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This week we are beginning our study of Luke Chapter 15. Please read verses 1 to 10 every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 15:6-7 (New American Standard)
‘”And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost! I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”’
I’m sure that just like me, you’ve been to quite a few parties over the years. Birthday parties, anniversary parties and retirement parties to name a few. In all of those parties, there are a whole mixture of people who have different emotions. I dare say that most people are pleased to be there, but if I remember correctly from when my children were small, there were a few parents who I was sensing didn’t really want to be there all that much. I guess that they’d been forced to bring their own children and would prefer to be elsewhere! Of the people that did want to be in the party, some were closer to the ‘birthday’ boy or girl and were very happy to be there. Others were friends and, while they were pleased to be there, they didn’t really have the same level of excitement as the close family. It’s entirely possible for a whole room of people to be happy, but some are happier than others.
There are some commentators who consider this kind of illustration to be representative of the ‘more joy in heaven’ phrase that Jesus uses. However, in order to fully understand the passage, we must first take a look at the two types of people in the parable. There is the ‘sinner’ and there are the ‘righteous persons’. I think none of us would have any problem understanding the first category of people. We all know and appreciate that sinners need salvation, but what about ‘the righteous’? These people are an integral part to the culmination of this parable and are not there in minor symbolic significance. Who are these people? If they ‘need no repentance’, then surely the message of the cross has been misunderstood. I believe that Jesus is using language with nuance in the same way that we do today. Also, it must be realised that the original language was not English. In the version of our verses I’ve used today, the NAS, the word ‘MORE’ is italicised. It indicates that there may actually be a translation issue over that word. The word actually means ‘than’ and is used when comparing two things. It’s quite difficult to explain this in English but the Young’s Literal Translation puts it like this: ‘I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.’ In my opinion, this is much easier to understand.
The idea is that there is joy over the sinner who repents but not over those who do not repent. Jesus often refers to the Pharisees as those who didn’t need a doctor, or as ‘healthy’ and even calls them ‘righteous people’ in Luke 5. Despite the words, we are left in no doubt as to what Jesus thinks of them: ‘brood of vipers’ was one particular phrase. The final outcome then is that the emphasis of the parable, the climax of the story is to distinguish between the lost and those who consider themselves to be righteous. The parable zooms in on the ‘one’ that was lost, was searched for, was found and was celebrated. The Great Shepherd left heaven in order to find us. His love compelled us and in His grace, He brought us home. What joy there was in heaven on that day! I believe there is no greater joy than seeing someone turn from their sin and embrace the Shepherd of our Souls. I pray that Oasis Community Church will be holding celebration parties very, very soon!
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