Luke 15:3 (WEB)
He told them this parable:
Fathers and councils · 21
Jerome
“Unless the good Shepherd shall place me on his shoulders and carry me back to the fold, my steps will totter, and in the very effort of rising I shall find my feet give way.” — editor's note: Luke xv. 3–5.
Read the whole comment“Then shall the sheep which was lost, and was wandering in the lower world, be carried whole on the Saviour’s shoulders, and the sheep which was sick with sin shall be supported by the mercy of the Judge.” — editor's note: Luke xv. 3 sq.
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Tertullian
“You shall have leave to begin with the parables, where you have the lost ewe re-sought by the Lord, and carried back on His shoulders.” — editor's note: Luke xv. 3–7.
Read the whole comment“The shepherd’s patience seeks and finds the straying ewe: for Impatience would easily despise one ewe; but Patience undertakes the labour of the quest, and the patient burden-bearer carries home on his shoulders the forsaken sinner.” — editor's note: Luke xv. 3–6.
Read the whole comment“There strays, withal, one little ewe of the shepherd’s; but the flock was not more dear than the one: that one is earnestly sought; the one is longed for instead of all; and at length she is found, and is borne back on the shoulders of the shepherd himself; for much had she toiled in straying.” — editor's note: Luke xv. 3–7.
Read the whole comment“Who sought after the lost sheep and the lost piece of silver?” — editor's note: Luke xv. 1–10.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Thou hadst learnt by what went before not to be occupied by the business of this world, not to prefer transitory things to eternal. But because the frailty of man can not keep a firm step in so slippery a world, the…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Luke
That is, those who collect or farm the public taxes, and who make a business of following after worldly gain.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Luke
For this was His wont, for the sake whereof He had taken upon Him the flesh, to receive sinners as the physician those that are sick. But the Pharisees, the really guilty, returned murmurs for this act of mercy, as…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
From which we may gather, that true justice feels compassion, false justice scorn, although the just are wont rightly to repel sinners. But there is one act proceeding from the swelling of pride, another from the…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
We may hence understand the extent of our Saviour’s kingdom. For He says there are a hundred sheep, bringing to a perfect sum the number of rational creatures subject to Him. For the number hundred is perfect, being…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Rich then is that Shepherd of whom we all are a hundredth part; and hence it follows, And if he lose one of them, does he not leave &c.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
One sheep then perished when man by sinning left the pastures of life. But in the wilderness the ninety and nine remained, because the number of the rational creatures, that is to say of Angels and men who were…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
But was He then angry with the rest, and moved by kindness only to one? By no means. For they are in safety, the right hand of the Most Mighty being their defence. It behoved Him rather to pity the perishing, that…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Luke
Or He spoke of those ninety and nine whom He left in the wilderness, signifying the proud, who bear solitude as it were in their mind, in that they wish to appear themselves alone, to whom unity is wanting for…
Read the whole comment - Gregory of NyssaCatena Aurea on Luke
But when the shepherd had found the sheep, he did not punish it, he did not get it to the flock by driving it, but by placing it upon his shoulder, and carrying it gently, he united it to his flock. Hence it follows,…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
He placed the sheep upon his shoulders, for taking man’s nature upon Him he bore our sins. But having found the sheep, he returns home; for our Shepherd having restored man, returns to his heavenly kingdom. And hence…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Luke
The heavenly powers thus are called sheep, because every created nature as compared with God is as the beasts, but inasmuch as it is rational, they are called friends and neighbours.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
And we must observe that He says not, “Rejoice with the sheep that is found,” but with me, because truly our life is His joy, and when we are brought home to heaven we fill up the festivity of His joy.
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Now the angels, inasmuch as they are intelligent beings, do not unreasonably rejoice at the redemption of men, as it follows, I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But he allows there is more joy in heaven over the converted sinner, than over the just who remain stedfast; for the latter for the most part, not feeling themselves oppressed by the weight of their sins, stand…
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Cross-references · 1
Cited together in Gregory the Great on Luke 15:1–7 (3) (Catena Aurea).