Whether Pride Is the Beginning of Every Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that pride is not the beginning of every
sin. For the root is a beginning of a tree, so that the beginning of
a sin seems to be the same as the root of sin. Now covetousness is
the root of every sin, as stated above (A. 1). Therefore it is also
the beginning of every sin, and not pride.
Obj. 2: Further, it is written (Ecclus. 10:14): "The beginning of the
pride of man is apostasy [Douay: 'to fall off'] from God." But
apostasy from God is a sin. Therefore another sin is the beginning of
pride, so that the latter is not the beginning of every sin.
Obj. 3: Further, the beginning of every sin would seem to be that
which causes all sins. Now this is inordinate self-love, which,
according to Augustine (De Civ. Dei xiv), "builds up the city of
Babylon." Therefore self-love and not pride, is the beginning of
every sin.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ecclus. 10:15): "Pride is the
beginning of all sin."
_I answer that,_ Some say pride is to be taken in three ways. First,
as denoting inordinate desire to excel; and thus it is a special sin.
Secondly, as denoting actual contempt of God, to the effect of not
being subject to His commandment; and thus, they say, it is a generic
sin. Thirdly, as denoting an inclination to this contempt, owing to
the corruption of nature; and in this sense they say that it is the
beginning of every sin, and that it differs from covetousness,
because covetousness regards sin as turning towards the mutable good
by which sin is, as it were, nourished and fostered, for which reason
covetousness is called the "root"; whereas pride regards sin as
turning away from God, to Whose commandment man refuses to be
subject, for which reason it is called the "beginning," because the
beginning of evil consists in turning away from God.
Now though all this is true, nevertheless it does not explain the
mind of the wise man who said (Ecclus. 10:15): "Pride is the
beginning of all sin." For it is evident that he is speaking of pride
as denoting inordinate desire to excel, as is clear from what follows
(verse 17): "God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes";
indeed this is the point of nearly the whole chapter. We must
therefore say that pride, even as denoting a special sin, is the
beginning of every sin. For we must take note that, in voluntary
actions, such as sins, there is a twofold order, of intention, and of
execution. In the former order, the principle is the end, as we have
stated many times before (Q. 1, A. 1, ad 1; Q. 18, A. 7, ad 2; Q. 15,
A. 1, ad 2; Q. 25, A. 2). Now man's end in acquiring all temporal
goods is that, through their means, he may have some perfection and
excellence. Therefore, from this point of view, pride, which is the
desire to excel, is said to be the "beginning" of every sin. On the
other hand, in the order of execution, the first place belongs to
that which by furnishing the opportunity of fulfilling all desires of
sin, has the character of a root, and such are riches; so that, from
this point of view, covetousness is said to be the "root" of all
evils, as stated above (A. 1).
This suffices for the Reply to the First Objection.
Reply Obj. 2: Apostasy from God is stated to be the beginning of
pride, in so far as it denotes a turning away from God, because from
the fact that man wishes not to be subject to God, it follows that he
desires inordinately his own excellence in temporal things.
Wherefore, in the passage quoted, apostasy from God does not denote
the special sin, but rather that general condition of every sin,
consisting in its turning away from God. It may also be said that
apostasy from God is said to be the beginning of pride, because it is
the first species of pride. For it is characteristic of pride to be
unwilling to be subject to any superior, and especially to God; the
result being that a man is unduly lifted up, in respect of the other
species of pride.
Reply Obj. 3: In desiring to excel, man loves himself, for to love
oneself is the same as to desire some good for oneself. Consequently
it amounts to the same whether we reckon pride or self-love as the
beginning of every evil.
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