Whether It Belongs to Observance to Pay Worship and Honor to Those
Who Are in Positions of Dignity?
Objection 1: It seems that it does not belong to observance to pay
worship and honor to persons in positions of dignity. For according
to Augustine (De Civ. Dei x), we are said to worship those persons
whom we hold in honor, so that worship and honor would seem to be the
same. Therefore it is unfitting to define observance as paying
worship and honor to persons in positions of dignity.
Obj. 2: Further, it belongs to justice that we pay what we owe:
wherefore this belongs to observance also, since it is a part of
justice. Now we do not owe worship and honor to all persons in
positions of dignity, but only to those who are placed over us.
Therefore observance is unfittingly defined as giving worship and
honor to all.
Obj. 3: Further, not only do we owe honor to persons of dignity who
are placed over us; we owe them also fear and a certain payment of
remuneration, according to Rom. 13:7, "Render . . . to all men their
dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to
whom fear; honor to whom honor." Moreover, we owe them reverence and
subjection, according to Heb. 13:17, "Obey your prelates, and be
subject to them." Therefore observance is not fittingly defined as
paying worship and honor.
_On the contrary,_ Tully says (De Invent. Rhet. ii) that "it is by
observance that we pay worship and honor to those who excel in some
kind of dignity."
_I answer that,_ It belongs to persons in positions of dignity to
govern subjects. Now to govern is to move certain ones to their due
end: thus a sailor governs his ship by steering it to port. But every
mover has a certain excellence and power over that which is moved.
Wherefore, a person in a position of dignity is an object of twofold
consideration: first, in so far as he obtains excellence of position,
together with a certain power over subjects: secondly, as regards the
exercise of his government. In respect of his excellence there is due
to him honor, which is the recognition of some kind of excellence;
and in respect of the exercise of his government, there is due to him
worship, consisting in rendering him service, by obeying his
commands, and by repaying him, according to one's faculty, for the
benefits we received from him.
Reply Obj. 1: Worship includes not only honor, but also whatever
other suitable actions are connected with the relations between man
and man.
Reply Obj. 2: As stated above (Q. 80), debt is twofold. One is legal
debt, to pay which man is compelled by law; and thus man owes honor
and worship to those persons in positions of dignity who are placed
over him. The other is moral debt, which is due by reason of a
certain honesty: it is in this way that we owe worship and honor to
persons in positions of dignity even though we be not their subjects.
Reply Obj. 3: Honor is due to the excellence of persons in positions
of dignity, on account of their higher rank: while fear is due to
them on account of their power to use compulsion: and to the exercise
of their government there is due both obedience, whereby subjects are
moved at the command of their superiors, and tributes, which are a
repayment of their labor.
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