Whether Christ Should Have Led a Life of Poverty in This World?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have led a life of
poverty in this world. Because Christ should have embraced the most
eligible form of life. But the most eligible form of life is that
which is a mean between riches and poverty; for it is written (Prov.
30:8): "Give me neither beggary nor riches; give me only the
necessaries of life." Therefore Christ should have led a life, not of
poverty, but of moderation.
Obj. 2: Further, external wealth is ordained to bodily use as to food
and raiment. But Christ conformed His manner of life to those among
whom He lived, in the matter of food and raiment. Therefore it seems
that He should have observed the ordinary manner of life as to riches
and poverty, and have avoided extreme poverty.
Obj. 3: Further, Christ specially invited men to imitate His example
of humility, according to Matt. 11:29: "Learn of Me, because I am
meek and humble of heart." But humility is most commendable in the
rich; thus it is written (1 Tim. 6:11): "Charge the rich of this
world not to be high-minded." Therefore it seems that Christ should
not have chosen a life of poverty.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Matt. 8:20): "The Son of Man hath
not where to lay His head": as though He were to say as Jerome
observes: "Why desirest thou to follow Me for the sake of riches and
worldly gain, since I am so poor that I have not even the smallest
dwelling-place, and I am sheltered by a roof that is not Mine?" And
on Matt. 17:26: "That we may not scandalize them, go to the sea,"
Jerome says: "This incident, taken literally, affords edification to
those who hear it when they are told that our Lord was so poor that
He had not the wherewithal to pay the tax for Himself and His
apostles."
_I answer that,_ It was fitting for Christ to lead a life of poverty
in this world. First, because this was in keeping with the duty of
preaching, for which purpose He says that He came (Mk. 1:38): "Let us
go into the neighboring towns and cities, that I may preach there
also: for to this purpose am I come." Now in order that the preachers
of God's word may be able to give all their time to preaching, they
must be wholly free from care of worldly matters: which is impossible
for those who are possessed of wealth. Wherefore the Lord Himself,
when sending the apostles to preach, said to them (Matt. 10:9): "Do
not possess gold nor silver." And the apostles (Acts 6:2) say: "It is
not reasonable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables."
Secondly, because just as He took upon Himself the death of the body
in order to bestow spiritual life on us, so did He bear bodily
poverty, in order to enrich us spiritually, according to 2 Cor. 8:9:
"You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: that . . . He became
poor for our [Vulg.: 'your'] sakes that through His poverty we
[Vulg.: 'you'] might be rich."
Thirdly, lest if He were rich His preaching might be ascribed to
cupidity. Wherefore Jerome says on Matt. 10:9, that if the disciples
had been possessed of wealth, "they had seemed to preach for gain,
not for the salvation of mankind." And the same reason applies to
Christ.
Fourthly, that the more lowly He seemed by reason of His poverty, the
greater might the power of His Godhead be shown to be. Hence in a
sermon of the Council of Ephesus (P. iii, c. ix) we read: "He chose
all that was poor and despicable, all that was of small account and
hidden from the majority, that we might recognize His Godhead to have
transformed the terrestrial sphere. For this reason did He choose a
poor maid for His Mother, a poorer birthplace; for this reason did He
live in want. Learn this from the manger."
Reply Obj. 1: Those who wish to live virtuously need to avoid
abundance of riches and beggary, in as far as these are occasions of
sin: since abundance of riches is an occasion for being proud; and
beggary is an occasion of thieving and lying, or even of perjury. But
forasmuch as Christ was incapable of sin, He had not the same motive
as Solomon for avoiding these things. Yet neither is every kind of
beggary an occasion of theft and perjury, as Solomon seems to add
(Prov. 30:8); but only that which is involuntary, in order to avoid
which, a man is guilty of theft and perjury. But voluntary poverty is
not open to this danger: and such was the poverty chosen by Christ.
Reply Obj. 2: A man may feed and clothe himself in conformity with
others, not only by possessing riches, but also by receiving the
necessaries of life from those who are rich. This is what happened in
regard to Christ: for it is written (Luke 8:2, 3) that certain women
followed Christ and "ministered unto Him of their substance." For, as
Jerome says on Matt. 27:55, "It was a Jewish custom, nor was it
thought wrong for women, following the ancient tradition of their
nation, out of their private means to provide their instructors with
food and clothing. But as this might give scandal to the heathens,
Paul says that he gave it up": thus it was possible for them to be
fed out of a common fund, but not to possess wealth, without their
duty of preaching being hindered by anxiety.
Reply Obj. 3: Humility is not much to be praised in one who is poor
of necessity. But in one who, like Christ, is poor willingly, poverty
itself is a sign of very great humility.
_______________________