Luke 15:1,2

Historic introduction. ἦσαν ἐγγίζοντες : either were in the act of approaching Jesus at a given time (Meyer), or were in the habit of doing so. The position of αὐτῷ before ἐγγίζοντες in [124] [125] favours the latter (Schanz). On the other hand, it is not improbable that the reference is to the Capernaum gathering. We may have here, in fact, another version of that story taken from the Logia, the occasion slightly described, the words spoken carefully reported. In that case we may take πάντες following somewhat strictly, and not as a mere exaggeration of the evangelist's. There were many at the feast. The aim was to have all the outcasts of the town present (vide on Matthew 9:9-13). True, they came to feast according to the other report, whereas here stress is laid on the hearing (ἀκούειν). The festive feature is referred to in the complaint of the Pharisees (συνεσθίει, Luke 15:2). Of course there would be hearing as well as eating, and probably what the guests heard was just these same parables in slightly different form. In that case they served first as a gospel and then as an apologia.

[124] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[125] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.