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The parable of the Lost Coin, or the Parable of the Lost Drachma, is found in Luke 15:8-10. See the biblical passage below:
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
- Luke 15:8-10
Explanation and Meaning of the Parable of the Lost Coin
More than seeking meanings and symbols in the parable, we should focus on the lesson that Jesus wants to teach us. When Jesus emphasizes the woman's reaction upon finding the silver coin, He prompts us to reflect on the role of the church when a sinner repents.
God rejoices when a person repents of their sins. The church of Christ should strive to rescue what is lost and rejoice when a sinner returns to the arms of the Father. Through that scene from everyday domestic life, Jesus summarized how much God cares for humanity and how He rejoices in rescuing them.
The Parable of the Lost Coin points to the mission of Christ: to rescue what was condemned to eternal death. When a person is saved by Christ, there is joy in heaven; for this reason, we should also rejoice, knowing the sacrifice that was made for humanity to be reached.
This joy is not meant to be celebrated in secret; on the contrary, just like the woman who celebrated with her friends, we should celebrate in community as a church. When someone converts, we rejoice, and everyone's faith is renewed.
Biblical and Historical Context of the Parable
The Parable of the Lost Coin, or the Lost Drachma, is part of a set of three sister parables aimed at demonstrating God's delight in recovering the lost of the world.
The first is the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the second is the Parable of the Lost Coin, and the third is the Parable of the Lost Son (or the Prodigal Son).
Through these three parables, the following message is conveyed: Jesus shows that God rejoices and cares for the lost who are found, for sinners who repent, much more than for those who consider themselves righteous.
Significance of Having a Woman as the Main Character
First, it's important to note that all the characters in this parable are women.
The main character is a woman who, like many of her contemporaries, likely spent much of her time at home. When she finds the lost coin, her friends and neighbors - also women - join her in celebration.
This detail underscores Jesus' concern for His listeners. In these three sister parables, the Parable of the Lost Sheep speaks primarily to the laborers in the fields; the Parable of the Lost Coin specifically addresses women; and the Parable of the Lost Son resonates with families.
The Value of a Drachma in Ancient Times and Today
The second important detail is the drachma. Most scholars agree that the value of this coin was equivalent to a day's labor. The coin was small and made of silver.
Many wonder what a drachma would be worth today. While there isn't a definitive answer, the best way to estimate is to take the current minimum wage and divide it by the number of working days.
For example, if the current minimum wage were $1000 (one thousand), and the number of working days in a month totaled 23, the payment for one day would be $43.47.
How Houses Were Built and What a Lamp Was
The construction of houses plays a significant role in this parable. The floors of poorer homes were often made of packed earth, which would be full of dust and dirt.
Additionally, in current archaeological sites, many ancient coins have been found in cracks in the floor. This helps us understand that in homes of that time, it was very easy to lose a coin and very difficult to find it! The lamp was a small container filled with oil, with a wick sticking out.
The woman needed to use the lamp to search for the coin, even during the day, because common houses - especially those of the poor - typically had no windows. The maximum sunlight that entered came through the door, or at most, a small opening for ventilation.
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