How Does Dimmesdale Committed The Greater Sin

Authur Dimmesdale, a puritan reverend in Boston, fell in love with Hester Prynne, a young woman married to Roger Chillingworth. His inability to control his feelings led to an adulterous relationship between himself and Hester, resulting in the birth of Pearl. Both Hester and Authur lived guiltily, and Dimmesdale punished himself for the sin he committed. When Chillingworth arrived in America and realized his wife’s affair, he sought to discover Pearl’s father and take vengeance. Since Dimmesdale felt ill, Chillingworth utilized this opportunity to disguise himself as Dimmesdale’s physician since he has knowledge about medicine. Suspecting Dimmesdale as the father of Pearl, Chillingworth, with a maleficent personality, exploited Dimmesdale and tortured him psychologically. Critics argue about who committed the greater sin since Hester and Dimmesdale committed adultery while Chillingworth took revenge and tortured Dimmesdale.
1 Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside his body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” Yet, the Bible also speaks against revenge. Romans 12:19 says, “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth all sinned; however, Chillingworth committed the greater sin because he deliberately inflicted harm on Dimmesdale and did not seek for forgiveness. Dimmesdale and Hester did not inflict danger to anyone, and both repented for their sins, but Chillingworth tortured Dimmesdale, making his sin greater than the one committed by Dimmesdale and