Church Fathers Commentary Luke 15:8-10

"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 neighbors, 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." — Luke 15:8-10 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: In the preceding parable, where the human race was described as a wandering sheep, we were shown to be the creatures of the Most High God, who made us—and not we ourselves—and we are the sheep of His pasture. Now, a second parable is added, comparing the human race to a lost piece of silver. By this, He shows that we were made in the royal likeness and image—that is, of the Most High God. For the piece of silver is a coin bearing the king’s image, as it is said, Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one...

St. Gregory the Great: The one signified by the shepherd is also signified by the woman, for it is God Himself—God and the wisdom of God. The Lord formed the nature of angels and men to know Him and created them in His own likeness. The woman had ten pieces of silver because there are nine orders of angels; so that the number of the elect might be filled, man, the tenth, was created.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, by the nine pieces of silver, just as by the ninety-nine sheep, He represents those who, trusting in themselves, prefer themselves to sinners who are returning to salvation. For nine is one short of ten, and ninety-nine is one short of a hundred. To that one, He ordains all who are reconciled by repentance.

St. Gregory the Great: Because an image is impressed on the piece of silver, the woman lost the coin when humanity, created in the image of God, departed from the likeness of its Creator by sinning. This is why the parable adds that if she loses one piece, she lights a candle. The woman lit a candle because the wisdom of God appeared in man. For the candle is a light in an earthen vessel, and the light in an earthen vessel is the Godhead in the flesh.

After the candle is lit, the text says she “disturbs the house.” Truly, as soon as His divinity shone forth through the flesh, all our consciences were shaken. This word “disturbs” is not different from the word “sweeps” found in other manuscripts, because a corrupt mind, if it is not first overthrown by fear, cannot be cleansed from its habitual faults. But when the house is disturbed, the piece of silver is found, for the parable continues, she “seeks diligently until she finds it.” For truly, when a person's conscience is disturbed, the likeness of the Creator is restored in them.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus: When the piece of silver is found, He makes the heavenly powers—whom He made ministers of His divine plan—partakers of the joy. And so it follows, And when she had found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors.

St. Gregory the Great: For the heavenly powers are near to divine wisdom, as they approach Him through the grace of continual vision.

Theophylact of Ohrid: They are friends because they perform His will, and neighbors because they are spiritual. Or perhaps His friends are all the heavenly powers, while His neighbors are those who come nearest to Him, such as Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim.

Gregory of Nyssa: Alternatively, I suppose this is what our Lord sets before us in the search for the lost piece of silver: no advantage comes to us from the external virtues, which He calls pieces of silver, even if all of them are ours, as long as the one is lacking to the widowed soul—the one by which it truly obtains the brightness of the divine image.

Therefore, He first bids us light a candle, which is to say, the divine word that brings hidden things to light, or perhaps the torch of repentance. A person must search in his own house—that is, in himself and his own conscience. The lost piece of silver is the royal image, which is not entirely defaced but is hidden under the dirt, signifying the corruption of the flesh. When this dirt is diligently wiped away—that is, washed out by a well-lived life—that which was sought for shines forth.

Therefore, she who has found it ought to rejoice and call her neighbors to share her joy. These neighbors are the companion virtues—reason, desire, and anger—and whatever powers are found around the soul, which she teaches to rejoice in the Lord. Then, concluding the parable, He adds, There is joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repents.

St. Gregory the Great: To practice repentance is to mourn over past sins and not to commit acts that would cause future mourning. For a person who weeps over some sins while still committing others does not yet know how to repent, or is a hypocrite. He must also reflect that by doing this he does not satisfy his Creator. Since he has done what was forbidden, he must deny himself even what is lawful. In this way, he who remembers offending in the greatest things should blame himself even in the least.