The parable of the Lost Coin is a short story told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:8-10). It’s part of a series of three parables, along with the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Prodigal Son, that illustrate God’s love for those who are lost and the joy that accompanies their repentance and return to Him.
A woman has ten silver coins (drachmas, equivalent to a day’s wages for a laborer) and loses one. Despite having the other nine, she lights a lamp, sweeps her house, and searches diligently until she finds it. When she finally recovers the lost coin, she calls her friends and neighbors together to rejoice with her.
- God’s unfailing love and pursuit of the lost: The woman’s diligent search for the single lost coin represents God’s persistent and unwavering desire to find and reclaim those who have strayed from Him.
- The value of every individual: The parable emphasizes that each person, like the lost coin, is precious in God’s eyes, regardless of how insignificant they may seem to others or how far they’ve wandered.
- The joy in heaven over a repenting sinner: Just as the woman rejoices over finding her lost coin, there’s immense joy and celebration in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents and turns back to Him.
- The call to repentance: The parable encourages self-reflection and invites individuals to acknowledge their own lostness or areas where they’ve strayed from God, urging them to embrace repentance and seek a renewed relationship with Him.
- Sharing God’s joy and seeking the lost: The story also inspires believers to share God’s perspective on the importance of others and to actively participate in reaching out to those who are lost, celebrating with them as they find their way back to God.
The parable of the Lost Coin highlights the depth of God’s love and the value He places on each individual, regardless of their past or current state. It reveals that God actively seeks out the lost and that their repentance brings immeasurable joy in heaven and amongst God’s people.
What is the meaning of the parable of the lost coin in Luke 15 8 10?
Luke 15:8–10 continues Jesus’ three parables about lost things, here speaking of a coin. In this analogy, the sinner is like a lost coin that doesn’t know it needs rescuing. When the woman finds the coin, she invites her neighbors to celebrate with her, like how heaven rejoices when a sinner repents.
What do the 10 coins represent in the parable of the lost coin?
Thanks for asking. Interpretation. Joel B. Green notes that “the woman described is a poor peasant”, and the ten silver coins, corresponding to ten days’ wages, “likely represent the family savings “. The coins may also have been the woman’s dowry, worn as an ornament.
What is the teaching of the lost coin?
From my experience, Even though God has nine of the ten coins, He wants all of them. This parable encourages us in God’s singular devotion to caring for mankind enough to go searching for the lost. Christ spent time with those who needed His presence and teaching to deal with and overcome sin.