The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

Lord , trouble not thyself do not incur. the fatigue (Syriac) of such a journey, but speak the word only, and heal my servant

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city , behold , Digitized by Google 192 there was a dead man carried out &c. “ Behold,” i.e. by accident, humanly speaking, Christ met the bier ; but the meeting was foreseen and fore-ordained of Christ, that He might raise the dead to life He willed, however, that it should seem accidental and not designed, in order that it might be the more esteemed ; for as the proverb runs, “ that is of little value which is voluntarily offered for sale.” " There was a dead man carried ” without the city. Because, for sanitary and other reasons, the Jews had their burial places without the walls. So the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathaea, in which the body of Christ lay, was without Jerusalem. So also the valley of Jehoshaphat, the scene of the judgment to come and the general resurrection, is the common burial-place of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with the exception of the kings, for whom David had provided a sepulchre in Zion, i Kings ii. io. For similar reasons the Romans, who were forbidden by the twelve tables to bury their dead within the city, used the Campus Martius as a place of sepulture, until Theodoric revoked the law ; and there is abundant evidence to show that the Christians also, in the time of the persecution, used the crypts which they had excavated without the city for purposes of interment, but afterward, when peace was given to the Christians, they consecrated burial places within the walls near the temples in which they were wont to worship : 1. That the remembrance of death might be continually presented to the faithful as an incentive to a holy life. Like as the Spartans were commanded by Lycurgus to bury their dead within the city, in order to teach their young men that death was to be honoured and not to be feared. 2. That by their consecration they might be secure against the wiles of the devils, who are wont to dwell in the tombs and possess the bodies of those departed. S. Luke viii. 27. 3. And also that the faithful when on their way to worship might be led to pray that those who lay buried around might be released from purgatory, and counted worthy of a glorious resurrection at the last day, and also that they might be partakers in the holy sacrifices Digitized by Google THE WIDOW’S SON RAISED TO LIFE. 193 offered in the temples and might benefit by the merits and by the prayers of those Saints who either lie buried, or are in some way especially commemorated therein. Thus Constantine the Great wished to be buried in the porch of the Church of the Holy Apostles at Constantinople, and Theodosius in the Church of S. Peter at Rome. Ancfso, as most of the churches at Rome show, the Christians built altars over the tombs of the martyrs, for reasons which I have given in my comments on the text, “ I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain.” Rev. vi 9. The only son , ptityfnfc, *.*. the only child of his mother, and therefore the sole object of her love. For he was to her her hope and her future, the support of her declining years, and the light of her eyes. Hence the mother’s grief was of the bitterest kind, like to that which the prophets tell of : “ They shall mourn for him as one moumeth for his only son,” Zech. xiL 10. And again, “O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation.” Jer. vi. 26. And much people of the city was with her This widow seems to have been a woman highly esteemed by her fellow-citizens, “out of respect for whom they joined in the funeral procession.” S. Ambrose. Furthermore, there is generally at the gate of a city a great crowd of people going in and coming out, particularly as formerly the gate was not only the market-place, but also the seat of judgment Hence God willed that the miracle should be thus publicly wrought, that many being witnesses of it, many might be led to give praise to Him. Bede

And when the Lord saw her, Lie had compassion on her and said unto her, Weep not Nay, rather begin to rejoice, for I will restore your son to life again, mourn not as dead one whom thou shalt soon see brought back again to life. Bede. He forbids her to weep for him, who was about to rise from the dead, S. Ambrose

And He came and touched the bier: and He said VOL vi. N Digitized by Google 194 Young man , I say unto thee , Arise. The bier, , an open bier surely, as is common amongst the Jews. Arise. Elijah, Elisha, and others restored the dead to life by means of prayer to God, but Christ at a word, as Lord of life and death, and therefore very God. He touched the bier, says Cyril^to show that his body was effectual for the salvation of men, for as iron heated in the fire does the work of fire, and kindles the chaff, so the flesh united to the Word gives life to mankind

And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. Sat up , raised himself up into a sitting posture, and so returned to life ; for to sit up and to begin to speak are sure signs of returning animation. And He delivered him to his mother , Le. He took him by the hand and placed him on his feet, then led him to his mother. Behold thy son ! Take him home with thee, that thou mayest rejoice over him, and that he may render thee true filial obedience

And this rumour of Him went forth throughout ail fudeea , and throughout all the region round about. Fear, ue. reverence, and a sacred awe, mixed with admiration and joy. A great prophet. The Messiah, of whose coming all were in anxious expectation. Allegorically. The widow is the Church who mourns her sons — those who have fallen into mortal sin and forfeited the grace of God — as dead, and seeks by her tears for their restoration ; and in answer to her prayers, Christ — 1. Causes the bearers to stand still, checks those evil passions which gain the mastery over the young, and breaks their power. 2. Touches the bier, i.e. the wood of the Cross, and by it raises the dead to life. For by virtue of Christ sinners are moved to repentance, and restored to favour with God. Hence, 3. The dead man sits up and begins to speak, begins to lead a new life and give praise unto God, so that those who are witnesses of this marvellous change are filled with admiration and are led to give glory unto God. So S. Ambrose and others. Digitized by Google A priest’s duties to the erring. 195 Of this we have a living example in S. Monica, for she mourned unceasingly for her son, who was dead in trespasses and sins, but recalled by her prayers to such holiness of life that he afterwards became a chief doctor of the Church. S. Augustine, Confessions . flpin, mnrr particularly, the widow is the Church, the son the people of the Gentiles enclosed in the bier of concupiscence, and borne along to hell as to a sepulchre. By touch of the bier, ie. by the wood of the Cross, Christ gave life to the world. Figuratively . By the example of the widow we see how a priest or director should act when any of his spiritual children have fallen into mortal sin and are being borne to the grave of everlasting misery. He should follow the bier with weeping and much lamentation, for thus he will receive comfort from the Lord who— (1.) Touching the bier will cause the bearers to stand still, ie. cause evil lusts and passions to cease ; (2.) will recall the dead to life ; and (3.) will raise him up to the performance of good works, so as to confess his sins and tell of the loving-kindness of God. Thus at last he is restored to the Church, his mother, whose past sorrow will be eclipsed by her present joy, and thus also many will be led to extol the goodness of God. Again, the widow represents the soul, her son the understanding, inactive and dead. When such a soul laments her spiritual death, especially if others also join in her mourning, Christ will grant an awakening. The bier is a conscience in a state of false security. The bearers, the evil enticements and flatteries of companions which stand still, ie. are restrained at the touch of Christ Bede. Or, as Theophylact interprets it, the widow is the soul which has lost its husband, ie. the word of life ; the son is the understanding ; the body, the coffin or bier. To sum up. We read that Christ on three occasions recalled the dead to life. x. The daughter of the ruler of the synagogue in the house, ie. one who sins in thought and intention. a. The son of the widow at the gate, ie. one who sins openly, and imparts his guilt tQ others, Digitized by Google 196 . Lazarus in the tomb, the habitual sinner who lies as it were buried in sin without hope of recovery or release. The first, Christ raised to life by secret prayer apart from others ; the second by a word; the third by crying with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. Hence different degrees of «ia hjtve different remedies, but to rescue the habitual sinner from the death of sin there needs no less than the voice of Christ speaking loudly to the sinner’s heart

And the publicans justified God . Confessed the goodness of God in sending the Baptist, and in offering them salvation through his baptism and preaching. See verse 35 ; 1 Tim. iii. 16; and S. Matt xi. 19. There is a question whether this verse and the one following give the words of the Evangelist or of our Lord Himself. But as the opening words of the 31st verse, “and the Lord said,” are absent from the best MSS., we may conclude, with Maldonatus, that these two verses are a part of the continuous discourse of Christ

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves , either within themselves, te. in their hearts, because they did not dare openly contravene His words, or as against themselves, i.e, for their own condemnation. Bede

And one of the Pharisees desired that He would eat with him , and He went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meat

And behold a woman in the city . Behold, a wonderful thing, and a wonderful example of penitence. A woman called Mary Magdalene. S. Luke viiL 2. It is questioned whether this is the same woman who is mentioned by the two other Evangelista S. Chrysostom thinks there were two; Origen, Theophylact, and Euthymius, three who thus anointed our Lord, and that each Evangelist wrote of a different person. S. Matt. xxvi. 7 ; S. John xii. 3. But I hold that it was one and the same woman — Mary Magdalene, the sister of Martha and of Lattarus, who anointed our Lord, as we read in the Gospels, on two but npt three occasions ; and this is clear, — - Digitized by Google WHO MARY MAGDALENE WAS. 197 1. Because this is the general interpretation of the Church, who in her Offices accepts what is here written by S. Luke as referring to the Magdalene alone. 2. Because S. John (id. 2) writes, “It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick,” thus plainly alluding to this passage of S. Luke, and signifying that only one woman anointed the Lord. For if there had been more than one, the words just quoted would have insufficiently described her. But the meaning is, “ when I say Mary, I mean the penitent who anointed the feet of the Lord, as recounted by S. Luke, whom all know to be Mary Magdalene.” 3. Because the Mary mentioned by S. John (xii. 2, 3) is clearly the same Mary Magdalene, the sister of Martha and of Lazarus, who anointed Christ here, as described by S. Luke, and again at Bethany, six days before the passover. For S. Matthew (xxvl 6) and S. John (xii. 1) both refer to the same event, as is evident if the two accounts are compared together. Therefore it was Mary Magdalene who anointed Christ, not three times, as Origen would have us believe, but twice only, once as is recorded by S. Luke, and again six days before His death. 4. The same thing is testified to by Church history and tradition, and also by the inscription on the tomb of the Magdalene, which Maximus, one of the seventy disciples, is said to have built 5. And this is also the opinion of S. Augustine, S. Cyprian, and many other interpreters of scripture. But it may be objected that this Magdalene followed Jesus from Galilee (S. Matt xxvii. 55), and was a Galilean, and cannot have been the same as Mary the sister of Martha, who lived at Bethany, and was therefore of Judaea. I answer that she was of Judaea by descent, but seems to have lived in Galilee, it may be in the castle called Magdala, either because she had married the lord of that place, or because it had been allotted her as her share of the family property. Hence she was called Magdalene from the name of the place, Magdala. So Jansenius and others. Digitized by Google In the city Some think in Jerusalem. But Jerusalem was in Judaea, and these things seem to have been done in Galilee where Christ was preaching. Hence it is very probable that the city was Nain, the scene of Christ’s miracle, as Toletus and others conjecture ; but some think that it was the town of Magdala in which she lived, an idea which Adricomius on the word Magdalum supports. A sinner . Some recent writers, to honour the Magdalene, think that she was not unchaste, but only conceited and vain, and for this reason called a sinner. But in proportion as they thus honour the Magdalene, they detract from the grace of God and that penitence which enabled her to live a holy life. For by the word sinner we generally understand one who not only sins, but leads others also to sin. The word sinner therefore here signifies a harlot, i.e. one who has many lovers although she may not make a public market of her charms, and this interpretation is accepted by S. Augustine, S. Jerome, Isidore of Pelusium, S. Ambrose, Gregory, Bede, and S. Chrysostom, who holds (Horn. 62 ad Pop.) that to her refer the words of our Lord, “Verily, I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” S. Matt xxii. 31. Hence the Church hymn : — So she, who hath so many sins committed, Now from the very jaws of hell returns ; E’en to the threshold of a Life eternal, After her fitful life of guilt and shame. She, from a seething caldron of offences, A fair and perfumed vase is now become ; From an uncomely vessel of dishonour Translated to a vessel full of grace. Doubtlessly Christ permitted her to be entangled in all the filth of a wanton life, that He might show the power of His grace in winning her back to purity again, for the worse the disease the greater the skill of the physician in curing it Nor does this detract from the honour due to the Magdalene, for the greater her sins, the more admirable her penitence, and the stronger her resolution to forsake them. God willed that she should be an example of penitence, that Digitized by Google THE GRACE OF PENITENCE. 19$ none should despair of pardon because ot the heinousness of their offences, but trust to the infinite compassion of God, mindful of the saying of S. Paul, “ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.” 1 Tim. i 15, 16. “Truly,” says S. Gregory, “a life anxious to atone for faults committed is oftentimes more pleasing to God than that innocence which rests in a torpid security.” Great, indeed, is the gift of innocence by which we are preserved from sin, but greater is the grace of penitence and remission of sin, and this grace is the greater in proportion to the greatness of the sin, for thus forgiveness is granted to the more unworthy, and so the grace becomes to him the greater, as S. Thomas teaches. Hence sinners who truly repent excel their brethren in humility, and in austerity and holiness of life, and often perform acts of heroism which those who have sinned less deeply are unable to da As may be seen in the case of many saints, and especially in that of one who from a robber became the very mirror of monks. For the baseness of his former life, the baseness of his sin, the punishment due to his offences, and the pardoning love of God, are to the penitent so many incentives to a better and a holier life. So the pearl is the emblem of penitence. For as the sun by its rays was said to convert the substance of the oyster into a precious jewel, so Christ by his transforming grace changed the woman that was a sinner into a pearl — a penitent saint When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house . It was not fitting that the Magdalene, whose sinful life was known to all, should anoint Christ in her own house, but rather in the house of another, so that there might be no suspicion of eviL Hence she was not ashamed to act as she did in the house of the Pharisee ; for, as S. Gregory says (Horn, 33), Being filled with shame within, she did not think there was any cause for the show of shame without Digitized by Google 200 And S. Augustine (Horn. 58 de Temp) writes, The sinner who washed the feet of the Lord with her tears, and dried them with the hairs of her head, when she knew that the heavenly physician had come, entered the house an uninvited guest ; and thus she, who had been shameless in sin, became yet more bold in seeking salvation, and so deserved to hear that her sins were forgiven. And again (Horn. 33), Thou hast seen how a woman of notoriously evil repute entered, uninvited, the house where her Physician sat at meat, and although little fitted for a feast, was fitted for the blessing which she thus boldly (pi& impudentii) sought to obtain. For she knew how great was her need, and that He to whom she had come, could grant her relief. For Christ accepted the invitation of-the Pharisee, in order to provide those who sat at meat with the spiritual feast of the repentant Magdalene. Hence S. Chrysostom (Serm. 93) : Christ sat at the feast, not to drink cups of wine flavoured with honey and perfumed with flowers, but the bitter tears of repentance ; because God longs for the tears of the sinner. For, as S. Bernard says, the tears of penitence are the wine of angels, and yield them unbounded delight And again (Serm. 30 in Cant), Tears are an earnest of repentance, and a return to the blessing and favour of God, and therefore of sweet savour to His angels. An alabaster box of ointment. See S. Matt. xxvi. 6

Now when the Pharisee which had bidden Him saw it , he spake within himself sayings This man , if He were a prophet , would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner , and therefore unfit to touch a holy prophet This Pharisee was, as S. Augustine says (Serm. 23), one of those self-righteous men, of whom Isaiah wrote, chap. lii. 1 1. Digitized by Google 20 6 But Simon’s reasoning was false, for the unclean touched Christ that they might be cleansed by Him. For this cause He came into the world, that as the good physician, He might heal all manner of diseases, whether of the body or of the soul He was offended, therefore, because, as Euthymius says, he knew not that Christ, although very God, was made man to save sinners. And, again, the Magdalene was not now unclean, for she had been cleansed by contrition, as Christ proceeded to show. Simon was deceived, because he judged of the past, and not of the present For Mary was the same, yet another. Another, yet her very self, says Chrysologus (Serm. 74). Wherefore the humble penitent was holier than the proud Pharisee, who, if he had not already sinned as deeply as the Magdalene, was liable from his spiritual pride to fall into as great a sin. S. Augustine (in loc. at.). Hence in many things the Pharisee offended, as Toletus shows. Therefore, S. Gregory (Horn. 33), concludes thus : “ We should in another’s fall lament our own sin; for perhaps, under similar circumstances, we should in like manner offend, and although punishment should always follow on sin, we ought to make a distinction, to be harsh and severe in our treatment of vice, but to be compassionate to the weakness of human nature. For though the sinner must be punished, he must be gently dealt with, as our neighbour.”

And Jesus answering (the secret thoughts of his heart) said unto him , Simon , I have somewhat to say unto thee. S. Augustine, Theophylact, Bede and others, think that this Simon was not Simon the leper, in whose house the Magdalene again anointed the feet of Jesus. S. John xii. 2, S. Matt xxvi. 6. Others are of a contrary opinion, because the name is the same, and because the circumstances of the second anointing are so similar. It seems, however, that this Simon was converted when Christ was on his way from Galilee to Judsea (S. Matt xix. 1); and that he followed Jesus, and settled at Bethany, near S. Mary Magdalene, who was known to him, in order to enjoy with her the presence and teaching of Christ / have somewhat to say unto thee. See how wisely Christ reproves Digitized by Google PARABLE OF THE TWO DEBTORS. 207 Simon with these gentle but meaning words, which appealed to his better feelings, and at once arrested his attention. For, as S. Augustine says, Christ desired to correct the error of his thoughts, in return for the entertainment which he had provided And S. Luke implies that Simon at once recognised his fault, for he answered modestly, Master, say on. As Thy disciple, I will gladly accept Thy words as the teaching of my Master

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors . The debtors, says S. Ambrose, are those who owe God, the heavenly creditor, not actual money, but a return of good works and of virtue. Our debts, therefore, are our sins, by which we do despite to God, and for which we should make atonement But we cannot make atonement unto God, and therefore are in danger of hell fire. For the Syriac creditor implies the same as usurer, and the Greek word dapt/erfy answers to the Hebrew HIM* nosche, and signifies one who gives, either outright, or on usuiy. Deut. xv. 6, xxviii. 12 ; Ecclus. xxix. 1 and 2. One owed five hundred fence and the other fifty . The Roman denarius or penny, originally of the value of ten asses, was worth about eight pence of our modern money. In this parable we are to understand by the two debtors, Mary Magdalene, and Simon the Pharisee ; who is not mentioned by name, lest he should be offended or disheartened. This is clear from the following verses wherein the Magdalene is thrice, by antithesis, brought into comparison with Simon, and preferred to him. She, therefore, is the debtor who owed five hundred pence, who considered that she owed God much more because of her sins than Simon ; and therefore, that she might obtain forgiveness, she loved more and showed greater proofs of her love. But Simon owed only fifty pence, his sins were but venial, and therefore he considered that he owed little to God. He was selfrighteous, and thought that he had little or no need of repentance. But S. Augustine rightly observes, for this very reason he ought all the more to acknowledge that he was a debtor to God, who had preserved him from committing greater offences. Thou wast not an adulterer (as the Magdalene) in that past life of thine Digitized by Google 208 which thou dost ignore. But it was God who kept thee from sinning, preserved thee from temptation, and from the power of the tempter. Acknowledge then what thou owest to Him who has kept thee from eviL For there is no sin which one man has committed that another man may not commit, if God withdraw His guidance from him

And when they had nothing to pay , he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therrforet which of them will love him mostf (loves him most, Vulg.) i.e. “in verity,” or “ought” to love him most. For a similar Hebraism, see Amos v. 13. The prudent shall keep silence in that time, ue they were being silent or it behoved them to be silent The meaning is, As he who has been forgiven much, is accounted to have received forgiveness because of his deserts, so debtors who owe much, are wont to show the utmost deference to their creditors, in order to obtain from them, if not forgiveness of their debt, at least favourable terms of payment In like manner, Simon, thou shouldest have known that the Magdalene loved me with a greater love than thine. For she showed greater proofs of her love, and therefore her sins, which are many, are. forgiven, because she loved much. Wherefore, she is no longer a sinner, nor, as thou thinkest, unworthy to touch my feet ; but holier than thou, and more worthy to be touched by me. The parable, therefore, plainly teaches us, that the more we love, the more we shall be forgivea So S. Augustine (Horn. 23), “ The more she loved Me, and shows her love, the more do I forgive.” But if we take the Greek rendering and translate according to the English version, the argument is inverted. For although the love of the creditor, as shown in the forgiveness of the debt, excites in return the love of the debtor, yet at the same time it is the love of the debtor, in seeking to make payment of the debt, which causes the creditor to forgive. So De Lyra, Francis Lucas, and others. Hence the parable in one sense teaches us, that as the debtor who has been forgiven the most, loves his creditor the more, so Christ because he had forgiven the Digitized by Google CHRIST'S APPLICATION OF SIMON'S ANSWER. 209 many sins of the Magdalene, will be the more beloved by her. But Christ desired also to show, not only that her sins were forgiven, but the reason, and the manner of their forgiveness, i.e. on account of her love, so that we, taking example by her, may, in like manner obtain forgiveness. Another explanation is given by S. Ambrose (De Tobia, cap . xxii.) Christ forgave the sins of the Magdalene, which increased her love and gratitude to Him ; but Christ foresaw this increase of love, and therefore from the very first forgave her. Again, S. Gregory (lib. vl epist 32), and after him Toletus: The greater the debt which is forgiven the greater the gratitude of the debtor. When, therefore, O Simon, thou sawest in the Magdalene such great signs of love, thou shouldest have inferred how much had been forgiven her. For as the cause may be inferred, from the effect, so her love was the result of her forgiveness. See then how rashly thou hast condemned this woman, when thou shouldest have known, from the abundant signs of love and gratitude which she had shown, that all her sins, however great their number, had been forgiven. But this interpretation is at variance with the 47th verse, “ Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.” The word “ for ” or “ because ” shows that her love was not the effect but the cause of her forgiveness. See infra, v. 47

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And He said unto him. Thou hast rightly judged Christ praises the answer, in order that Simon might the more readily accept the reproof and the lessons to be drawn therefrom

And He turned unto the woman , and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman t He turned, because the Magdalene stood behind Him, for from consciousness of her guilt, she did not dare to meet His sight Seest thou this woman? no longer, as thou thinkest, a sinner, but a penitent reconciled with God. 1 entered into thine house, but thou gavest Me no water for My feet It was the custom in those days to wash the feet of one’s guests before they sat down to meat, both for purposes of cleansing and refreshment Thus Abraham washed the feet of the Angels, Gen, VOL. vi. o Digitized by Google $10 xviii. 4, and Lot, Gen. xix. 2. See also Judges xix. 21. Whence S. Paul considers that a widow may be set apart for the service of God, “if she have washed the saints* feet,” 1 Tim. v. 10. * Christ had come as a guest to the house, and therefore Simon should have washed His feet Christ therefore reproached him for his want of consideration and care, and contrasts his conduct with the love of the Magdalene. For Titus says, “ It is an easy matter to provide water, but difficult to supply such an abundance of tears.”

Thou gavest Me no kiss , but this woman, since the time 1 tame in , hath not ceased to kiss My feet , “ with reverence and godly fear.” Titus. Guests were in old times received with a kiss in sign of affection and welcome. But Simon omitted this salutation. Hence “ It was thy duty, O Simon, to receive Me, thy invited guest, with a kiss of welcome, but the Magdalene has more than made up for thy neglect, for she hath continued to kiss, not My face, but My feet, from the moment I entered Thy house.”

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed My feet with ointment. The more valued the guest, the more precious the perfumes wherewith He was anointed. Thou didst not anoint My head, but she hath anointed My feet with very precious ointment See again how she excelleth thee in love and devotion. “ Not that the Lord,” as Ambrose says, 44 valued the ointment, but rather the love, the faith, and the humility.” Hence Christ concludes

Wherefore I say unto thee , Her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; for she loved much. Greek, afootnrou, have been forgiven. At what time, we may ask, were her sins forgiven ? 1. Francis Lucas thinks at the time when the Lord said unto her, M Thy sins are forgiven,” v. 48. 2. Others are of opinion that her sins were forgiven when our Lord in this present verse declared unto Simon the fact of her pardon. 3. But it seems more probable that her sins were forgiven at some time antecedent, ue. when she felt true contrition for her offences. Because when by the grace of God she had been led to see the Digitized by Google the Magdalene's sins forgiven. 21 1 heinousness of her sin, so deep was her contrition and sorrow, that she thereby regained the divine favour, and so her love for God and her sorrow for her sins impelled her to show openly the reality of her repentance, and therefore before Christ could say unto her, “ Thy sins are forgiven,” she had obtained forgiveness by reason of her complete penitence. We may, however, take the words “ her sins are forgiven ” as spoken in the same sense in which the priest pronounces absolution over a penitent, who is already reconciled to God by his perfect repentance. The priest absolves him who is already absolved, and this absolution is so effectual as to do away with any sin which might still attach itself to the penitent Further, a sin often repeated may be often forgiven, if the penitent confesses his fault as often as he commits it, and seeks absolution at the h finds of the Church. Hence Christ for the third time forgives the sins of the Magdalene. Wherefore He freed her not only from the guilt but from the punishment of sin, and granted her free release. This is what the angel said to a certain Bishop of the Church : “ Penitence and confession restore the penitent to the number of the elect” Again, “ The tears of a penitent may well bear the name of a baptism.” Barlaam. And Palladius tells us, that a certain virgin who had fallen into sin “ was more pleasing to God in her penitence, than in her former purity.” See also S. Jerome (De pcenitentia Fabiold ) ; and Climacus (De pcenitentia^) For she laved much . Toletus and some others think that the word “for” signifies not the cause but rather affords the proof of her forgiveness. “ Thou mightest have known, O Simon, that her sins were forgiven, for these open signs of love are bestowed on Me in gratitude for my forgiveness of her sins.” But this explanation is faulty, because the Magdalene knew not that she had been forgiven, until she heard Christ pronounce the pardon of her sins. And Christ does not say, Learn from her acts of love that her sins have been forgiven, but on the contrary, Her sins are forgiven because of her love. Hence the cause of the Magdalene’s forgiveness was her great love Digitized by Google 212 for God, which led her to hate and abhor her former sins. For love is the death of sin, and the life of righteousness. S. Augustin (De laudibus chariiaiis.) Hence ail theologians hold with him, that the act ot perfect contrition which includes the entire surrender of the heart to God, precedes, but at once brings with it justification and forgiveness of sin as its final result, in the same way as a certain amount of heat (calor ut octo) applied to wood, as a result produces actual fire in that wood. So the Council of Trent (Sess. xiv. cap . iv.), distinguishing between the attrition caused by fear of punishment and the contrition which follows on the love of God, decides that the latter, in conjunction with the sacrament of penance, reconciles the sinner with God, which the former is in no wise able to do ; for “ a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise,” Ps. 1L 17. Hence S. Gregory (Horn. 33) explains, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much, $.e. she burnt off the corruptions of sin, because she was inflamed with the fire of love. For the more the heart of the sinner bums with the love of God the more is he purified from the lust and corruption of sin.” But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. This refers to the Pharisee, because he obtained no forgiveness, inasmuch as he showed no signs of penitence or of love for God. Our Lord, under reserve, saith little or ‘‘less,” as the Vulgate renders it, is forgiven, though he might have said “nothing” is forgiven. But by the words “ to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little,” we may understand : 1. That, according to the principles on which God forgives sins, “one mortal sin, even though it be the least, cannot be forgiven without its accompanying sins being forgiven also, and whensoever one is forgiven, the others are forgiven as far as the guilt is concerned, but more or less of punishment is meted out, according to the degree of love which fills the heart of the penitent” 2. That he who has no love for God, or only that natural love which well nigh all men possess, loves God less than one whose love is divinely inspired. Hence to the one many, i.e. all his sins, Digitized by Google "WHO IS THIS THAT FORGIVETH SINS?” 213 are pardoned ; to the other less, te. nothing, is forgiven. All was forgiven the Magdalene because she was truly contrite, and sought forgiveness by every means in her power ; but the Pharisee received no forgiveness, because he felt no sorrow for sin, and had not even given the feast with any desire of obtaining mercy from Christ For Christ designed the parable to apply to S. Mary Magdalene and also to the Pharisee, and willed from it to show why the one was forgiven but the other not S. Augustine adds, "The parable was spoken because the Pharisee thought he had few, if any sins, not because he had no love, for he showed some love in that he invited our Lord.” And again, " O Pharisee, thou lovest little, not because little is forgiven thee, but because thou thoughtest that there was little which needed forgiveness.” Toletus remarks, " Little was forgiven Simon, because by the grace of God he had been preserved from committing sin, for he had entertained Christ, and not persecuted him as the other Pharisees. Hence it is very probable that afterwards this Pharisee became a true follower of Christ” See further Suarez, Parte iii., de Gratia , lib. viii. cap. x

And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, ie. to reason in their hearts, for they did not dare to express their thoughts lest they should be put to rebuke. Who is this that forgiveth sins also t Is it the Messiah ? Is it God, for God alone can forgive sins 1 Christ leaves them a prey to wonder and to doubt, in order that they might be led to inquire into His life, doctrine and miracles, and see in Him the Son of God