Timothy Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U. S. Army

In my opinion, the ninety-nine represent people who are not characterized by egregious or obvious sin of which they need to repent (or, in the imagery of the parable, who stay close to Christ in His role as the shepherd), while the one is an individual who has committed visible sins that have separated him (either or both from his own choice, or from being shunned by others) from the "body (fellowship) of believers", and who returns to the "flock" by repentance in response to God actively seeking him.

Of course, as the Bible indicates (James 2:10), the commission of even one sin is the same in God's sight as breaking the entirety of God's Law, so no one (other than Jesus) has lived (or is even capable of living) a sinless life.

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Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

In my opinion after reading the account please note the following:

The Pharisees and scribes notice that such individuals​—people whom they consider unworthy—​are drawn to Jesus and his message. They complain: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:2) The Pharisees and scribes feel superior and treat the common people like dirt under their feet. Reflecting the contempt they have for such ones, the leaders use the Hebrew expression ‛am ha·’aʹrets, “people of the land [earth]” to refer to them.

The one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). Luke 15:1, 2 shows that the illustration was prompted by the muttering of the Pharisees and the scribes over the fact that Jesus welcomed sinners and tax collectors. Matthew 18:12-14 records a similar illustration used on a different occasion.

In the illustration of the lost sheep, Jesus describes how the shepherd puts the sheep on his shoulders and carries it back to the flock. The shepherd has already spent time and energy finding the lost sheep. But he realises that he will need to carry it back to the fold because it will not have the strength to return on its own.​— Read Luke 15:4, 5.

The joy in heaven over the sinner who repents is in marked contrast with the muttering of the scribes and Pharisees over the concern that Jesus showed for such persons.

To teach his listeners Jehovah’s view of those who have strayed, Jesus gave two brief illustrations. One was about a shepherd. Jesus said: “What man of you with a hundred sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine behind in the wilderness and go for the lost one until he finds it? And when he has found it, he puts it upon his shoulders and rejoices. And when he gets home, he calls his friends and his neighbours together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ I tell you that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.”​—Luke 15:4-7.

In both illustrations, something had been lost, but note the reaction of the owners. The shepherd did not say: ‘What’s one sheep when I still have 99? I can get along without it.’ The woman did not say: ‘Why worry about that one coin? I’m content with the nine I still have.’ Rather, the shepherd searched for his lost sheep as if it were the only one he possessed. And the woman felt the loss of her coin as if she had no other coins. In both instances, the missing object remained precious in the mind of the owner. What does this illustrate?

Just as what was lost remained precious in the eyes of the shepherd and of the woman, so those who have drifted away and lost contact with God’s people remain precious in Jehovah’s eyes.

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