The lost piece of silver
Joy in Heaven over Sinners that repent. The Lost Sheep. The Piece of Silver. The Prodigal Son.
(The Gospel History, Section 110)
Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Commentary by J. R. Dummelow
8–10. The Lost Coin (peculiar to Lk). The last parable set forth the work of Christ in seeking and reclaiming the lost, this one sets forth that of the Church. The woman is the Church; the ten pieces of silver are the human souls in her keeping; the lost piece is a soul that has fallen from grace through her negligence. Eager to atone for her neglect, and full of love for her erring member, she lights a candle, i.e. vigorously exercises the ministry of the Word, and by preaching the gospel and by loving pastoral intercourse brings back the lost soul to a state of grace. The sweeping of the house is the vehemence with which she sets about her task, thereby incurring the charge of ‘turning the world upside down’ (Ac 17:6). Having found the lost coin, she calls upon her friends and neighbours, i.e. not only her faithful members, but also the angels, to join in her joy. 8. Pieces] Gk. drachma, a coin equivalent in value to the Roman denarius (Mt 18:28). 9. Friends] lit. female friends and neighbours.
The lost piece of silver
(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book IV Poem LXXI)
That wilful, ignorant, men seek a way
Beyond the shepherd’s tender care to stray,
The Lord had shewn; and how the Shepherd goes
At hazard of His life to rescue those
Who have not wit their proper good to know
And, fatuous, plunge their souls in mortal woe
But there be other souls, without their will
Are sunk in miry ways, begrimed, until,
With radiance tarnished, stamp Divine effaced,
By sedulous searching only are they traced:
“A woman who hath lost one silver piece,
Although nine others hath she, doth not cease
Her diligent search for that, so large a part,
A tenth of all the treasures of her heart!
“The woman cherisheth her single piece,
And shall not God concern Him to release
From loss, defilement, all those souls of His,
Without their will have fallen from heavenly bliss?
“God seeks unresting for each soul that’s lost,
With steadfast purpose, never to be crossed;
And, as the woman’s friends rejoiced with her,
He hath His neighbours whose delight is sure;
“O’er every fallen soul for Him retrieved,
The angels gladden them, as erst they grieved
That any should escape the Father’s care,
And lie, a precious thing all wasted there!”
St. Luke xv. 8–10.
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