Parable of the lost sheep - wikipedia Parable of the lost sheep Etching by Jan Luyken showing the triumphant return of the shepherd, from the Bowyer Bible. The Parable of the Lost Sheep is one of the parables of Jesus. It appears in the Gospels of Matthew ( Matthew 18 : 12 -- 14 ) and Luke ( Luke 15 : 3 -- 7 ). It is about a shepherd who leaves his flock of ninety - nine sheep in order to find the one which is lost. It is the first member of a trilogy about redemption that Jesus tells after the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse him of welcoming and eating with `` sinners. '' The two parables that follow ( in Luke 's Gospel ) are those of the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son. The parable of the Good shepherd, a pericope found in John 10 : 1 - 21, derives from it. Contents 1 Narrative 2 Interpretation 3 Depiction in art 4 Hymns 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Narrative In the Gospel of Luke, the parable is as follows : He told them this parable. `` Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, would n't leave the ninety - nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it ? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends, his family and his neighbors, saying to them, ' Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost ! ' I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety - nine righteous people who need no repentance. '' -- Luke 15 : 3 - 7, World English Bible Interpretation Depiction of the Good Shepherd by Jean - Baptiste de Champaigne showing the influence of this parable. The parable shares themes of loss, searching, and rejoicing with the Parable of the Lost Coin. The lost sheep or coin represents a lost human being. As in the analogy of the Good Shepherd, Jesus is the shepherd, thus identifying himself with the image of God as a shepherd searching for stray sheep in Ezekiel Ezekiel 34 : 11 -- 16. Joel B. Green writes that `` these parables are fundamentally about God,... their aim is to lay bare the nature of the divine response to the recovery of the lost. '' The rejoicing of the shepherd with his friends represents God rejoicing with the angels. The image of God rejoicing at the recovery of lost sinners contrasts with the criticism of the religious leaders which prompted the parable. Depiction in art James Tissot - The Good Shepherd ( Le bon pasteur ) - Brooklyn Museum The image from this parable of the shepherd placing the lost sheep on his shoulders ( Luke Luke 15 : 5 ) has been widely incorporated into depictions of the Good Shepherd. Consequently, this parable appears in art mostly as an influence on depictions of the Good Shepherd rather than as a distinct subject on its own. Hymns While there are innumerable references to the Good Shepherd image in Christian hymns, specific references to this parable can be recognised by a mention of the ninety - nine other sheep. Perhaps the best - known hymn describing this parable is `` The Ninety and Nine '' by Elizabeth C. Clephane ( 1868 ), which begins : There were ninety and nine that safely lay In the shelter of the fold. But one was out on the hills away, Far off from the gates of gold. Away on the mountains wild and bare. Away from the tender Shepherd 's care. Away from the tender Shepherd 's care. See also Five Discourses of Matthew Life of Jesus in the New Testament Ministry of Jesus The Sheep and Goats References ^ Jump up to : Richard N. Longenecker, The Challenge of Jesus ' Parables, Eerdmans, 2000, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 4638 - 6, pp. 201 -- 204. ^ Jump up to : Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, Eerdmans, 1997, ISBN 0 - 8028 - 2315 - 7, p. 526. Jump up ^ Walter Lowrie, Art in the Early Church, Pantheon Books, 1947, ISBN 1 - 4067 - 5291 - 6, p. 69. Jump up ^ The Cyber Hymnal : The Ninety and Nine. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Good Shepherd. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parable of the Lost Sheep. Biblical Art on the WWW : The Lost Sheep The parable in the book of Luke, NIV version The parable in the book of Matthew, NIV version Jesus Declares the Parable of the Lost Sheep from the Mormon Channel The Parable of the Lost Sheep from The Poem of the Man - God Jesus Historicity Chronology of Jesus Genealogy of Jesus Historical Jesus Quest for the historical Jesus portraits sources Josephus on Jesus Tacitus mention Mara bar Serapion letter Historicity Gospels race and appearance Life events Birth Nativity Mary Joseph Flight into Egypt Childhood Unknown years Baptism Temptation Apostles selecting Great Commission Ministry Sermon on the Mount Plain Prayers Lord 's Prayer Parables Miracles Transfiguration Homelessness Last Supper Passion arrest trial Crucifixion sayings on the cross Tomb Resurrection Ascension New Testament Gospels Matthew Mark Luke Gospel harmony Oral gospel traditions Life of Jesus in the New Testament Historical background of the New Testament New Testament places associated with Jesus Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament Culture Language of Jesus Bibliography Films Christianity Christ Christianity Christology Depictions of Jesus art Jesus in Christianity pre-existence incarnation Relics associated with Jesus Scholastic Lutheran Christology Second Coming Session of Christ Other views Brothers of Jesus Jesuism Jesus in comparative mythology Christ myth theory Jesus in Islam Ahmadiyya Jesus in Scientology Judaism 's view of Jesus in the Talmud Master Jesus Religious perspectives on Jesus Criticism Parables of Jesus Canonical Gospels Barren Fig Tree Budding Fig Tree Counting the cost Drawing in the Net Faithful Servant Friend at Night Good Samaritan Good Shepherd Great Banquet Growing Seed Hidden Treasure Lamp Leaven Lost Coin Lost Sheep Master and Servant Mustard Seed New Wine into Old Wineskins Pearl Pharisee and the Publican Prodigal Son Rich Fool Rich man and Lazarus Scribe Sheep and Goats Sower Strong Man Talents or minas Tares Ten Virgins True Vine Tree and its Fruits Two Debtors Two Sons Unjust Judge Unjust Steward Unforgiving Servant Wedding Feast Wicked Husbandmen Wise and Foolish Builders Workers in the Vineyard Non-canonical / disputed Assassin Empty Jar Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parable_of_the_Lost_Sheep&oldid=811275620 '' Categories : Parables of Jesus Animals in the Bible Metaphors referring to animals Hidden categories : Commons category with local link different than on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская Català Deutsch Español Esperanto Français Frysk गोंयची कोंकणी / Gõychi Konknni Bahasa Indonesia Italiano မြန်မာဘာသာ 日本 語 ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Português Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски தமிழ் Tiếng Việt 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 20 November 2017, at 16 : 25. 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Question: what does the parable of the lost sheep mean
Answer: redemption