Jesus as God
The Son of Man Seeks and Saves the Lost
The statement climaxes Luke's repeated portrayal of Jesus welcoming and restoring sinners.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Divine Identity
Old Testament YHWH Identification
Son of Man and Heavenly Authority
Fulfills YHWH Passage
Grants Salvation
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
James Tissot — Life of Christ
William Brassey Hole — The Life of Jesus
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
Jesus declares that the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.
Historical and Cultural Context
Ezekiel 34 says the LORD himself will search for, rescue, and shepherd his lost sheep.
Old Testament Background
What Luke 15 portrayed in parable Jesus now states directly as the Son of Man's mission: he came to seek and save the lost.
Exposition
Jesus assumes the saving shepherd mission promised of God, making this a particularly strong Lukan divine-identity connection.
Why This Points to His Divinity
Zacchaeus receives Jesus joyfully and responds with repentance and restitution.
Response of the Hearers
His transformed response illustrates the salvation Jesus says has come to the house.