ed that he did not repulse
them. "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake
within himself, saying, 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." Jesus replied by the parable of a creditor who forgives
his debtors' unequal debts, and he did not hesitate to prefer the lot
of him to whom was remitted the greater debt.[7] He appreciated
conditions of soul only in proportion to the love mingled therein.
Women, with tearful hearts, and disposed through their sins to
feelings of humility, were nearer to his kingdom than ordinary
natures, who often have little merit in not having fallen. We may
conceive, on the other hand, that these tender souls, finding in their
conversion to the sect an easy means of restoration, would
passionately attach themselves to him.

[Footnote 1: Matt. ix. 10, and following; Luke xv. entirely.]

[Footnote 2: Matt. ix. 11; Mark ii. 16; Luke v. 30.]

[Footnote 3: Matt. ix. 12.]

[Footnote 4: Luke xv. 4, and following.]

[Footnote 5: Matt. xviii. 11; Luke xix. 10.]

[Footnote 6: Matt. ix. 13.]

[Footnote 7: Luke vii. 36, and following. Luke, who likes to bring out
in relief everything that relates to the forgiveness of sinners (comp.
x. 30, and following, xv. entirely, xvii. 16, and following, xix. 2,
and following, xxiii. 39-43), has included in this narrative passages
from another history, that of the anointing of feet, which took place
at Bethany some days before the death of Jesus. But the pardon of
sinful women was undoubtedly one of the essential features of the
anecdotes of the life of Jesus.--Cf. John viii. 3, and following;
Papias, in Eusebius, _Hist. Eccl._, iii. 30.]

Far from seeking to soothe the murmurs stirred up by his disdain for
the social susceptibilities of the time, he seemed to take pleasure in
exciting them. Never did any one avow more loftily this contempt for
the "world," which is the essential condition of great things and of
great originality. He pardoned a rich man, but only when the rich man,
in consequence of some prejudice, was disliked by society.[1] He
greatly preferred men of equivocal life and of small consideration in
the eyes of the orthodox leaders. "The publicans and the harlots go
into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you and ye
believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him."[2]
We can understand how galling the reproach