1062406 Jesus eats with sinners, lost sheep, coin and son parables – Luke 15:1-32, A.D. 29 Bethany across the Jordan
And now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.” And he told them this parable, saying, “What man of you, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? And when he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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!’ I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. Or what woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lost one piece, would not light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.’ Even so, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
And he said, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ And he divided his livelihood between them. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and travelled into a far country; and there he wasted his property with riotous living. And when he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country and he began to be in need. And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no man gave him any. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough to spare, and I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ “And he arose and came to his father.
But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate. For this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. And he was lost and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “And now his elder son was in the field; and as he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and begged him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes; you killed the fattened calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was right to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’”
