Luke 15: 7 Question

[OnlyHim]

I was reading Luke Chapter 15 a could of days ago and something popped out that made me curious. I found it in Luke 15: verse 7: (I put a few verses before it for context.)

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Romans 3:23 says ALL have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. So my question is, Who are the 99 righteous persons Jesus is referring to that do not need to repent?

 

[caligal]

Maybe the ones already covered by His blood. He put them in a safe place before he went searching. I know this is a simplistic answer, but I believe the Bible literally and am not a scholar.

 

[Jan51]

If you look at the context--the whole chapter--you see that Jesus is being questioned by the Pharisees about His dealing with Gentiles. The Jews thought God's plan was all about them and them only. Jesus tells several parables to illustrate that God is concerned with and calling not only His people Israel, but all who are lost, even the Gentiles! Notice the older brother of the prodigal son especially typified the resentful attitude of the Jews.

 

[sara ann]

If you look at the context--the whole chapter--you see that Jesus is being questioned by the Pharisees about His dealing with Gentiles. The Jews thought God's plan was all about them and them only. Jesus tells several parables to illustrate that God is concerned with and calling not only His people Israel, but all who are lost, even the Gentiles! Notice the older brother of the prodigal son especially typified the resentful attitude of the Jews.

When I see the word Pharisees I think of someone proud ....

 

[OnlyHim]

Could Jesus be referring to the angles in heaven as the ones who are already the righteous ones and do not need to repent?

 

[OnlyHim]

If you look at the context--the whole chapter--you see that Jesus is being questioned by the Pharisees about His dealing with Gentiles. The Jews thought God's plan was all about them and them only. Jesus tells several parables to illustrate that God is concerned with and calling not only His people Israel, but all who are lost, even the Gentiles! Notice the older brother of the prodigal son especially typified the resentful attitude of the Jews.

True but didn’t the Jews and the Pharisees fall into the category of those who needed to repent?

 

[LoudRam]

In the Pharisees' mind they didn't.

See also
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

I believe he's talking about the self righteous here and in 15:7.

Edit: I read a few commentaries and one said angels, another said people already redeemed, and still another said the self righteous Pharisees so take your pick.

 

[OnlyHim]

In the Pharisees' mind they didn't.

See also
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

I believe he's talking about the self righteous here and in 15:7.

Yes very true, but He said specifically those who did not need to repent. The Pharisees needed to repent but didn’t because they thought they didn’t need to but in reality they did and Jesus knew it. So it seems Jesus was referring to a group of people that He knew did not need to repent.

 

[pixelpusher]

I'm of the same mind as Caligal, those who don't need to repent are those who already have.

The idea He meant the self-righteous who missed their need of repentance is possible I suppose. I don't think its Angels, the verse says persons. If it was the self-righteous, wouldn't it clearly say so? But it say so there is "more" rejoicing over the sinner who repents, so that means there is also rejoicing over the others, and Heaven doesn't rejoice over the lost.

 

[Micki]

I believe He was aiming that parable directly at the pharisees who saw themselves as righteous. Remember, being a parable it was being told to make a point rather than being told to describe actual real life situations. It calls to mind another parable which has a similar point:

Luke 18:10-14

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a pharisee, and the other a publican.

The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

In this parable the pharisee was actually telling The Lord just how righteous of a guy he is. That’s exactly how a number of the pharisees saw themselves, as righteous men, never recognizing their numerous shortcomings, faults and sins. Of course there would be more rejoicing over a lost sheep, there was little to rejoice over with the works based pharisees. They were wonderful in their own minds. Yeshua came to save everyone, pharisees included. He had to make them see they needed Him as much as anyone else.

 

[sara ann]

Could Jesus be referring to the angles in heaven as the ones who are already the righteous ones and do not need to repent?

I don;t know....but it's something to check out...thanks