Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue Are Suitably Set Forth?
Objection 1: It would seem that the precepts of the decalogue are
unsuitably set forth. Because sin, as stated by Ambrose (De Paradiso
viii), is "a transgression of the Divine law and a disobedience to
the commandments of heaven." But sins are distinguished according as
man sins against God, or his neighbor, or himself. Since, then, the
decalogue does not include any precepts directing man in his
relations to himself, but only such as direct him in his relations to
God and himself, it seems that the precepts of the decalogue are
insufficiently enumerated.
Obj. 2: Further, just as the Sabbath-day observance pertained to the
worship of God, so also did the observance of other solemnities, and
the offering of sacrifices. But the decalogue contains a precept
about the Sabbath-day observance. Therefore it should contain others
also, pertaining to the other solemnities, and to the sacrificial
rite.
Obj. 3: Further, as sins against God include the sin of perjury, so
also do they include blasphemy, or other ways of lying against the
teaching of God. But there is a precept forbidding perjury, "Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Therefore there
should be also a precept of the decalogue forbidding blasphemy and
false doctrine.
Obj. 4: Further, just as man has a natural affection for his parents,
so has he also for his children. Moreover the commandment of charity
extends to all our neighbors. Now the precepts of the decalogue are
ordained unto charity, according to 1 Tim. 1:5: "The end of the
commandment is charity." Therefore as there is a precept referring to
parents, so should there have been some precepts referring to
children and other neighbors.
Obj. 5: Further, in every kind of sin, it is possible to sin in
thought or in deed. But in some kinds of sin, namely in theft and
adultery, the prohibition of sins of deed, when it is said, "Thou
shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal," is distinct from
the prohibition of the sin of thought, when it is said, "Thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor's goods," and, "Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's wife." Therefore the same should have been done in regard
to the sins of homicide and false witness.
Obj. 6: Further, just as sin happens through disorder of the
concupiscible faculty, so does it arise through disorder of the
irascible part. But some precepts forbid inordinate concupiscence,
when it is said, "Thou shalt not covet." Therefore the decalogue
should have included some precepts forbidding the disorders of the
irascible faculty. Therefore it seems that the ten precepts of the
decalogue are unfittingly enumerated.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 4:13): "He shewed you His
covenant, which He commanded you to do, and the ten words that He
wrote in two tablets of stone."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 2), just as the precepts of
human law direct man in his relations to the human community, so the
precepts of the Divine law direct man in his relations to a community
or commonwealth of men under God. Now in order that any man may dwell
aright in a community, two things are required: the first is that he
behave well to the head of the community; the other is that he behave
well to those who are his fellows and partners in the community. It
is therefore necessary that the Divine law should contain in the
first place precepts ordering man in his relations to God; and in the
second place, other precepts ordering man in his relations to other
men who are his neighbors and live with him under God.
Now man owes three things to the head of the community: first,
fidelity; secondly, reverence; thirdly, service. Fidelity to his
master consists in his not giving sovereign honor to another: and
this is the sense of the first commandment, in the words "Thou shalt
not have strange gods." Reverence to his master requires that he
should do nothing injurious to him: and this is conveyed by the
second commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God
in vain." Service is due to the master in return for the benefits
which his subjects receive from him: and to this belongs the third
commandment of the sanctification of the Sabbath in memory of the
creation of all things.
To his neighbors a man behaves himself well both in particular and in
general. In particular, as to those to whom he is indebted, by paying
his debts: and in this sense is to be taken the commandment about
honoring one's parents. In general, as to all men, by doing harm to
none, either by deed, or by word, or by thought. By deed, harm is
done to one's neighbor--sometimes in his person, i.e. as to his
personal existence; and this is forbidden by the words, "Thou shalt
not kill": sometimes in a person united to him, as to the propagation
of offspring; and this is prohibited by the words, "Thou shalt not
commit adultery": sometimes in his possessions, which are directed to
both the aforesaid; and with this regard to this it is said, "Thou
shalt not steal." Harm done by word is forbidden when it is said,
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor": harm done
by thought is forbidden in the words, "Thou shalt not covet."
The three precepts that direct man in his behavior towards God may
also be differentiated in this same way. For the first refers to
deeds; wherefore it is said, "Thou shalt not make . . . a graven
thing": the second, to words; wherefore it is said, "Thou shalt not
take the name of the Lord thy God in vain": the third, to thoughts;
because the sanctification of the Sabbath, as the subject of a moral
precept, requires repose of the heart in God. Or, according to
Augustine (In Ps. 32: Conc. 1), by the first commandment we reverence
the unity of the First Principle; by the second, the Divine truth; by
the third, His goodness whereby we are sanctified, and wherein we
rest as in our last end.
Reply Obj. 1: This objection may be answered in two ways. First,
because the precepts of the decalogue can be reduced to the precepts
of charity. Now there was need for man to receive a precept about
loving God and his neighbor, because in this respect the natural law
had become obscured on account of sin: but not about the duty of
loving oneself, because in this respect the natural law retained its
vigor: or again, because love of oneself is contained in the love of
God and of one's neighbor: since true self-love consists in directing
oneself to God. And for this reason the decalogue includes those
precepts only which refer to our neighbor and to God.
Secondly, it may be answered that the precepts of the decalogue are
those which the people received from God immediately; wherefore it is
written (Deut. 10:4): "He wrote in the tables, according as He had
written before, the ten words, which the Lord spoke to you." Hence
the precepts of the decalogue need to be such as the people can
understand at once. Now a precept implies the notion of duty. But it
is easy for a man, especially for a believer, to understand that, of
necessity, he owes certain duties to God and to his neighbor. But
that, in matters which regard himself and not another, man has, of
necessity, certain duties to himself, is not so evident: for, at the
first glance, it seems that everyone is free in matters that concern
himself. And therefore the precepts which prohibit disorders of a man
with regard to himself, reach the people through the instruction of
men who are versed in such matters; and, consequently, they are not
contained in the decalogue.
Reply Obj. 2: All the solemnities of the Old Law were instituted in
celebration of some Divine favor, either in memory of past favors, or
in sign of some favor to come: in like manner all the sacrifices were
offered up with the same purpose. Now of all the Divine favors to be
commemorated the chief was that of the Creation, which was called to
mind by the sanctification of the Sabbath; wherefore the reason for
this precept is given in Ex. 20:11: "In six days the Lord made heaven
and earth," etc. And of all future blessings, the chief and final was
the repose of the mind in God, either, in the present life, by grace,
or, in the future life, by glory; which repose was also foreshadowed
in the Sabbath-day observance: wherefore it is written (Isa. 58:13):
"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy own will
in My holy day, and call the Sabbath delightful, and the holy of the
Lord glorious." Because these favors first and chiefly are borne in
mind by men, especially by the faithful. But other solemnities were
celebrated on account of certain particular favors temporal and
transitory, such as the celebration of the Passover in memory of the
past favor of the delivery from Egypt, and as a sign of the future
Passion of Christ, which though temporal and transitory, brought us
to the repose of the spiritual Sabbath. Consequently, the Sabbath
alone, and none of the other solemnities and sacrifices, is mentioned
in the precepts of the decalogue.
Reply Obj. 3: As the Apostle says (Heb. 6:16), "men swear by one
greater than themselves; and an oath for confirmation is the end of
all their controversy." Hence, since oaths are common to all,
inordinate swearing is the matter of a special prohibition by a
precept of the decalogue. According to one interpretation, however,
the words, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain," are a prohibition of false doctrine, for one gloss expounds
them thus: "Thou shalt not say that Christ is a creature."
Reply Obj. 4: That a man should not do harm to anyone is an immediate
dictate of his natural reason: and therefore the precepts that forbid
the doing of harm are binding on all men. But it is not an immediate
dictate of natural reason that a man should do one thing in return
for another, unless he happen to be indebted to someone. Now a son's
debt to his father is so evident that one cannot get away from it by
denying it: since the father is the principle of generation and
being, and also of upbringing and teaching. Wherefore the decalogue
does not prescribe deeds of kindness or service to be done to anyone
except to one's parents. On the other hand parents do not seem to be
indebted to their children for any favors received, but rather the
reverse is the case. Again, a child is a part of his father; and
"parents love their children as being a part of themselves," as the
Philosopher states (Ethic. viii, 12). Hence, just as the decalogue
contains no ordinance as to man's behavior towards himself, so, for
the same reason, it includes no precept about loving one's children.
Reply Obj. 5: The pleasure of adultery and the usefulness of wealth,
in so far as they have the character of pleasurable or useful good,
are of themselves, objects of appetite: and for this reason they
needed to be forbidden not only in the deed but also in the desire.
But murder and falsehood are, of themselves, objects of repulsion
(since it is natural for man to love his neighbor and the truth): and
are desired only for the sake of something else. Consequently with
regard to sins of murder and false witness, it was necessary to
proscribe, not sins of thought, but only sins of deed.
Reply Obj. 6: As stated above (Q. 25, A. 1), all the passions of the
irascible faculty arise from the passions of the concupiscible part.
Hence, as the precepts of the decalogue are, as it were, the first
elements of the Law, there was no need for mention of the irascible
passions, but only of the concupiscible passions.
________________________