Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 15:8

Luke 15:8. Having ten pieces of silver. The women of Nazareth still wear around the forehead and face a roll of silver coins, called ‘semedi;' to which the Saviour here alludes. The coins spoken of are drachma, worth about 8 1/2 pence or 17.6 cents each, although relatively ten times as valuable then. The value of the coin in the eyes of the possessor is the main point; this leads to the earnest seeking of one piece. The coin, bearing the royal stamp, is usually regarded as portraying the sinner in his wretched self-degradation; the coin still has the stamp, is still precious in itself, but is buried in the dust of this world, lost and valueless in effect, until found through this careful search.

Light a lamp, etc. The description is true to nature. The mercy of God is here set forth; hence the ‘woman' cannot strictly mean the church (as elsewhere).

The house, in which the lost piece still remained, represents the church, for the parable (like the other two) referred originally to the Jewish people. The woman represents the spirit of God working in the church. The lighting of the candle, etc., represent the Spirit's illuminating the word, stirring up the dust of worldliness which conceals the sinner's true worth, and then so applying the truth that he is found. Others, with less reason, find in the successive steps a reference to the activity of the preacher, the elders and the whole church. A wider application, in which the whole world may be regarded as searched by the Spirit, and all men as stamped with the image of God, is certainly allowable.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 15:8

Old Testament

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