The Parable of the Lost Coin

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1. Title of the Parable

The Parable of the Lost Coin

2. Scripture Reference(s)

  • Luke 15:8–10 (L)

3. Thematic Category

Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness; Divine Pursuit; Joy in Repentance

4. Parable Summary

Jesus tells of a woman who has ten silver coins and loses one. She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches diligently until she finds it. Upon finding it, she calls her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her.

Jesus concludes: “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

This parable, immediately following the Parable of the Lost Sheep, underscores the theme of God’s active pursuit of the lost and the celebration that follows repentance.

5. Cultural and Historical Context

The coin referenced is likely a drachma, equivalent to a day’s wage for a labourer. Ten coins may have represented the woman’s entire savings, or even a bridal dowry, giving the lost coin great personal and financial value.

First-century Palestinian homes were typically dark, with few windows and packed dirt floors, necessitating a lamp and broom for a thorough search.

By using a female protagonist, Jesus affirms that divine care and rejoicing are not gendered — God’s character is reflected through both male and female imagery.

6. Literary Form and Structure

  • Type: Mercy parable / similitude
  • Structure: Problem (lost coin) → Action (search) → Resolution (discovery) → Celebration
  • Techniques: Parallelism with previous parable, vivid domestic imagery, communal rejoicing

7. Theological Meaning and Kingdom Implications

The parable reveals the personal, persistent, and joyful nature of divine grace:

  • God seeks with intention — the lost are not forgotten.
  • Restoration leads to rejoicing, not reprimand.
  • The value of the individual is emphasised — nothing is too small to be sought.
  • Heaven’s priorities are different from religious elitism — repentance is celebrated, not scrutinised.

8. Moral and Ethical Lessons

  • We are called to value what God values — every person, regardless of status or visibility.
  • True spirituality rejoices in others’ restoration, not personal superiority.
  • God’s grace is active, searching, and inclusive.
  • Our communities should reflect the joy of salvation, not just doctrinal correctness.

9. Jesus’ Interpretation or Explanation

Jesus gives a direct theological conclusion:
“There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

This reinforces the heavenly priority of repentance and contrasts with the Pharisees’ grumbling at Jesus’ association with sinners (Luke 15:1–2). The parable also subtly teaches that repentance is prompted by God’s initiative — the coin cannot find itself; the woman must search.

10. Application for Contemporary Readers

  • Challenges believers to actively pursue and welcome the spiritually lost.
  • Encourages evangelism, pastoral care, and outreach motivated by love, not duty.
  • Reminds the Church that joy is a theological virtue — we should celebrate spiritual rebirth.
  • Underscores that salvation is not about being found worthy, but about being loved enough to be sought.

11. Comparative Insights and Scholarly Commentary

  • Origen viewed the woman as a symbol of the Holy Spirit searching for the soul.
  • Augustine saw the coin as representing the image of God in man, lost through sin but recoverable.
  • Craig Blomberg notes that the parable conveys a single truth: God diligently seeks the lost and rejoices when they are found.
  • N.T. Wright sees the woman as representing God’s shocking grace — flipping religious expectations of who can act redemptively.
  • R.T. France highlights that the parable reinforces the idea that God initiates salvation and rejoices over the smallest recovery.

12. Cross-References

  • Luke 19:10 – “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
  • Ezekiel 34:16 – “I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.”
  • Psalm 139:7–10 – God’s omnipresence in seeking us
  • Romans 5:8 – “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

13. Key Quotes and Phrases

  • “What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one…” (Luke 15:8)
  • “She searches carefully until she finds it.” (Luke 15:8)
  • “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” (Luke 15:9)
  • “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
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