Whether Covetousness Is the Root of All Sins?
Objection 1: It would seem that covetousness is not the root of all
sins. For covetousness, which is immoderate desire for riches, is
opposed to the virtue of liberality. But liberality is not the root
of all virtues. Therefore covetousness is not the root of all sins.
Obj. 2: Further, the desire for the means proceeds from desire for
the end. Now riches, the desire for which is called covetousness, are
not desired except as being useful for some end, as stated in
_Ethic._ i, 5. Therefore covetousness is not the root of all sins,
but proceeds from some deeper root.
Obj. 3: Further, it often happens that avarice, which is another name
for covetousness, arises from other sins; as when a man desires money
through ambition, or in order to sate his gluttony. Therefore it is
not the root of all sins.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (1 Tim. 6:10): "The desire of
money is the root of all evil."
_I answer that,_ According to some, covetousness may be understood in
different ways. First, as denoting inordinate desire for riches: and
thus it is a special sin. Secondly, as denoting inordinate desire for
any temporal good: and thus it is a genus comprising all sins,
because every sin includes an inordinate turning to a mutable good,
as stated above (Q. 72, A. 2). Thirdly, as denoting an inclination of
a corrupt nature to desire corruptible goods inordinately: and they
say that in this sense covetousness is the root of all sins,
comparing it to the root of a tree, which draws its sustenance from
earth, just as every sin grows out of the love of temporal things.
Now, though all this is true, it does not seem to explain the mind of
the Apostle when he states that covetousness is the root of all sins.
For in that passage he clearly speaks against those who, because they
"will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the
devil . . . for covetousness is the root of all evils." Hence it is
evident that he is speaking of covetousness as denoting the
inordinate desire for riches. Accordingly, we must say that
covetousness, as denoting a special sin, is called the root of all
sins, in likeness to the root of a tree, in furnishing sustenance to
the whole tree. For we see that by riches man acquires the means of
committing any sin whatever, and of sating his desire for any sin
whatever, since money helps man to obtain all manner of temporal
goods, according to Eccles. 10:19: "All things obey money": so that
in this desire for riches is the root of all sins.
Reply Obj. 1: Virtue and sin do not arise from the same source. For
sin arises from the desire of mutable good; and consequently the
desire of that good which helps one to obtain all temporal goods, is
called the root of all sins. But virtue arises from the desire for
the immutable God; and consequently charity, which is the love of
God, is called the root of the virtues, according to Eph. 3:17:
"Rooted and founded in charity."
Reply Obj. 2: The desire of money is said to be the root of sins, not
as though riches were sought for their own sake, as being the last
end; but because they are much sought after as useful for any
temporal end. And since a universal good is more desirable than a
particular good, they move the appetite more than any individual
goods, which along with many others can be procured by means of money.
Reply Obj. 3: Just as in natural things we do not ask what
always happens, but what happens most frequently, for the reason that
the nature of corruptible things can be hindered, so as not always to
act in the same way; so also in moral matters, we consider what
happens in the majority of cases, not what happens invariably, for the
reason that the will does not act of necessity. So when we say that
covetousness is the root of all evils, we do not assert that no other
evil can be its root, but that other evils more frequently arise
therefrom, for the reason given.
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