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Objection 1: It would seem that the New Law directed man
insufficiently as regards interior actions. For there are ten
commandments of the decalogue directing man to God and his neighbor.
But Our Lord partly fulfilled only three of them: as regards,
namely, the prohibition of murder, of adultery, and of perjury.
Therefore it seems that, by omitting to fulfil the other precepts,
He directed man insufficiently.
Objection 2: Further, as regards the judicial precepts, Our Lord
ordained nothing in the Gospel, except in the matter of divorcing of
wife, of punishment by retaliation, and of persecuting one's
enemies. But there are many other judicial precepts of the Old Law,
as stated above (Question 104, Article 4; Question 105).
Therefore, in this respect, He directed human life insufficiently.
Objection 3: Further, in the Old Law, besides moral and
judicial, there were ceremonial precepts about which Our Lord made no
ordination. Therefore it seems that He ordained insufficiently.
Objection 4: Further, in order that the mind be inwardly well
disposed, man should do no good deed for any temporal whatever. But
there are many other temporal goods besides the favor of man: and there
are many other good works besides fasting, alms-deeds, and prayer.
Therefore Our Lord unbecomingly taught that only in respect of these
three works, and of no other earthly goods ought we to shun the glory
of human favor.
Objection 5: Further, solicitude for the necessary means of
livelihood is by nature instilled into man, and this solicitude even
other animals share with man: wherefore it is written (Prov.
6:6,8): "Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways .
. . she provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth
her food in the harvest." But every command issued against the
inclination of nature is an unjust command, forasmuch as it is contrary
to the law of nature. Therefore it seems that Our Lord unbecomingly
forbade solicitude about food and raiment.
Objection 6: Further, no act of virtue should be the subject of a
prohibition. Now judgment is an act of justice, according to Ps.
18:15: "Until justice be turned into judgment." Therefore it
seems that Our Lord unbecomingly forbade judgment: and consequently
that the New Law directed man insufficiently in the matter of interior
acts.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i,
1): We should take note that, when He said: "'He that heareth
these My words,' He indicates clearly that this sermon of the Lord
is replete with all the precepts whereby a Christian's life is
formed."
I answer that, As is evident from Augustine's words just quoted,
the sermon, contains the whole process of forming the life of a
Christian. Therein man's interior movements are ordered. Because
after declaring that his end is Beatitude; and after commending the
authority of the apostles, through whom the teaching of the Gospel was
to be promulgated, He orders man's interior movements, first in
regard to man himself, secondly in regard to his neighbor.
This he does in regard to man himself, in two ways, corresponding to
man's two interior movements in respect of any prospective action,
viz. volition of what has to be done, and intention of the end.
Wherefore, in the first place, He directs man's will in respect of
the various precepts of the Law: by prescribing that man should
refrain not merely from those external works that are evil in
themselves, but also from internal acts, and from the occasions of
evil deeds. In the second place He directs man's intention, by
teaching that in our good works, we should seek neither human praise,
nor worldly riches, which is to lay up treasures on earth.
Afterwards He directs man's interior movement in respect of his
neighbor, by forbidding us, on the one hand, to judge him rashly,
unjustly, or presumptuously; and, on the other, to entrust him too
readily with sacred things if he be unworthy.
Lastly, He teaches us how to fulfil the teaching of the Gospel;
viz. by imploring the help of God; by striving to enter by the narrow
door of perfect virtue; and by being wary lest we be led astray by evil
influences. Moreover, He declares that we must observe His
commandments, and that it is not enough to make profession of faith,
or to work miracles, or merely to hear His words.
Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord explained the manner of fulfilling
those precepts which the Scribes and Pharisees did not rightly
understand: and this affected chiefly those precepts of the decalogue.
For they thought that the prohibition of adultery and murder covered
the external act only, and not the internal desire. And they held
this opinion about murder and adultery rather than about theft and false
witness, because the movement of anger tending to murder, and the
movement of desire tending to adultery, seem to be in us from nature
somewhat, but not the desire of stealing or bearing false witness.
They held a false opinion about perjury, for they thought that perjury
indeed was a sin; but that oaths were of themselves to be desired and
to be taken frequently, since they seem to proceed from reverence to
God. Hence Our Lord shows that an oath is not desirable as a good
thing; and that it is better to speak without oaths, unless necessity
forces us to have recourse to them.
Reply to Objection 2: The Scribes and Pharisees erred about the
judicial precepts in two ways. First, because they considered certain
matters contained in the Law of Moses by way of permission, to be
right in themselves: namely, divorce of a wife, and the taking of
usury from strangers. Wherefore Our Lord forbade a man to divorce
his wife (Mt. 5:32); and to receive usury (Lk. 6:35),
when He said: "Lend, hoping for nothing thereby."
In another way they erred by thinking that certain things which the
Old Law commanded to be done for justice's sake, should be done out
of desire for revenge, or out of lust for temporal goods, or out of
hatred of one's enemies; and this in respect of three precepts. For
they thought that desire for revenge was lawful, on account of the
precept concerning punishment by retaliation: whereas this precept was
given that justice might be safeguarded, not that man might seek
revenge. Wherefore, in order to do away with this, Our Lord
teaches that man should be prepared in his mind to suffer yet more if
necessary. They thought that movements of covetousness were lawful on
account of those judicial precepts which prescribed restitution of what
had been purloined, together with something added thereto, as stated
above (Question 105, Article 2, ad 9); whereas the Law
commanded this to be done in order to safeguard justice, not to
encourage covetousness. Wherefore Our Lord teaches that we should
not demand our goods from motives of cupidity, and that we should be
ready to give yet more if necessary. They thought that the movement of
hatred was lawful, on account of the commandments of the Law about the
slaying of one's enemies: whereas the Law ordered this for the
fulfilment of justice, as stated above (Question 105, Article
3, ad 4), not to satisfy hatred. Wherefore Our Lord teaches us
that we ought to love our enemies, and to be ready to do good to them
if necessary. For these precepts are to be taken as binding "the mind
to be prepared to fulfil them," as Augustine says (De Serm.
Dom. in Monte i, 19).
Reply to Objection 3: The moral precepts necessarily retained their
force under the New Law, because they are of themselves essential to
virtue: whereas the judicial precepts did not necessarily continue to
bind in exactly the same way as had been fixed by the Law: this was
left to man to decide in one way or another. Hence Our Lord directed
us becomingly with regard to these two kinds of precepts. On the other
hand, the observance of the ceremonial precepts was totally abolished
by the advent of the reality; wherefore in regard to these precepts He
commanded nothing on this occasion when He was giving the general
points of His doctrine. Elsewhere, however, He makes it clear that
the entire bodily worship which was fixed by the Law, was to be
changed into spiritual worship: as is evident from Jn.
4:21,23, where He says: "The hour cometh when you shall
neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem adore the Father . . .
but . . . the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in
truth."
Reply to Objection 4: All worldly goods may be reduced to
three---honors, riches, and pleasures; according to 1 Jn.
2:16: "All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the
flesh," which refers to pleasures of the flesh, "and the
concupiscence of the eyes," which refers to riches, "and the pride
of life," which refers to ambition for renown and honor. Now the
Law did not promise an abundance of carnal pleasures; on the
contrary, it forbade them. But it did promise exalted honors and
abundant riches; for it is written in reference to the former (Dt.
28:1): "If thou wilt hear the voice of the Lord thy God . .
. He will make thee higher than all the nations"; and in reference
to the latter, we read a little further on (Dt. 28:11): "He
will make thee abound with all goods." But the Jews so distorted the
true meaning of these promises, as to think that we ought to serve
God, with these things as the end in view. Wherefore Our Lord set
this aside by teaching, first of all, that works of virtue should not
be done for human glory. And He mentions three works, to which all
others may be reduced: since whatever a man does in order to curb his
desires, comes under the head of fasting; and whatever a man does for
the love of his neighbor, comes under the head of alms-deeds; and
whatever a man does for the worship of God, comes under the head of
prayer. And He mentions these three specifically, as they hold the
principal place, and are most often used by men in order to gain
glory. In the second place He taught us that we must not place our
end in riches, when He said: "Lay not up to yourselves treasures on
earth" (Mt. 6:19).
Reply to Objection 5: Our Lord forbade, not necessary, but
inordinate solicitude. Now there is a fourfold solicitude to be
avoided in temporal matters. First, we must not place our end in
them, nor serve God for the sake of the necessities of food and
raiment. Wherefore He says: "Lay not up for yourselves," etc.
Secondly, we must not be so anxious about temporal things, as to
despair of God's help: wherefore Our Lord says (Mt. 6:32):
"Your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things."
Thirdly, we must not add presumption to our solicitude; in other
words, we must not be confident of getting the necessaries of life by
our own efforts without God's help: such solicitude Our Lord sets
aside by saying that a man cannot add anything to his stature (Mt.
6:27). We must not anticipate the time for anxiety; namely, by
being solicitous now, for the needs, not of the present, but of a
future time: wherefore He says (Mt. 6:34): "Be not . . .
solicitous for tomorrow."
Reply to Objection 6: Our Lord did not forbid the judgment of
justice, without which holy things could not be withdrawn from the
unworthy. But he forbade inordinate judgment, as stated above.
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