August 2, 2019
READING TIME: 3-4 MINUTES
David, who were the sinners in Luke 15:1-2 which led to the three parables?
Christ gave the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son because the Pharisees complained that He was receiving sinners and eating with them (Luke 15:2). Were these “sinners” the godless people who opposed the Lord?
A “sinner” was not a non-Christian but rather one of the am ha’arets (Hebrew for “people of the land”). They were sinners in the Pharisaic sense of those who did not keep the legalistic minutiae of Pharisaic regulations. They were the “common people” who were not interested in following all of the Pharisaic rules about cleanliness and many other traditions. These people were likely new believers who came to Jesus for “follow-up.” Most of Christ’s followers were from this group. Regarding them, Jesus said earlier, “Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31).
The term am ha’arets was often used to describe the masses in contrast to the scholars. The common man was one who was ignorant of the duties of his religion. The educated class looked down on them, viewing them as rude, ill-bred, and dirty. An educated man would never marry a woman of this class. Those in view in the parable of the prodigal son are the Pharisees and the am ha’arets. A Pharisee would not travel with one of these “sinners” nor would he ever have dinner at his table. Everything related to the am ha’arets was considered ceremonially unclean, and the term “sinners” meant people who were ceremonially unclean and not the “unsaved.” The Pharisees also would not sell anything to these “common people,” they would not buy anything for them (for fear it might be levitically unclean), and they would not accept hospitality from them. Even their clothing was considered by the Pharisees to be unclean. They had a lot of contempt for these commoners which can be seen in John 7:49, “But this multitude which does not know the Law is accursed.” Christ gave His “mission statement” when He said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).
There are three pieces of evidence that these commoners were believing sinners: (1) they were salt that had become saltless (i.e., they had become carnal and useless for Christ’s work; read Luke 14:34-35), (2) similar to the prodigal son in the parable to follow (with whom they are identified), they were sons of the father before they were lost; and (3) they had been invited to table fellowship at the Lord’s home. Also, In Matthew 18:12-14, the lost lamb is equated with one of Christ’s little ones.
In the three parables of Luke 15, those “lost” belonged to the shepherd, the woman, and the father before they became lost. “Lost” here doesn’t mean “damned,” but it means “gone astray.” So, they were not unbelievers, but they were believers who needed to be brought back to the “right path” and be discipled in their faith.
