What Is the Meaning of Jesus’ Statement, “The Son of Man Has Come to Seek and to Save That Which Was Lost”? ~ Simple Bible Class

The statement "the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" is found in the New Testament, specifically in the Gospel of Luke. This statement is attributed to Jesus, who refers to himself as the "Son of Man" in the Gospels.

In this statement, Jesus is saying that he has come to seek out and save those who are lost, or who are in need of salvation. This idea is consistent with the overall message of the Gospels, which is that Jesus came to Earth to save humanity from sin and bring them back into a right relationship with God.

There are a few different ways to understand this statement and its significance. One way is to see it as a statement about Jesus' mission and purpose on Earth. Jesus came to Earth to fulfill a specific purpose - to seek out and save those who were lost. This could be understood as a reference to Jesus' work of preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God and performing miracles, as well as his ultimate sacrifice on the cross, which reconciled humanity to God and made salvation possible.

Another way to understand this statement is as a metaphor for the nature of salvation itself. In this interpretation, the idea of being "lost" could be seen as a metaphor for being separated from God, and the idea of being "saved" could be seen as being restored to a right relationship with God. In this sense, the statement could be seen as a reminder that salvation is not something that we can achieve on our own, but rather it is something that is given to us through the work of Jesus.

There are several scriptural references that support and expand upon the idea of Jesus coming to seek and save the lost. One such reference is found in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Matthew 18:11). This verse underscores the idea that Jesus came specifically to seek out and save those who are lost, rather than simply offering salvation to all people indiscriminately.

Another reference can be found in the book of Romans, where Paul writes, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8). This passage highlights the idea that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was made on behalf of those who were sinners, or "lost" in the sense of being separated from God.

In summary, the statement "the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" is a powerful declaration of Jesus' mission and purpose on Earth. It reminds us that Jesus came to seek out and save those who are lost, and that salvation is something that is given to us through the work of Jesus, rather than something we can achieve on our own. It is a reminder of the great love that God has for us, and the lengths to which he was willing to go to reconcile us to himself.