Whether the Ceremonies of the Old Law Are Suitably Divided into
Sacrifices, Sacred Things, Sacraments, and Observances?
Objection 1: It would seem that the ceremonies of the Old Law are
unsuitably divided into "sacrifices, sacred things, sacraments, and
observances." For the ceremonies of the Old Law foreshadowed Christ.
But this was done only by the sacrifices, which foreshadowed the
sacrifice in which Christ "delivered Himself an oblation and a
sacrifice to God" (Eph. 5:2). Therefore none but the sacrifices were
ceremonies.
Obj. 2: Further, the Old Law was ordained to the New. But in the New
Law the sacrifice is the Sacrament of the Altar. Therefore in the Old
Law there should be no distinction between "sacrifices" and
"sacraments."
Obj. 3: Further, a "sacred thing" is something dedicated to God: in
which sense the tabernacle and its vessels were said to be
consecrated. But all the ceremonial precepts were ordained to the
worship of God, as stated above (A. 1). Therefore all ceremonies were
sacred things. Therefore "sacred things" should not be taken as a
part of the ceremonies.
Obj. 4: Further, "observances" are so called from having to be
observed. But all the precepts of the Law had to be observed: for it
is written (Deut. 8:11): "Observe [Douay: 'Take heed'] and beware
lest at any time thou forget the Lord thy God, and neglect His
commandments and judgments and ceremonies." Therefore the
"observances" should not be considered as a part of the ceremonies.
Obj. 5: Further, the solemn festivals are reckoned as part of the
ceremonial: since they were a shadow of things to come (Col. 2:16,
17): and the same may be said of the oblations and gifts, as appears
from the words of the Apostle (Heb. 9:9): and yet these do not seem
to be inclined in any of those mentioned above. Therefore the above
division of ceremonies is unsuitable.
_On the contrary,_ In the Old Law each of the above is called a
ceremony. For the sacrifices are called ceremonies (Num. 15:24):
"They shall offer a calf . . . and the sacrifices and libations
thereof, as the ceremonies require." Of the sacrament of Order it is
written (Lev. 7:35): "This is the anointing of Aaron and his sons in
the ceremonies." Of sacred things also it is written (Ex. 38:21):
"These are the instruments of the tabernacle of the testimony . . .
in the ceremonies of the Levites." And again of the observances it is
written (3 Kings 9:6): "If you . . . shall turn away from following
Me, and will not observe [Douay: 'keep'] My . . . ceremonies which I
have set before you."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (AA. 1, 2), the ceremonial precepts
are ordained to the Divine worship. Now in this worship we may
consider the worship itself, the worshippers, and the instruments of
worship. The worship consists specially in _sacrifices,_ which are
offered up in honor of God. The instruments of worship refer to the
_sacred things,_ such as the tabernacle, the vessels and so forth.
With regard to the worshippers two points may be considered. The
first point is their preparation for Divine worship, which is
effected by a sort of consecration either of the people or of the
ministers; and to this the _sacraments_ refer. The second point is
their particular mode of life, whereby they are distinguished from
those who do not worship God: and to this pertain the _observances,_
for instance, in matters of food, clothing, and so forth.
Reply Obj. 1: It was necessary for the sacrifices to be offered both
in some certain place and by some certain men: and all this pertained
to the worship of God. Wherefore just as their sacrifices signified
Christ the victim, so too their sacraments and sacred things
foreshadowed the sacraments and sacred things of the New Law; while
their observances foreshadowed the mode of life of the people under
the New Law: all of which things pertain to Christ.
Reply Obj. 2: The sacrifice of the New Law, viz. the Eucharist,
contains Christ Himself, the Author of our Sanctification: for He
sanctified "the people by His own blood" (Heb. 13:12). Hence this
Sacrifice is also a sacrament. But the sacrifices of the Old Law did
not contain Christ, but foreshadowed Him; hence they are not called
sacraments. In order to signify this there were certain sacraments
apart from the sacrifices of the Old Law, which sacraments were
figures of the sanctification to come. Nevertheless to certain
consecrations certain sacrifices were united.
Reply Obj. 3: The sacrifices and sacraments were of course sacred
things. But certain things were sacred, through being dedicated to
the Divine worship, and yet were not sacrifices or sacraments:
wherefore they retained the common designation of sacred things.
Reply Obj. 4: Those things which pertained to the mode of life of the
people who worshipped God, retained the common designation of
observances, in so far as they fell short of the above. For they were
not called sacred things, because they had no immediate connection
with the worship of God, such as the tabernacle and its vessels had.
But by a sort of consequence they were matters of ceremony, in so far
as they affected the fitness of the people who worshipped God.
Reply Obj. 5: Just as the sacrifices were offered in a fixed place,
so were they offered at fixed times: for which reason the solemn
festivals seem to be reckoned among the sacred things. The oblations
and gifts are counted together with the sacrifices; hence the Apostle
says (Heb. 5:1): "Every high-priest taken from among men, is ordained
for men in things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts
and sacrifices."
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