In the lost-sheep parable, who does the one lost sheep represent?
The one lost sheep represents the small remnant of Jews who followed the Lord and became believers that He was the Christ. Unlike the self-righteous majority, this little percentage knew they were lost and needed the true Shepherd, and they let it be known.
Les explains that in the lost-sheep parable, the ninety-nine represent the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the majority of Jews. They were self-righteous and self-content, like sheep in the wilderness, desperately lost but unaware of it. The one lost sheep who knew he was lost represents the small remnant of Jews who followed the Lord and became believers that He was the Christ. This little percentage realized they needed the true Shepherd and let it be known, while the vast majority of Pharisees and religious Jews went on their merry way, not knowing they were lost.