Let us take, for example, the judgment of Jesus upon the woman who was
a sinner in the house of Simon the Pharisee. The social dilemma of the
fallen woman is much more difficult of solution than that of the
prodigal son. We expect a certain power of moral convalescence in
youth which has been betrayed through folly. Sooner or later the manly
nature kindles with resentment at its own weakness. Moreover, social
law allows a certain opportunity of recuperation to man which it denies
to woman. The sin of the woman seems less pardonable, not because it
is worse in itself, but because it outrages a higher convention. Hence
the strict moralist who might make some allowance for the hot blood of
youth, makes none for woman when she is betrayed through the affections.
But this is the very point on which Jesus fixes as essential. "_The
woman loved much, therefore let her many sins be forgiven_," He says.
And a true reading of the story would seem to show that in uttering
this sublime verdict Jesus is not thinking of the woman's sudden and
pure love for Him; He is rather reviewing the entire nature of her
life. She had loved much--that is her history in a sentence. Cruelty
and unkindness, malice and bitterness, had no part in her misdoing.
She had been undone through the very sweetness of her nature, as
multitudes of women are.
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