"A woman has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and look in every corner and sweep every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it, won't she call her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her? In the same way there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents".
Luke 15:8-10

The coin the woman lost in her home would have been part of the woman's dowry, worn on a chain as jewellery. The loss of the coin was a serious matter, it was also a shame to the woman to lose part of her dowry. It was either the money, which the woman brought to her husband at marriage, or the gift or reward given to her as a bride by her betrothed husband in consideration for the marriage.

The coins the women wore, were also of sentimental value, and to lose one was extremely distressing. The coin that was lost would be the equivalent to today's wedding or engagement ring.

The coin lost was a part of the whole set of ten coins, and the woman was not satisfied until she found it.

To find the coin, the woman lit a lamp and diligently searched with steadfastness and determination. The search of one single lost coin was difficult, but her seeking was unfailing until it was found. The coin remained stationary until it was found by the fact that she swept the house thoroughly.

The qualities of persistence and concern were shown. She rejoiced with her friends once the coin was found.

Jesus likened the coin to a repentant sinner, and the joy of the woman to that of angels share together with God. If a woman rejoiced over a lost coin, God certainly would rejoice over a sinner entering the Kingdom through Christ.

People are always liable to lose things that they hold precious, Jesus wants a repentant sinner to set their heart upon eternal things of value, which can never be lost.

Jesus spoke this parable of a woman to the Pharisees and Scribes who were bothered that Jesus associated with known sinners. They were careful to avoid such people and situations because of their cleaness rituals of washing, which they extended beyond the Law. These Teachers of The Law liked to suppress the women in Jesus' time, but Jesus always considered them with courteousness and treated them equal.

The repentant sinner pleases God, but the ceremonially correct Pharisees and Scribes wished not to be known among the socially outcasts and sinners, believing they had no need to repent, however, God grieves over every lost sinner and rejoices when one is found and brought into His Kingdom. He rejoices in the restoration of His people.

The repentant sinner who retuns to God also has joy, rest, security and satisfation.

Although the lost coin is not representative of seeking God, He can be sought and found.

The moral of the Parable is that Jesus seeks, saves and receives sinners. God is ever seeking the lost soul.

God is not less persistent than men and women in seeking what He has lost, not less joyful when His search is successful. The extent of the joy is striking and such joy is understandable, both for finding her coin and the finding of the lost sinner.

The sinner who is humble before God and confesses his lost condition brings joy to God and the angels in heaven, just as there was joy at the time of Creaton.

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