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Objection 1: It would seem that all men were bound to observe the
Old Law. Because whoever is subject to the king, must needs be
subject to his law. But the Old Law was given by God, Who is
"King of all the earth" (Ps. 46:8). Therefore all the
inhabitants of the earth were bound to observe the Law.
Objection 2: Further, the Jews could not be saved without
observing the Old Law: for it is written (Dt. 27:26):
"Cursed be he that abideth not in the words of this law, and
fulfilleth them not in work." If therefore other men could be saved
without the observance of the Old Law, the Jews would be in a worse
plight than other men.
Objection 3: Further, the Gentiles were admitted to the Jewish
ritual and to the observances of the Law: for it is written (Ex.
12:48): "If any stranger be willing to dwell among you, and to
keep the Phase of the Lord, all his males shall first be
circumcised, and then shall he celebrate it according to the manner;
and he shall be as he that is born in the land." But it would have
been useless to admit strangers to the legal observances according to
Divine ordinance, if they could have been saved without the observance
of the Law. Therefore none could be saved without observing the
Law.
On the contrary, Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. ix) that many of
the Gentiles were brought back to God by the angels. But it is clear
that the Gentiles did not observe the Law. Therefore some could be
saved without observing the Law.
I answer that, The Old Law showed forth the precepts of the natural
law, and added certain precepts of its own. Accordingly, as to those
precepts of the natural law contained in the Old Law, all were bound
to observe the Old Law; not because they belonged to the Old Law,
but because they belonged to the natural law. But as to those precepts
which were added by the Old Law, they were not binding on save the
Jewish people alone.
The reason of this is because the Old Law, as stated above
(Article 4), was given to the Jewish people, that it might
receive a prerogative of holiness, in reverence for Christ Who was to
be born of that people. Now whatever laws are enacted for the special
sanctification of certain ones, are binding on them alone: thus
clerics who are set aside for the service of God are bound to certain
obligations to which the laity are not bound; likewise religious are
bound by their profession to certain works of perfection, to which
people living in the world are not bound. In like manner this people
was bound to certain special observances, to which other peoples were
not bound. Wherefore it is written (Dt. 18:13): "Thou
shalt be perfect and without spot before the Lord thy God": and for
this reason they used a kind of form of profession, as appears from
Dt. 26:3: "I profess this day before the Lord thy God,"
etc.
Reply to Objection 1: Whoever are subject to a king, are bound to
observe his law which he makes for all in general. But if he orders
certain things to be observed by the servants of his household, others
are not bound thereto.
Reply to Objection 2: The more a man is united to God, the better
his state becomes: wherefore the more the Jewish people were bound to
the worship of God, the greater their excellence over other peoples.
Hence it is written (Dt. 4:8): "What other nation is there so
renowned that hath ceremonies and just judgments, and all the law?"
In like manner, from this point of view, the state of clerics is
better than that of the laity, and the state of religious than that of
folk living in the world.
Reply to Objection 3: The Gentiles obtained salvation more
perfectly and more securely under the observances of the Law than under
the mere natural law: and for this reason they were admitted to them.
So too the laity are now admitted to the ranks of the clergy, and
secular persons to those of the religious, although they can be saved
without this.
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