con un banquete; 24 porque este
hijo mío estaba muerto y ha vuelto a la
vida, estaba perdido y ha sido encontrado
». Y se pusieron a celebrarlo.
25 »El hijo mayor estaba en el campo;
al volver y acercarse a casa oyó la
música y los cantos 26 y, llamando a uno
de los siervos, le preguntó qué pasaba.
27 Éste le dijo: «Ha llegado tu hermano,
y tu padre ha matado el ternero cebado
por haberle recobrado sano». 28 Se indignó
y no quería entrar, pero su padre
salió a convencerle. 29 Él replicó a su padre:
«Mira cuántos años hace que te sirvo
sin desobedecer ninguna orden tuya,
y nunca me has dado ni un cabrito para
divertirme con mis amigos. 30 Pero en
cuanto ha venido ese hijo tuyo que devoró
tu fortuna con meretrices, has hecho
matar para él el ternero cebado».
31 Pero él respondió: «Hijo, tú siempre
estás conmigo, y todo lo mío es tuyo;
32 pero había que celebrarlo y alegrarse,
porque ese hermano tuyo estaba muerto
y ha vuelto a la vida, estaba perdido y
ha sido encontrado».
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
“Os digo que, del mismo modo, habrá en el cielo mayor alegría por un pecador que se convierta que por noventa y nueve justos que no tienen necesidad de conversión." (Lk 15:7) ¿Qué tan dispuesto(a) estoy a pedir perdón, recibir misericordia y ser restaurado(a) por Dios? ¿Acepto los regalos (anillo, túnica y sandalias) que Dios anhela darme? Estos pasajes nos recuerdan que Dios está buscando diligentemente restaurarnos. Él es nuestro salvador, que ama salvarnos. Señor, dame tú corazón para lo que está perdido en mi vida.
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dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).