Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 15:6
And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
6. calleth together his friends and neighbours ] See on Luk 14:12.
Rejoice with me ] “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross,” Heb 12:2; comp. Isa 53:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
6. Rejoice with me, &c.Theprinciple here is, that one feels exuberant joy to be almosttoo much for himself to bear alone, and is positively relieved byhaving others to share it with him. (See on Lu15:10).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he cometh home,…. The house, or home, to which Christ comes and brings thither his lost sheep on his shoulders when found, is either the church of God, which is Christ’s house and home, and into which he himself comes; it is his by gift and purchase, and which he has built, and here comes and dwells as a son over it, as king in it, and as priest and prophet there, and as the master of it; and hither he brings his people when he has called them by his grace, where they have a good fold and green pastures, and where they delight to be; or else heaven is this home, which is an house of God’s building, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; and which is Christ’s Father’s house, and his own house and home, and also the saints’ house and home, whither they are all brought by Christ; for they cannot go there alone, and of themselves; they are brought by the power of divine grace as trophies of it, as to their own home; and such that Christ takes into his arms, and on his shoulders, he never drops them till he has brought them safe to heaven:
he calleth together his friends and neighbours: the friends of Christ are the saints, so called, because of their share in his friendship to them; shown by his becoming a surety for them; by his assuming their nature, and dying in their room and stead; by his paying their debts, and redeeming their persons; by his intercession for them, and preparing a place for them in his Father’s house; by supplying all their wants, and by his kind and comfortable visits to them; by his free and familiar converses with them, and by unfolding his secrets, and giving wholesome advice and counsel to them: as also on account of their bearing and showing friendship to him; as by their great affection to his person; by their attachment to his cause and interest; by their strict regard to his Gospel, and the truths of it; and by their diligent observance of his commands and ordinances; and by their regard to his people, and disregard to his enemies: and these are also Christ’s “neighbours”, they dwell near to each other; he dwells in them, and they in him; they love each other as themselves, and perform every office cheerfully in love to one another: moreover, the angels may be meant by the friends and neighbours of Christ, as may be collected from Lu 15:10 these are his “friends” whom he has shown himself friendly to, in the confirmation of them in the state in which they were created; in the choice of them to eternal happiness; and in being an head of protection to them, as well as of eminence over them: and these are friendly to him; as they were at his incarnation, and when tempted in the wilderness, and when in agony in the garden, and at his resurrection and ascension; and will attend him at his second coming: and they are friendly to his; are ministering spirits to them, rejoice at their conversion, encamp about them in life, and at death carry their departed souls to heaven: and these are likewise his “neighbours”: their habitation is in heaven where he is, and they always behold the face of his Father there, and will come along with him when he appears a second time. Now saints are called together to hear what great things Christ has done for poor sinners when he brings them to Zion; and angels are also made acquainted with their conversion; and both saints and angels will be called together, when the sheep of Christ shall be brought home to glory.
Saying unto them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost: the joy of Christ, and his friends, is mutual on this occasion; Christ rejoices himself, and his friends with him: he rejoiced in his people from everlasting; they were the objects of his Father’s love, and of his own; and he took delight in them, as he saw them in the glass of his Father’s purposes, as they were chosen in him, and given to him; and this joy in them still continued, notwithstanding their fall in Adam, and their own actual sins and transgressions; but whereas they were lost in the fall, and by their own sins, there were some new expressions of joy upon Christ’s finding them in redemption: it was with the utmost pleasure he engaged in that work; and with the greatest readiness did he come into the world to do it; and he went through it with great delight; he was, as it were, straitened until it was accomplished; the consideration of it made him easy under the apprehensions of what he was to endure, and supported him under his most dolorous sufferings; his rising again from the dead as the presentative of his people, filled him with gladness, and he ascended to heaven in a triumph: but yet still these persons, though redeemed, are in a lost estate with respect to themselves; wherefore in conversion there are fresh breakings forth of joy in Christ; for that is the day of his open espousals to them, and so the day of the gladness of his heart; when he sees of the travail of his soul with satisfaction; and large expressions of love are made to him; and his people are brought to some conformity to him; and communion with him, but still they are not yet at home; wherefore with joy he brings them into his church, which is his house, and their home, where he rejoices over them to do them good; and will express still more joy in the new Jerusalem church state, and still more when he shall have brought them to glory, and have presented them to himself, and to his Father, which will be done with exceeding joy. Christ’s friends and neighbours, his saints and people, also rejoice at the conversion of a sinner; because the glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit, is displayed therein; and because Satan has lost his prey, and Christ has got a new subject; and because of the grace of God bestowed upon the sinner, and the addition that is made to their number; particularly this is matter of joy to the ministers of the Gospel: and angels also rejoice at it, because of the glory of God that is advanced thereby.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Rejoice with me ( ). Second aorist passive of , an old and common verb for mutual joy as in Php 2:17f. Joy demands fellowship. Same form in verse 9. So the shepherd
calls together (, note again) both his friends and his neighbours. This picture of the Good Shepherd has captured the eye of many artists through the ages.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
With me. “Not with the sheep. Our life is his joy” (Gregory, cited by Trench).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when he cometh home,” (kai elthon eis ton o on) “And when he comes into the home,” or to his residence, where he at least resides as a shepherd, bearing the sheep that was lost, that had gone astray, himself rejoicing, 1Th 5:16.
2) “He calleth together his friends and neighbors,” (sugkalei tous philous kai geitonas) “He calls together the friends and the neighbors;” So great is his joy that he has to share it. One is not only to bear and share one another’s burdens but also their joys, Gal 6:2; Psa 107:2.
3) “Saying unto them, Rejoice with me;” (legon autois sugchareti moi) “Saying to them, rejoice along with me,” or come and share my joy. It was too good to keep to himself. Let us “rejoice with those that rejoice,” Rom 12:15; Psa 126:5-6.
4) “For I have found my sheep which was lost.” (hoti heuron to probaton mou to apolotos) “Because I found my sheep that had been lost,” Psa 119:176; 1Pe 2:25, And the Pharisees and scribes would have rejoiced at the repentance of the publicans and harlots, if they themselves had only experienced forgiveness of sins; But they had not, the best they could do was to murmur and find fault with Jesus, Mat 5:20; Mat 21:32; Psa 107:2. It is a solemn thought that all sheep, even the lost ones, belong to God 1) By creation, 2) By daily sustenance, yet they need rescuing, Eze 18:4; Act 17:28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(6) He calleth together his friends and neighbours.The recurrence of the two words so soon after Luk. 14:12 is suggestive. There are times when we do well to recognise the natural and social ties that bind man and man. Chiefly is it right to do so when we make them sharers in our own spiritual life, and raise and purify their life by calling on them to sympathise, not with our sufferings only, but with our purer and nobler joys. In its bearing upon our Lords own work we may think of His friends and neighbours as being the disciples whom He had chosen; we may think also of the angels of God, and the spirits of the just made perfect, who rejoice over one sinner that repenteth.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Cometh home The home of Christ on earth, to which he brings the repentant sinner as a sheep of the fold, is his Church. There are the ninety and nine, and there is the place where the shepherd exerts his guardian care. Thither would he gather the publican and sinner whom he now
receiveth and eateth with. Friends and neighbours His fellow but under shepherds, the pastors of his flocks in the great field of the world.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“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’.”
Arriving home the shepherd calls together his friends and neighbours, announcing that he has found his lost sheep. Such a celebration might at first seem a little excessive, but we must remember that the shepherd would know the sheep by name and would not just be thinking commercially. He had found a beloved sheep. Then these ‘sinners’ (unlike the Pharisees) would all gather together to rejoice over the finding of the lost sheep. We need not necessarily assume that the rejoicing resulted in a costly meal, although no doubt some refreshment was available.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Ver. 6. See Mat 18:13 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6. ] In this return to His house, must be understood the whole course of seeking and finding which the good Shepherd, either by Himself or His agents, now pursues in each individual case, even until He brings the lost sheep home into heaven to himself not in reality , so that it should not take place till the death of the penitent but proleptically , till the name is written in heaven; till the sinner is penitent. This is clear from the interpretation in Luk 15:7 . The = the angels (and spirits of just men made perfect?).
. breathes a totally different thought from . . There is pity and love in it, which, from the nature of the case, the other does not admit of.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 15:6 . : the point here is not the formal invitation of neighbours to sympathise, but the confident expectation that they will. That they do is taken for granted. Sympathy from neighbours and friends of the same occupation, fellow-shepherds, a matter of course in such a case. This trait hit the Pharisees, and may have been added to the original parable for their special benefit.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
when he cometh = having come.
home = into (Greek. eis. App-104.) the house.
with me; not with the sheep (because of the scope of the parable). See note on Luk 15:3. The joy is in heaven (Luk 15:7).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
6.] In this return to His house, must be understood the whole course of seeking and finding which the good Shepherd, either by Himself or His agents, now pursues in each individual case, even until He brings the lost sheep home into heaven to himself-not in reality, so that it should not take place till the death of the penitent-but proleptically,-till the name is written in heaven;-till the sinner is penitent. This is clear from the interpretation in Luk 15:7. The = the angels (and spirits of just men made perfect?).
. breathes a totally different thought from . . There is pity and love in it, which, from the nature of the case, the other does not admit of.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 15:6. , having come home) It was evidently at the Ascension that Jesus Christ returned home; for heaven is His home: Joh 14:2. And it was at that time especially that He informed the heavenly beings as to His own doings (achievements) on earth: 1Ti 3:16. Hence the future, , shall be, is used in Luk 15:7; but there ariseth joy, present, in Luk 15:10.[154] Interchange the words with one another for a moment; you will then at once see the difference.-, calleth together) Active here; but in Luk 15:9, , Middle, she calleth together to herself.[155]-, friends, neighbours) Implying that there are different classes of the inhabitants of heaven, nay, even of the angels. See Luk 15:10. Men who are neighbours do not occupy the same, but an adjoining house; friends are those joined together by inclination (will).-) that sheep, which you know about. The heavenly beings are aware of the loss and recovery of souls.-[, my) Even whilst the sheep was lost, the right of the Shepherd over it remained unimpaired.-V. g.]-, which was lost) which I had lost (or destroyed), , is the expression in Luk 15:9. The sheep, being a living creature, is lost as it were of its own accord, as contrasted with the drachm or piece of money.
[154] Appropriately, as Luk 15:7 is treating of the Redeemers work, the crowning of which at the ascension was still future; but Luk 15:10, the work of God, who even at that time, as at all times, rejoiced over repenting sinners.-E. and T.
[155] AD support or (Luk 15:9) of Rec. Text: and so Lachm. with Beng.; Tisch. , with BLX.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
his: Luk 15:7, Luk 15:10, Luk 15:24, Luk 2:13, Luk 2:14, Isa 66:10, Isa 66:11, Joh 3:29, Joh 15:14, Act 11:23, Act 15:3, Phi 1:4, Phi 2:17, Phi 4:1, 1Th 2:19, 1Th 3:7-9
for: Psa 119:176, 1Pe 2:10, 1Pe 2:25
Reciprocal: Deu 28:63 – rejoiced over Deu 30:9 – rejoice over thee 1Ch 29:9 – David Psa 104:31 – rejoice Son 3:11 – in the day of the Son 5:1 – friends Zep 3:17 – will rejoice Mat 26:29 – until Luk 15:9 – Rejoice Eph 2:17 – and preached Rev 11:15 – and there
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE SHEEP FOUND
Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Luk 15:6
A beautiful sight to see the shepherd in Palestine sitting amid his flock, or walking with his staff, while in long line his sheep follow him. Christs own words are the best comment on His own parable: I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My sheep, etc. The early Christians chose this image as the symbol of their Lord. They carved Christ upon their gems, they painted Him in their catacombs, they gave Him the central place in the glittering mosaics of their basilicasas the Good Shepherd with the rescued sheep upon His shoulders.
I. One long search.Let us never forget that the whole drama of Redemptionthe Incarnation, the Ministry, the Cross, the Resurrection, the Ascensionwhat was it all but one long search for the lost sheep and carrying it home rejoicing? The whole race of man was the lost sheep until Christ found it. All we like sheep had gone astray.
All the souls that are were forfeit once,
And He Who might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy.
II. Let us learn three brief and simple lessons.
(a) Let us all be pitiful. As for sin, indeed, we cannot hate it too much. It is the adder which is ever stinging our race to death, and we ought, every one of us, to do all we can to crush its head. But for the sinnerthe poor, bitten, poisoned victim, if we be like Christ we shall feel nothing but compassion.
(b) Let none despair. None has sinned too deeply to be forgiven. Often, indeed, it is too late to avert the earthly consequences of misdoing. But whatever sin you have committed, if you will but repent of it, if you will but come to Christ with the burden of it, there is heavenly medicine, there is lustral water at the wicket-gate.
(c) Think noble thoughts of God, even the thoughts which again and again He has taught us respecting Himself. If there be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance, what shall there be over myriads and the multitudes which no man can number?
Dean Farrar.
Illustrations
(1)And all through the mountains, thunder-riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There rose a cry to the gate of heaven,
Rejoice, I have found my sheep!
And the angels echoed around the throne:
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!
(2) You cannot share His joy without wishing to share His work. That is the practical point. If you really care about Christs enthusiasm for lost and unhappy people, you will do what you can for them yourself. He shows you the methods of Gods hand. He sees God is not a great law standing outside the human race, and so to speak pulling in first one and then another without any intervention of man. God uses man, and looks to man to save his fellow-man. God works through human means, not because He cannot do the work by himself, not because He does not care, but because He wants to maintain His connection with man, because He cannot bear not to have man as a sharer of His joy, because, like a true father, He wants to stir up His children to help one another, and so to promote that real family union by which they feel that He and they are really one. And when the work is done He wants them to feel that rare power of fellowship with His joy, that power that brings them into such intimate communion with man. Rejoice with Me, He cries, for I have found My sheep which was lost.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
6
It is natural for one to wish others to share with him in the event of good fortune. Paul tells Christians to “rejoice with them that do rejoice” (Rom 12:15).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 15:6. And when he cometh home. This refers to the whole process by which the ignorant and bewildered sinner is brought into safety. It does not mean, brought to heaven personally, but where there is ground for joy in heaven (Luk 15:7).His friends and his neighbors. Evidently the angels (Luk 15:10), and probably those already saved and in glory. The greatness of the joy is represented by the need of others to share it. For I have found my sheep which was lost. Pity and love are combined in the expression. The shepherd is the owner. The flock meant originally the house of Israel. What an owner would do from self-interest, our Lord does from love for His own. Because He is the Son of God, His own glory is always promoted by His love; the two cannot be sundered.