Whether the Nature of the Ceremonial Precepts Consists in Their
Pertaining to the Worship of God?
Objection 1: It would seem that the nature of the ceremonial precepts
does not consist in their pertaining to the worship of God. Because,
in the Old Law, the Jews were given certain precepts about abstinence
from food (Lev. 11); and about refraining from certain kinds of
clothes, e.g. (Lev. 19:19): "Thou shalt not wear a garment that is
woven of two sorts"; and again (Num. 15:38): "To make to themselves
fringes in the corners of their garments." But these are not moral
precepts; since they do not remain in the New Law. Nor are they
judicial precepts; since they do not pertain to the pronouncing of
judgment between man and man. Therefore they are ceremonial precepts.
Yet they seem in no way to pertain to the worship of God. Therefore
the nature of the ceremonial precepts does not consist in their
pertaining to Divine worship.
Obj. 2: Further, some state that the ceremonial precepts are those
which pertain to solemnities; as though they were so called from the
_cerei_ (candles) which are lit up on those occasions. But many other
things besides solemnities pertain to the worship of God. Therefore
it does not seem that the ceremonial precepts are so called from
their pertaining to the Divine worship.
Obj. 3: Further, some say that the ceremonial precepts are patterns,
i.e. rules, of salvation: because the Greek _chaire_ is the same as
the Latin "salve." But all the precepts of the Law are rules of
salvation, and not only those that pertain to the worship of God.
Therefore not only those precepts which pertain to Divine worship are
called ceremonial.
Obj. 4: Further, Rabbi Moses says (Doct. Perplex. iii) that the
ceremonial precepts are those for which there is no evident reason.
But there is evident reason for many things pertaining to the worship
of God; such as the observance of the Sabbath, the feasts of the
Passover and of the Tabernacles, and many other things, the reason
for which is set down in the Law. Therefore the ceremonial precepts
are not those which pertain to the worship of God.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ex. 18:19, 20): "Be thou to the
people in those things that pertain to God . . . and . . . shew the
people the ceremonies and the manner of worshipping."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 99, A. 4), the ceremonial
precepts are determinations of the moral precepts whereby man is
directed to God, just as the judicial precepts are determinations of
the moral precepts whereby he is directed to his neighbor. Now man is
directed to God by the worship due to Him. Wherefore those precepts
are properly called ceremonial, which pertain to the Divine worship.
The reason for their being so called was given above (Q. 99, A. 3),
when we established the distinction between the ceremonial and the
other precepts.
Reply Obj. 1: The Divine worship includes not only sacrifices and the
like, which seem to be directed to God immediately, but also those
things whereby His worshippers are duly prepared to worship Him: thus
too in other matters, whatever is preparatory to the end comes under
the science whose object is the end. Accordingly those precepts of
the Law which regard the clothing and food of God's worshippers, and
other such matters, pertain to a certain preparation of the
ministers, with the view of fitting them for the Divine worship: just
as those who administer to a king make use of certain special
observances. Consequently such are contained under the ceremonial
precepts.
Reply Obj. 2: The alleged explanation of the name does not seem very
probable: especially as the Law does not contain many instances of
the lighting of candles in solemnities; since, even the lamps of the
Candlestick were furnished with "oil of olives," as stated in Lev.
24:2. Nevertheless we may say that all things pertaining to the
Divine worship were more carefully observed on solemn festivals: so
that all ceremonial precepts may be included under the observance of
solemnities.
Reply Obj. 3: Neither does this explanation of the name appear to be
very much to the point, since the word "ceremony" is not Greek but
Latin. We may say, however, that, since man's salvation is from God,
those precepts above all seem to be rules of salvation, which direct
man to God: and accordingly those which refer to Divine worship are
called ceremonial precepts.
Reply Obj. 4: This explanation of the ceremonial precepts has a
certain amount of probability: not that they are called ceremonial
precisely because there is no evident reason for them; this is a kind
of consequence. For, since the precepts referring to the Divine
worship must needs be figurative, as we shall state further on (A.
2), the consequence is that the reason for them is not so very
evident.
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