The Parable of the Lost Sheep in Context

We speak often of the idea of leaving the ninety and nine and going after the lost sheep. This scriptural idea came from the Savior and is recorded both in Luke and Matthew. Looking at the context of both of these, I think we can get a slightly different perspective on what He was saying than the traditional interpretation. Luke recorded the famous parable of the lost sheep as instruction given to the Pharisees and scribes who murmured because Jesus ate with sinners: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing…. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7). Jesus was trying to teach these Jews who were upset that He would spend time with people they considered sinners. Joseph Smith suggested that we understand the parable in this context as a condemnation of these self-righteous Pharisees and scribes: “The hundred sheep represent one hundred Sadducees and Pharisees, as though Jesus had said, ‘If you Sadducees and Pharisees are in the sheepfold, I have no mission for you; I am sent to look up sheep that are lost; and when I have found them, I will back them up and make joy in heaven.’ This represents hunting after a few individuals, or one poor publican, which the Pharisees and Sadducees despised.” He then rephrased the scriptural quotation in this way: “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety-and-nine just persons that are so righteous; they will be damned anyhow; you cannot save them” (TPJS 277-278, see here). In other words, the ninety and nine sheep were not really righteous—rather, they were the self-righteous who thought they had no need for repentance. Understood in this context, the parable should teach us that we must be willing to humbly accept the Savior’s help—we are all lost and need Him to come and find us and lay us on His shoulders, rejoicing.

                Matthew’s version of this teaching was not given to the scribes and Pharisees but rather to His disciples. He said this, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 8:10-14). So He gave the teaching in the context of talking about children. He introduced it by telling them not to despise “these little ones” and then summarized it by saying that the Father’s will is not that any of these “little ones should perish.” In this light, perhaps the message is that we should be willing to leave the cares of the adult world—the “ninety and nine”—and focus on helping the “little ones.” In other words, too often we devalue time spent caring for or teaching or loving children because we are so busy doing “important” things. But the Savior taught that He and the Father “rejoice” over the little children and perhaps He hoped to inspire His disciples and us with this parable to sacrifice adult interests and priorities in favor of the needs of children. This is consistent with other teachings when He tried to reorient His disciples to see and focus on the little ones, such as this one: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein” (Mark 10:14-15). We should all likewise be willing to suffer the little children to take up our own time and leave our “ninety and nine” other responsibilities to rejoice in them.