The Lost Sheep

Upon analyzing “The Parable of the Lost Sheep”, in both Matthew 18:10-14 and Luke 15: 1-7, it seems apparent that there are many more differences than similarities. One main similarity is the ninety-nine sheep left by the owner, and the one that he goes to find. Another similarity is there will clearly be much more rejoicing over the lost sheep that is found or saved, than the ninety-nine sheep that were never lost or in need of saving. This is as far as we see the similarities go in the passages, the differences however, are much more striking. First, it should be noted that the two parables are recorded as addressing two different groups of people. In the parable in Matthew, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. However, in Luke, Jesus is teaching tax collectors and sinners and uses the parable to reprimand the Pharisees for grumbling. This leads to another difference, the application of the parable is different. In Matthew, Jesus uses the parable to emphasis the importance of the “little ones”, and that His will is that not one of them would perish. As mentioned previously, in Luke the parable is used to rebuke the Pharisees. Through the telling of the parable in Luke, it seems that Jesus is making it clear that He cares greatly for the lost,

Did Jesus use the same parable more than once and simply apply it to two different circumstances? Or perhaps the authors of Matthew and Luke emphasized certain aspects of the event in order to accommodate the theological point they wanted to make by recording the parable. Regardless, it is important to point out that even though these two accounts differ greatly from each other, the main point is the same. Jesus cares deeply for the marginalized and the outcast. Whether they are a “little one” or a sinner does not matter, them being saved is of great importance to