524 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XV.
and who make a businessof followingafterworldlygain.
THEOPHYL. For this was His wont, for the sake whereoi
He had taken upon Him the flesh,to receivesinnersas the
physicianthose that are sick. But the Pharisees,the really
guilty,returnedmurmurs forthisactof mercy, as itfollows,
And thePhariseesand Scribesmurmured, saying,fyc.
Greg.in GREG. From which we may gather,that true justicefeel?
inEv'ang'.compassion,falsejusticescorn,although the just are wonl
rightlyto repel sinners. But there is one act proceeding
from the swellingof pride,another from the zeal fordisci
pline. For thejust,though without they spare not rebukes
for the sake of discipline,within cherish sweetness from
charity. In their own minds they set above themselves
those whom they correct,whereby they keep both them
under by discipline,and themselvesby humility. But,on
the contrary,they who from falsejusticeare wont to pride
themselves,despiseallothers,and never in mercy condescend
to the weak ; and thinking themselvesnot to be sinners,
are so much the worse sinners. Of such were the Pharisees,
who coudemning our Lord because He received sinners,
with parched hearts reviledthe very fountain of mercy.
But because they were so sick that they knew not of their
sickness,to the end that they might know what they were,
the heavenlyPhysiciananswers them with mild applications.
For it follows,And He spake tinsparable unto them, say
ing,What man of you having an hundred sheep,and ifhe
loseone of them,doesnot go afterit,fyc. He gave a com
parison which man might recognisein himself,though it
referredto the Creator of men. For since a hundred is
a perfectnumber, He Himself had a hundred sheep,seeing
that He possessedthe nature of the holy angels and men.
Hence He adds,Having an hundred sheep.
CYRIL. "We may hence understand the extent of our
Saviour'skingdom. For He saysthereare a hundred sheep,
bringing to a perfectsum the number of rationalcreatures
Miojectto Him. For the number hundred isperfect,being
composed often decades. But out of theseone has wandered,
namely, the race of man which inhabitsearth. AMBROSE.
Rich then isthat Shepherd of whom we allare a hundredth
part; and hence it follows,And ifhe loseone of them,does