Whether All Men Were Bound to Observe the Old Law?
Objection 1: It would seem that all men were bound to observe the Old
Law. Because whoever is subject to the king, must needs be subject to
his law. But the Old Law was given by God, Who is "King of all the
earth" (Ps. 46:8). Therefore all the inhabitants of the earth were
bound to observe the Law.
Obj. 2: Further, the Jews could not be saved without observing the
Old Law: for it is written (Deut. 27:26): "Cursed be he that abideth
not in the words of this law, and fulfilleth them not in work." If
therefore other men could be saved without the observance of the Old
Law, the Jews would be in a worse plight than other men.
Obj. 3: Further, the Gentiles were admitted to the Jewish ritual and
to the observances of the Law: for it is written (Ex. 12:48): "If any
stranger be willing to dwell among you, and to keep the Phase of the
Lord, all his males shall first be circumcised, and then shall he
celebrate it according to the manner; and he shall be as he that is
born in the land." But it would have been useless to admit strangers
to the legal observances according to Divine ordinance, if they could
have been saved without the observance of the Law. Therefore none
could be saved without observing the Law.
_On the contrary,_ Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. ix) that many of the
Gentiles were brought back to God by the angels. But it is clear that
the Gentiles did not observe the Law. Therefore some could be saved
without observing the Law.
_I answer that,_ The Old Law showed forth the precepts of the natural
law, and added certain precepts of its own. Accordingly, as to those
precepts of the natural law contained in the Old Law, all were bound
to observe the Old Law; not because they belonged to the Old Law, but
because they belonged to the natural law. But as to those precepts
which were added by the Old Law, they were not binding on any save
the Jewish people alone.
The reason of this is because the Old Law, as stated above (A. 4),
was given to the Jewish people, that it might receive a prerogative
of holiness, in reverence for Christ Who was to be born of that
people. Now whatever laws are enacted for the special sanctification
of certain ones, are binding on them alone: thus clerics who are set
aside for the service of God are bound to certain obligations to
which the laity are not bound; likewise religious are bound by their
profession to certain works of perfection, to which people living in
the world are not bound. In like manner this people was bound to
certain special observances, to which other peoples were not bound.
Wherefore it is written (Deut. 18:13): "Thou shalt be perfect and
without spot before the Lord thy God": and for this reason they used
a kind of form of profession, as appears from Deut. 26:3: "I profess
this day before the Lord thy God," etc.
Reply Obj. 1: Whoever are subject to a king, are bound to observe his
law which he makes for all in general. But if he orders certain
things to be observed by the servants of his household, others are
not bound thereto.
Reply Obj. 2: The more a man is united to God, the better his state
becomes: wherefore the more the Jewish people were bound to the
worship of God, the greater their excellence over other peoples.
Hence it is written (Deut. 4:8): "What other nation is there so
renowned that hath ceremonies and just judgments, and all the law?"
In like manner, from this point of view, the state of clerics is
better than that of the laity, and the state of religious than that
of folk living in the world.
Reply Obj. 3: The Gentiles obtained salvation more perfectly and more
securely under the observances of the Law than under the mere natural
law: and for this reason they were admitted to them. So too the laity
are now admitted to the ranks of the clergy, and secular persons to
those of the religious, although they can be saved without this.
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