Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 15:1-3

"Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake unto them this parable, saying," — Luke 15:1-3 (ASV)

Then drew near to him the publicans and sinner, to hear him, and the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable to them,

The deepest feelings of our Savior's heart seem to have been brought out by the two classes of persons here mentioned: his pity and compassion toward the sinful, and his righteous anger at the perpetual objections of the hypocritical Pharisees and scribes. The one class caused his heart to overflow with love; the other excited his burning indignation. Yet, even then, his soul was moved with pity and tenderness toward the wandering and erring. We ought to be grateful to the Pharisees for having led our Lord to utter the three wondrous parables which we are about to read. Luke says, He spake this parable to them, implying that the three are really one, a picture in three panels. The whole plan of salvation is not to be found in either of the parables by itself, but in all three combined.

Some points omitted in any one of them will be found in one of the others. He spake this parable to them, saying, –