The Pharisees understood Christ's parable as a rebuke to them. Instead of accepting their criticism of His work, He had reproved their neglect of the publicans and sinners. He had not done this openly, lest it should close their hearts against Him; but His illustration set before them the very work which God required of them, and which they had failed to do. Had they been true shepherds, these leaders in Israel would have done the work of a shepherd. They would have manifested the mercy and love of Christ, and would have united with Him in His mission. Their refusal to do this had proved their claims of piety to be false. Now many rejected Christ's reproof; yet to some His words brought conviction. Upon these, after Christ's ascension to heaven, the Holy Spirit came, and they united with His disciples in the very work outlined in the parable of the lost sheep.

Farisæerne forstod, at Kristi lignelse var en irettesættelse til dem. I stedet for at godkende deres kritik af hans gerning havde han bebrejdet dem for at de forsømte tolderne og synderne. Han havde ikke gjort det åbenlyst, for at det ikke skulle lukke deres hjerter for ham, men hans lignelse fremstillede for dem den gerning, som Gud krævede af dem, og som de havde undladt at gøre. Dersom de havde været sande hyrder ville disse ledere i Israel have udført en hyrdes gerning. De ville have udvist Kristi barmhjertighed og kærlighed og ville have forenet sig med ham i hans gerning. Da de nægtede at gøre det, viste de, at deres fromhed var uægte. Nu var der mange, som ikke tog imod Kristi tilrettevisning, men der var nogle, som blev overbevist ved hans ord. Efter Kristi himmelfart kom Helligånden over disse og de forenede sig med hans disciple i den gerning, som var beskrevet i lignelsen om det mistede får