Whether the Old Law Was Given Through the Angels?
Objection 1: It seems that the Old Law was not given through the
angels, but immediately by God. For an angel means a "messenger"; so
that the word "angel" denotes ministry, not lordship, according to
Ps. 102:20, 21: "Bless the Lord, all ye His Angels . . . you
ministers of His." But the Old Law is related to have been given by
the Lord: for it is written (Ex. 20:1): "And the Lord spoke . . .
these words," and further on: "I am the Lord Thy God." Moreover the
same expression is often repeated in Exodus, and the later books of
the Law. Therefore the Law was given by God immediately.
Obj. 2: Further, according to John 1:17, "the Law was given by
Moses." But Moses received it from God immediately: for it is written
(Ex. 33:11): "The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont
to speak to his friend." Therefore the Old Law was given by God
immediately.
Obj. 3: Further, it belongs to the sovereign alone to make a law, as
stated above (Q. 90, A. 3). But God alone is Sovereign as regards the
salvation of souls: while the angels are the "ministering spirits,"
as stated in Heb. 1:14. Therefore it was not meet for the Law to be
given through the angels, since it is ordained to the salvation of
souls.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle said (Gal. 3:19) that the Law was
"given [Vulg.: 'ordained'] by angels in the hand of a Mediator." And
Stephen said (Acts 7:53): "(Who) have received the Law by the
disposition of angels."
_I answer that,_ The Law was given by God through the angels. And
besides the general reason given by Dionysius (Coel. Hier. iv), viz.
that "the gifts of God should be brought to men by means of the
angels," there is a special reason why the Old Law should have been
given through them. For it has been stated (AA. 1, 2) that the Old
Law was imperfect, and yet disposed man to that perfect salvation of
the human race, which was to come through Christ. Now it is to be
observed that wherever there is an order of powers or arts, he that
holds the highest place, himself exercises the principal and perfect
acts; while those things which dispose to the ultimate perfection are
effected by him through his subordinates: thus the ship-builder
himself rivets the planks together, but prepares the material by
means of the workmen who assist him under his direction. Consequently
it was fitting that the perfect law of the New Testament should be
given by the incarnate God immediately; but that the Old Law should
be given to men by the ministers of God, i.e. by the angels. It is
thus that the Apostle at the beginning of his epistle to the Hebrews
(1:2) proves the excellence of the New Law over the Old; because in
the New Testament "God . . . hath spoken to us by His Son," whereas
in the Old Testament "the word was spoken by angels" (Heb. 2:2).
Reply Obj. 1: As Gregory says at the beginning of his Morals (Praef.
chap. i), "the angel who is described to have appeared to Moses, is
sometimes mentioned as an angel, sometimes as the Lord: an angel, in
truth, in respect of that which was subservient to the external
delivery; and the Lord, because He was the Director within, Who
supported the effectual power of speaking." Hence also it is that the
angel spoke as personating the Lord.
Reply Obj. 2: As Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. xii, 27), it is stated
in Exodus that "the Lord spoke to Moses face to face"; and shortly
afterwards we read, "'Show me Thy glory.' Therefore He perceived what
he saw and he desired what he saw not." Hence he did not see the very
Essence of God; and consequently he was not taught by Him
immediately. Accordingly when Scripture states that "He spoke to him
face to face," this is to be understood as expressing the opinion of
the people, who thought that Moses was speaking with God mouth to
mouth, when God spoke and appeared to him, by means of a subordinate
creature, i.e. an angel and a cloud. Again we may say that this
vision "face to face" means some kind of sublime and familiar
contemplation, inferior to the vision of the Divine Essence.
Reply Obj. 3: It is for the sovereign alone to make a law by his own
authority; but sometimes after making a law, he promulgates it
through others. Thus God made the Law by His own authority, but He
promulgated it through the angels.
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