Letters

¹⁰ And, finally, the Pharisee, when the Lord asked him, “which of them loved him most,” answered, “I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.” And the Lord replied, “You have judged rightly.” The judgment of the Pharisee is praised, but his affection is blamed. He judges well concerning others, but does not himself believe that which he thinks well of in the case of others. You hear a Jew praising the discipline of the Church, extolling its true grace, honouring the priests of the Church; if you exhort him to believe he refuses, and so follows not himself that which he praises in us. His praise, then, is not full, because Christ said to him: “You have rightly judged,” for Cain also offered rightly, but did not divide rightly, and therefore God said to him: “If you offer rightly, but dividest not rightly, you have sinned, be still.” So, then, this man offered rightly, for he judges that Christ ought to be more loved by Christians, because He has forgiven us many sins; but he divided not rightly, because he thought that He could be ignorant of the sins of men Who forgave the sins of men.