blicans and sinners," whom these
ecclesiasts so generally contemned, were nearly as bad as they were
represented to be, if they were men who had broken through the
close-hedged path of the law and had become in a measure apostate, they
were the ones toward whom the helping hand of missionary service could
be best extended. In no instance of Pharisaic slur upon, or open
denunciation of, these "publicans and sinners," do we find Jesus
defending their alleged evil ways; His attitude toward these spiritually
sick folk was that of a devoted physician: His concern over these
strayed sheep was that of a loving shepherd whose chief desire was to
find them out and bring them back to the fold. This neither the
theocracy as a system nor its officials as individual ministers even
attempted to do. The shepherd, on finding the sheep that was lost,
thinks not at the time of reprimand or punishment; on the contrary,
"when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And
when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours,
saying unto them: Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was
lost."

A direct application of the parable appears in the Lord's concise
address to the Pharisees and scribes: "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." Were they the ninety
and nine, who, by self-estimation had strayed not, being "just persons,
which need no repentance?" Some readers say they catch this note of just
sarcasm in the Master's concluding words. In the earlier part of the
story, the Lord Himself appears as the solicitous Shepherd, and by plain
implication His example is such as the theocratic leaders ought to
emulate. Such a conception puts the Pharisees and scribes in the
position of shepherds rather than of sheep. Both explications are
tenable; and each is of value as portraying the status and duty of
professing servants of the Master in all ages.

Without break in the narrative, the Lord passed from the story of the
lost sheep to the _Parable of the Lost Coin_.

"Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece,
doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till
she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her
neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece
which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto y