Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’ (NRSV).
Jesus was a controversial figure in the religious world.
Events like the one described in this reading did not help. The Pharisees, by their own confession, are not happy with the level of attention that these ‘tax-collectors’ and ‘sinners’ are receiving from Jesus. Surely if he is putting himself out there as a Rabbi he should behave more like one?
And for many religious leaders this implied selecting very carefully who your friends were. Association said a lot about character.
Jesus’ parables are given, according to Luke, in direct response to their grumbling, negative attitude: ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
Much has, rightly, been made regarding the way these parables point to grace. Both stories climax with all heaven in celebration ‘over one sinner who repents.’ These are stories asking whether heaven’s generous response can be imitated among those who claim to seek after God.
But perhaps less has been made of the fact that Jesus uses these two stories to point to the gracious behaviour of the scribes and Pharisees themselves.
Each parable begins by asking them a rhetorical question. The first: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it’. The second question: What ‘woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?’
Both queries assume that the listener will answer in the affirmative. Jesus expects them to look closely at their lives and see that they behave in the same gracious and generous manner that Jesus is displaying to these social outcasts.
Admittedly, these situations are different. Neither deals with sinners or people. The stakes in these stories are somewhat lower: a sheep; a coin.
Both are property. They are to do – not with people – but with profit. A lost sheep was lost income. A lost coin was lost money.
And in both cases Jesus assumes – in front of his listeners – that they act towards these commodities with determination and unashamed celebration.
The only difference is where this determined seeking, grace, and rejoicing is directed. The Pharisees and scribes seek after – and celebrate – profit.
In fact the two behaviours are so similar that Jesus can point to their seeking after lost profit as an example of how God behaves towards lost people.
Yes, they are so similar – and yet so very different.
Jesus’ unvoiced question is not so much whether they are seeking and celebrating, but what they are seeking and celebrating?
Great thoughts Mark. Would you say Jesus welcomed the tax collectors and sinners as equals?
Great question!
I am inclined to say that Jesus treated the tax collectors and sinners with dignity, respect, and hope – after all, they also seem accepting of him as their dinner guest and would be unlikely to do so were this not the case. I think this could amount to Jesus genuinely ‘taking the place’ of equal. Perhaps Jesus’ self-emptying and humility in Philippians 2 could be instructive.
As for Jesus ‘being’ our equal – I don’t think I can quite accept this. Equality with God for myself – or other people – I would struggle with.
Having said this , I think I need to sit with this for a while.
Thanks for reading.
Peace,
Mark
Hmm…yeah, the position that Jesus took (out of obedience to himself/God) as “servant” has always puzzled me when considering equality and have always thrown me when thinking about minority groups or those outcast from the formal church institution or…nation.
I liked your unpacking of how we tend to value money more than people…especially in our current climate of refugees and asylum seekers. Very moved recently by Bishop Eugene Hurley’s letter to Mr Abbot, particularly the line “In years to come, Australians who love this country will be in disbelief that we as a nation could have been so uncharacteristically cruel for short term political advantage.”
http://www.mn.catholic.org.au/news-events/news/2013/letter-from-bishop-eugene-hurley-to-tony-abbott
We tend to think of equality as a bringing up of others less fortunate. I guess this is a good objective, but certainly impossible to elevate the lifestyle of the planet to what you and I might be used to. Real equality seems to involve less that others may have more. The Apostle Paul sees giving to the needy as a striving for ‘equality’ – a lessening of self – if you will – for the betterment of others.
I have been thinking further about Jesus becoming our equal. Jesus is described in scripture as our ‘brother’, becomes human, embraces both life and death. This seems to take us closer and closer to the character of God as one who comes alongside as equal. The incarnation is – if anything – a lessening of self for the sake of others.
I found Hurley’s letter particularly moving. I am deeply disappointed in the lack of serious voting options we had on this issue during the election. Any discussion on this looked more like a race to the bottom than an articulation of a humane and considered response.
Profit and power over people if ever we saw it – and all around the issue of asylum seekers and refugees. They are, surely, the ‘least of these’.