What condition were the ninety-nine sheep in?
The ninety-nine sheep were without a shepherd, yet unaware of it. They were self-righteous and self-content, like sheep in the wilderness moving from clump to clump, thinking they were alright, but they were desperately lost. They represent the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the majority of Jews.
Les explains that the ninety and nine represent the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the majority of Jews. They were without a shepherd, but did they know it? No. They were so self-righteous and so self-content that they were like a bunch of sheep out in the wilderness going from clump to clump, thinking they were alright, but they were desperately lost. By contrast, the one sheep who knew he was lost was the sheep the shepherd went and saved, picturing the small remnant of Jews who followed the Lord and became believers that He was the Christ. The vast majority of Pharisees and religious Jews went on their merry way, not knowing they were lost.