Whether It Is Lawful for Clerics to Kill Evil-doers?
Objection 1: It would seem lawful for clerics to kill evil-doers. For
clerics especially should fulfil the precept of the Apostle (1 Cor.
4:16): "Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ," whereby we are
called upon to imitate God and His saints. Now the very God whom we
worship puts evildoers to death, according to Ps. 135:10, "Who smote
Egypt with their firstborn." Again Moses made the Levites slay
twenty-three thousand men on account of the worship of the calf (Ex.
32), the priest Phinees slew the Israelite who went in to the woman
of Madian (Num. 25), Samuel killed Agag king of Amalec (1 Kings 15),
Elias slew the priests of Baal (3 Kings 18), Mathathias killed the
man who went up to the altar to sacrifice (1 Mac. 2); and, in the New
Testament, Peter killed Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5). Therefore it
seems that even clerics may kill evil-doers.
Obj. 2: Further, spiritual power is greater than the secular and is
more united to God. Now the secular power as "God's minister"
lawfully puts evil-doers to death, according to Rom. 13:4. Much more
therefore may clerics, who are God's ministers and have spiritual
power, put evil-doers to death.
Obj. 3: Further, whosoever lawfully accepts an office, may lawfully
exercise the functions of that office. Now it belongs to the princely
office to slay evildoers, as stated above (A. 3). Therefore those
clerics who are earthly princes may lawfully slay malefactors.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (1 Tim. 3:2, 3): "It behooveth . . .
a bishop to be without crime [*Vulg.: 'blameless.' 'Without crime' is
the reading in Tit. 1:7] . . . not given to wine, no striker."
_I answer that,_ It is unlawful for clerics to kill, for two reasons.
First, because they are chosen for the ministry of the altar, whereon
is represented the Passion of Christ slain "Who, when He was struck
did not strike [Vulg.: 'When He suffered, He threatened not']" (1
Pet. 2:23). Therefore it becomes not clerics to strike or kill: for
ministers should imitate their master, according to Ecclus. 10:2, "As
the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers." The
other reason is because clerics are entrusted with the ministry of
the New Law, wherein no punishment of death or of bodily maiming is
appointed: wherefore they should abstain from such things in order
that they may be fitting ministers of the New Testament.
Reply Obj. 1: God works in all things without exception whatever is
right, yet in each one according to its mode. Wherefore everyone
should imitate God in that which is specially becoming to him. Hence,
though God slays evildoers even corporally, it does not follow that
all should imitate Him in this. As regards Peter, he did not put
Ananias and Saphira to death by his own authority or with his own
hand, but published their death sentence pronounced by God. The
Priests or Levites of the Old Testament were the ministers of the Old
Law, which appointed corporal penalties, so that it was fitting for
them to slay with their own hands.
Reply Obj. 2: The ministry of clerics is concerned with better things
than corporal slayings, namely with things pertaining to spiritual
welfare, and so it is not fitting for them to meddle with minor
matters.
Reply Obj. 3: Ecclesiastical prelates accept the office of earthly
princes, not that they may inflict capital punishment themselves, but
that this may be carried into effect by others in virtue of their
authority.
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