Whether Christ Conformed His Conduct to the Law?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not conform His conduct to
the Law. For the Law forbade any work whatsoever to be done on the
Sabbath, since God "rested on the seventh day from all His work which
He had done." But He healed a man on the Sabbath, and commanded him
to take up his bed. Therefore it seems that He did not conform His
conduct to the Law.
Obj. 2: Further, what Christ taught, that He also did, according to
Acts 1:1: "Jesus began to do and to teach." But He taught (Matt.
15:11) that "not" all "that which goeth into the mouth defileth a
man": and this is contrary to the precept of the Law, which declared
that a man was made unclean by eating and touching certain animals,
as stated Lev. 11. Therefore it seems that He did not conform His
conduct to the Law.
Obj. 3: Further, he who consents to anything is of the same mind as
he who does it, according to Rom. 1:32: "Not only they that do them,
but they also that consent to them that do them." But Christ, by
excusing His disciples, consented to their breaking the Law by
plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath; as is related Matt. 12:1-8.
Therefore it seems that Christ did not conform His conduct to the Law.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Matt. 5:17): "Do not think that I
am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets." Commenting on these
words, Chrysostom says: "He fulfilled the Law . . . in one way, by
transgressing none of the precepts of the Law; secondly, by
justifying us through faith, which the Law, in the letter, was unable
to do."
_I answer that,_ Christ conformed His conduct in all things to the
precepts of the Law. In token of this He wished even to be
circumcised; for the circumcision is a kind of protestation of a
man's purpose of keeping the Law, according to Gal. 5:3: "I testify
to every man circumcising himself, that he is a debtor to do the
whole Law."
And Christ, indeed, wished to conform His conduct to the Law, first,
to show His approval of the Old Law. Secondly, that by obeying the
Law He might perfect it and bring it to an end in His own self, so
as to show that it was ordained to Him. Thirdly, to deprive the Jews
of an excuse for slandering Him. Fourthly, in order to deliver men
from subjection to the Law, according to Gal. 4:4, 5: "God sent His
Son . . . made under the Law that He might redeem them who were
under the Law."
Reply Obj. 1: Our Lord excuses Himself from any transgression of the
Law in this matter, for three reasons. First, the precept of the
hallowing of the Sabbath forbids not Divine work, but human work: for
though God ceased on the seventh day from the creation of new
creatures, yet He ever works by keeping and governing His creatures.
Now that Christ wrought miracles was a Divine work: hence He says
(John 5:17): "My Father worketh until now; and I work."
Secondly, He excuses Himself on the ground that this precept does not
forbid works which are needful for bodily health. Wherefore He says
(Luke 13:15): "Doth not every one of you on the Sabbath-day loose his
ox or his ass from the manger, and lead them to water?" And farther
on (Luke 14:5): "Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a
pit, and will not immediately draw him out on the Sabbath-day?" Now
it is manifest that the miraculous works done by Christ related to
health of body and soul.
Thirdly, because this precept does not forbid works pertaining to the
worship of God. Wherefore He says (Matt. 12:5): "Have ye not read in
the Law that on the Sabbath-days the priests in the Temple break the
Sabbath, and are without blame?" And (John 7:23) it is written that a
man receives circumcision on the Sabbath-day. Now when Christ
commanded the paralytic to carry his bed on the Sabbath-day, this
pertained to the worship of God, i.e. to the praise of God's power.
And thus it is clear that He did not break the Sabbath: although the
Jews threw this false accusation in His face, saying (John 9:16):
"This man is not of God, who keepeth not the Sabbath."
Reply Obj. 2: By those words Christ wished to show that man is made
unclean as to his soul, by the use of any sort of foods considered
not in their nature, but only in some signification. And that certain
foods are in the Law called "unclean" is due to some signification;
whence Augustine says (Contra Faust. vi): "If a question be raised
about swine and lambs, both are clean by nature, since 'all God's
creatures are good'; but by a certain signification lambs are clean
and swine unclean."
Reply Obj. 3: The disciples also, when, being hungry, they plucked
the ears of corn on the Sabbath, are to be excused from transgressing
the Law, since they were pressed by hunger: just as David did not
transgress the Law when, through being compelled by hunger, he ate
the loaves which it was not lawful for him to eat.
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