Parable of the Leaven the entire quantity of dough has been affected. In the Gospel of Luke, the parable is as follows: This parable is part of a pair, and shares the meaning of the preceding Parable of the Mustard Seed, namely the powerful growth of the Kingdom of God from small beginnings. The final outcome is inevitable once the natural process of growth has begun. Although leaven symbolises evil influences elsewhere in the New Testament (as in Luke ), it is not generally interpreted that way in this parable. However, a few commentators do see the leaven as reflecting future corrupting influences in
Parable of the Lost Sheep lost." The rejoicing of the shepherd with his friends represents God rejoicing with the angels. The image of God rejoicing at the recovery of lost sinners contrasts with the criticism of the religious leaders which prompted the parable. The image from this parable of the shepherd placing the lost sheep on his shoulders () has been widely incorporated into depictions of the Good Shepherd. Consequently, this parable appears in art mostly as an influence on depictions of the Good Shepherd rather than as a distinct subject on its own. While there are innumerable references to the Good Shepherd image in