Luke 15:6

Luke 15:6

ESV: 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 that was lost.'

KJV: 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.

NIV: and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'

NKJV: And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'

NLT: When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

Meaning

Luke 15:6 portrays the owner's profound joy and eagerness to share it after recovering what was lost. This mirrors God's immeasurable delight and the heavenly celebration over a single sinner who repents and returns to Him, emphasizing the infinite value God places on each individual soul, regardless of their past.

Cross References

Context

Luke 15:6 is an integral part of the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the first of three parables in Luke Chapter 15 (Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son). This entire chapter serves as Jesus' direct response to the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for associating with "tax collectors and sinners" (Lk 15:1-2). They, being the religious elite, believed in God's exclusivity and found it offensive that Jesus welcomed and even ate with those considered ritually unclean and morally corrupt. Jesus uses these parables to illuminate God's true heart: a heart that actively seeks out the lost, values each individual, and rejoices boundlessly when they are found and return. Historically, sheep were crucial to the agrarian economy of ancient Israel, and shepherds, while sometimes seen as low on the social ladder, were essential. Losing even one sheep could be a significant loss and implied diligent, relentless searching. The cultural backdrop enhances the parable's punch: the religious leaders, like the elder brother in the final parable, struggled to share in the divine joy over repentant sinners, unlike the shepherd and woman who eagerly share their joy.

Word analysis

• And (Καί - Kai): A simple conjunction, but here links the successful search to the ensuing celebratory action, showing cause and effect.
• when (ὅταν - hotan): Signals the moment of arrival, immediately followed by the action.
• he comes home (ἔλθῃ εἰς τὸν οἶκον - elthē eis ton oikon):
  • comes (ἔλθῃ - elthē): Implies completion of the journey/task.
  • home (εἰς τὸν οἶκον - eis ton oikon): Not just a physical dwelling, but signifies a place of safety, belonging, and celebration. The sheep is not merely "found" in the wilderness, but brought fully back into security and community. This metaphorically represents full restoration into God's household/kingdom.
• he calls together (συνκαλεῖ - synkalei):
  • syn- (συν-): A prefix meaning "together with," emphasizing a communal gathering.
  • kalei (καλεῖ): To call, invite. The shepherd actively invites others to partake in his experience.
• his friends (τοὺς φίλους - tous philous): These are intimate acquaintances, chosen to share personal joy. It implies a community in heaven (angels, heavenly host) that God invites to share in His joy over a sinner's repentance.
• and (καὶ - kai): Links the categories of people invited.
• his neighbors (τοὺς γείτονας - tous geitonas): Those who live nearby, part of the wider immediate community. This indicates the broadness of the heavenly celebration – not just an inner circle.
• saying to them (λέγων αὐτοῖς - legōn autois): Indicates a direct address, sharing the news and the purpose of the gathering.
• ‘Rejoice with me (Συγχαίρετέ μοι - Sychairete moi):’
  • Rejoice (Συγχαίρετε - Sychairete): The imperative plural "rejoice ye." The prefix "sym-" (συν-) means "together" or "with." This is a profound invitation to co-rejoice. It underscores that God’s joy is meant to be shared; it's so vast that it overflows and invites participation. This directly contrasts with the Pharisees' lack of shared joy.
  • with me (μοι - moi): Dative pronoun, stressing the personal nature of the shared joy.
• for I have found (ὅτι εὗρον - hoti heuron):
  • for (ὅτι - hoti): Indicates the reason or cause for the rejoicing.
  • I have found (εὗρον - heuron): The Greek aorist indicative verb (strong aorist from heuriskō), indicates a completed action with lasting results. It signifies a definitive, successful, and deliberate recovery, often with the exclamation of discovery (like "Eureka!").
• my sheep (τὸ πρόβατόν μου - to probaton mou):
  • my (μου - mou): Emphasizes personal ownership, deep affection, and responsibility. The lost sheep is his, valued by him. Metaphorically, this is God's personal care and love for each individual.
  • sheep (πρόβατον - probaton): The animal, symbolic of a person, particularly a vulnerable and dependent one, prone to straying.
• that was lost (τὸ ἀπολωλός - to apololōs):
  • that was (τὸ - to): The article, acting substantively for "the one."
  • lost (ἀπολωλός - apololōs): Perfect active participle of apollymi, meaning to be lost, ruined, destroyed, perished. It implies a state of being utterly astray, in danger of perishing. The sheep was not merely missing, but in a perishing state. This conveys the spiritual danger of being outside God's care.

Words-group analysis:

• "he calls together his friends and his neighbors": This phrase emphasizes the social and communal aspect of joy in God's kingdom. God desires for His joy over the saved to be a shared experience, reflecting the collective rejoicing of angels and believers. It challenges the isolating pride of the Pharisees.
• "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost": This is the core message. It reveals the immense, celebratory joy derived specifically from restoration and recovery. The emphasis is on "my sheep," showing personal value, and "that was lost," highlighting the profound danger and the significance of salvation from it. The imperative "Rejoice with me" implies that the finding of the lost is a divine event that transcends individual experience and becomes a universal reason for celebration.

Commentary

Luke 15:6 vividly captures the climax of the parable of the lost sheep, moving from the arduous search to overwhelming joy. It directly reveals the divine heart concerning lost humanity. The shepherd, having expended effort and perhaps endured danger in the wilderness, doesn't privately bask in his success. Instead, he immediately seeks to share his profound happiness with his closest community – his friends and neighbors. This sharing underscores that God's joy over a single repentant sinner is so immense that it cannot be contained, echoing throughout heaven. The language, especially "Rejoice with me," invites participatory celebration. The sheep's return home signifies full restoration, not just being found. It implies safety, belonging, and an end to its perilous, lost state. This passage contrasts starkly with the grumbling of the religious leaders (Lk 15:2), showing that their human priorities and values differ fundamentally from God's, who champions the lost over the self-righteous. The lostness described (apollumi) is not trivial; it means being on the brink of ruin. Thus, the finding represents a rescue from spiritual death, provoking the highest celebration in the divine realms.

Examples:

• The community celebrating a loved one's return from a perilous journey.
• Parents' overwhelming joy when a missing child is found unharmed.
• The relief and celebration when something of irreplaceable value that was lost is unexpectedly recovered.

Bonus section

The intense joy depicted in Luke 15:6 is not proportional to the numerical value (one out of a hundred) but to the individual value and the dire state from which the one was recovered. This directly counters the utilitarian and exclusive mindset often found among those who see only the "ninety-nine righteous" (Lk 15:7) as worthy of attention. The act of "calling together" and the direct command to "rejoice with me" transforms a private finding into a communal triumph, highlighting that the restoration of a single soul is an event worthy of universal praise and festivity in God's presence. This also subtly corrects the Jewish rabbinic tradition that God primarily rejoiced over the righteous. Jesus boldly declares God's active pursuit and celebratory joy over those considered outside the bounds by human judgment, redefining what truly brings joy to the divine heart. The emphasis on "my sheep" signifies the intimate, possessive love of the Creator for His creation, no matter how far they have strayed.

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