A Cascade of Surprises in a Familiar Parable

In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.

Luke 15:10

The parable of the lost coin is one of the most familiar in the Gospels, especially for those of us who grew up going to Sunday School. The story is simple: A woman loses a coin. She searches for it, finds it, and calls her friends to rejoice with her. Not much to this story, right?

Wrong! In fact, this sort of parable, when read carefully and culturally, includes a cascade of surprises. First, there is the surprise of the figure Jesus chose to represent God: a poor woman. We know she was poor because of her concern to find one coin and because she had to light a lamp to look for it (which suggests that she lived in a small home with no windows). God is often revealed in Scripture in male images (father, warrior) that suggest wealth (king). Yet, Jesus surprised his audience by choosing to represent God with an unexpectedly humble image (which we might expect, by the way, of one born in a stable).

Second, there is the surprise of the woman’s reaction when she finds the coin. She doesn’t simply rejoice on her own, but instead calls her friends and neighbors to be glad with her. Doesn’t this seem just a little over the top? Indeed, that seems to be Jesus’ point. The rejoicing over the finding of something lost is meant to be extreme.

Third, if we read closely, we notice that Jesus’ interpretation of this parable says that “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents” (15:10). The Greek original reads literally, “there is joy before the angels of God over the sinner who repents.” This odd phrasing reflects a Jewish idiom that refers to God. He is the one who rejoices before or in the presence of the angels. Thus, when even a single sinner turns to God, he rejoices exuberantly, sharing his joy with the host of heaven.

The cascading surprises of this parable challenge our views of God. So often, we think of God as distant, demanding, and unfeeling. How different from the image of a poor woman who not only seeks her lost coin but also rejoices lavishly when she finds it.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Have you ever caused the Lord to rejoice? When? How does Jesus’ parable in Luke 15:8-10 encourage you? Challenge you?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for this extraordinary parable. Thank you for helping me to see God more clearly and truly. Thank you for representing God the Father with such a striking and unexpected image. Thank you for expanding my mind and heart with a stirring vision of divine celebration. Thank you for the thought that even I can give joy to the heart of God. What a wonder!

Help me, dear Lord, to be so connected to your heart that I am one who joins you in the holy joy of heaven! Amen.