The lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son

Jesus defends Himself by three great parables (the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son)

12 September [24th Sunday in Ord. Time]
Lk 15:1-32  

The Prodigal Son

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found. [32]

The gospel reading for today is the entire 15th chapter of Luke's gospel.  It appears to be all about ‘lost property’: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son.  This is bound to strike a chord with all of us, because there is no one who doesn’t feel lost in some way.  Jesus told these three stories in response to the Pharisees who accused him of consorting with sinners – people who had lost their way. 

But to be more exact, these parables are not about the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son; they are not about being lost, but about being found.  Each of them underlines the joy of the finder: God's joy in seeking and finding what is lost.  ‘Rejoice’ is the key word at the end of each story.  These stories are Jesus’ revelation of what God is like. 

http://goodnews.ie 

		< Luke 15:32 >> Luke 15:32 Greek Study Bible (Apostolic / Interlinear) εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἔζησεν,καὶ ἀπολωλὼς καὶ εὑρέθη. KJV with Strong's  It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found Greek Transliteration Strong's Morphology English εὐφρανθῆναι euphranthēnai 2165 V-APN to be merry δὲ de 1161 CONJ was καὶ kai 2532 CONJ and χαρῆναι charēnai 5463 V-2AON be glad ἔδει edei 1163 V-IAI-3S it was needful ὅτι oti 3754 CONJ for ὁ o 3588 T-NSM ἀδελφός adelphos 80 N-NSM brother σου sou 4675 P-2GS of you οὗτος outos 3778 D-NSM this νεκρὸς nekros 3498 A-NSM dead ἦν ēn 2258 V-IAI-3S was καὶ kai 2532 CONJ and ἔζησεν ezēsen 2198 V-AAI-3S live καὶ kai 2532 CONJ and ἀπολωλὼς apolōlōs 622 V-2RAP-NSM lost καὶ kai 2532 CONJ and εὑρέθη eurethē 2147 V-API-3S was found Parallel Texts ΚΑΤΑ ΛΟΥΚΑΝ 15:32 Greek NT: Westcott/Hort with Diacritics εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἔζησεν, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς καὶ εὑρέθη. Latin: Biblia Sacra Vulgata epulari autem et gaudere oportebat quia frater tuus hic mortuus erat et revixit perierat et inventus est     Luke 15:32  But it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!   (AMP)