Whether Vengeance Is Lawful?
Objection 1: It seems that vengeance is not lawful. For whoever
usurps what is God's sins. But vengeance belongs to God, for it is
written (Deut. 32:35, Rom. 12:19): "Revenge to Me, and I will repay."
Therefore all vengeance is unlawful.
Obj. 2: Further, he that takes vengeance on a man does not bear with
him. But we ought to bear with the wicked, for a gloss on Cant. 2:2,
"As the lily among the thorns," says: "He is not a good man that
cannot bear with a wicked one." Therefore we should not take
vengeance on the wicked.
Obj. 3: Further, vengeance is taken by inflicting punishment, which
is the cause of servile fear. But the New Law is not a law of fear,
but of love, as Augustine states (Contra Adamant. xvii). Therefore at
least in the New Testament all vengeance is unlawful.
Obj. 4: Further, a man is said to avenge himself when he takes
revenge for wrongs inflicted on himself. But, seemingly, it is
unlawful even for a judge to punish those who have wronged him: for
Chrysostom [*Cf. Opus Imperfectum, Hom. v in Matth., falsely ascribed
to St. Chrysostom] says: "Let us learn after Christ's example to bear
our own wrongs with magnanimity, yet not to suffer God's wrongs, not
even by listening to them." Therefore vengeance seems to be unlawful.
Obj. 5: Further, the sin of a multitude is more harmful than the sin
of only one: for it is written (Ecclus. 26:5-7): "Of three things my
heart hath been afraid . . . the accusation of a city, and the
gathering together of the people, and a false calumny." But vengeance
should not be taken on the sin of a multitude, for a gloss on Matt.
13:29, 30, "Lest perhaps . . . you root up the wheat . . . suffer
both to grow," says that "a multitude should not be excommunicated,
nor should the sovereign." Neither therefore is any other vengeance
lawful.
_On the contrary,_ We should look to God for nothing save what is
good and lawful. But we are to look to God for vengeance on His
enemies: for it is written (Luke 18:7): "Will not God revenge His
elect who cry to Him day and night?" as if to say: "He will indeed."
Therefore vengeance is not essentially evil and unlawful.
_I answer that,_ Vengeance consists in the infliction of a penal evil
on one who has sinned. Accordingly, in the matter of vengeance, we
must consider the mind of the avenger. For if his intention is
directed chiefly to the evil of the person on whom he takes vengeance
and rests there, then his vengeance is altogether unlawful: because
to take pleasure in another's evil belongs to hatred, which is
contrary to the charity whereby we are bound to love all men. Nor is
it an excuse that he intends the evil of one who has unjustly
inflicted evil on him, as neither is a man excused for hating one
that hates him: for a man may not sin against another just because
the latter has already sinned against him, since this is to be
overcome by evil, which was forbidden by the Apostle, who says (Rom.
12:21): "Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good."
If, however, the avenger's intention be directed chiefly to some
good, to be obtained by means of the punishment of the person who has
sinned (for instance that the sinner may amend, or at least that he
may be restrained and others be not disturbed, that justice may be
upheld, and God honored), then vengeance may be lawful, provided
other due circumstances be observed.
Reply Obj. 1: He who takes vengeance on the wicked in keeping with
his rank and position does not usurp what belongs to God but makes
use of the power granted him by God. For it is written (Rom. 13:4) of
the earthly prince that "he is God's minister, an avenger to execute
wrath upon him that doeth evil." If, however, a man takes vengeance
outside the order of divine appointment, he usurps what is God's and
therefore sins.
Reply Obj. 2: The good bear with the wicked by enduring patiently,
and in due manner, the wrongs they themselves receive from them: but
they do not bear with them as to endure the wrongs they inflict on
God and their neighbor. For Chrysostom [*Cf. Opus Imperfectum, Hom. v
in Matth., falsely ascribed to St. Chrysostom] says: "It is
praiseworthy to be patient under our own wrongs, but to overlook
God's wrongs is most wicked."
Reply Obj. 3: The law of the Gospel is the law of love, and therefore
those who do good out of love, and who alone properly belong to the
Gospel, ought not to be terrorized by means of punishment, but only
those who are not moved by love to do good, and who, though they
belong to the Church outwardly, do not belong to it in merit.
Reply Obj. 4: Sometimes a wrong done to a person reflects on God and
the Church: and then it is the duty of that person to avenge the
wrong. For example, Elias made fire descend on those who were come to
seize him (4 Kings 1); likewise Eliseus cursed the boys that mocked
him (4 Kings 2); and Pope Sylverius excommunicated those who sent him
into exile (XXIII, Q. iv, Cap. Guilisarius). But in so far as the
wrong inflicted on a man affects his person, he should bear it
patiently if this be expedient. For these precepts of patience are to
be understood as referring to preparedness of the mind, as Augustine
states (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i).
Reply Obj. 5: When the whole multitude sins, vengeance must be taken
on them, either in respect of the whole multitude--thus the Egyptians
were drowned in the Red Sea while they were pursuing the children of
Israel (Ex. 14), and the people of Sodom were entirely destroyed
(Gen. 19)--or as regards part of the multitude, as may be seen in the
punishment of those who worshipped the calf.
Sometimes, however, if there is hope of many making amends, the
severity of vengeance should be brought to bear on a few of the
principals, whose punishment fills the rest with fear; thus the Lord
(Num. 25) commanded the princes of the people to be hanged for the
sin of the multitude.
On the other hand, if it is not the whole but only a part of the
multitude that has sinned, then if the guilty can be separated from
the innocent, vengeance should be wrought on them: provided, however,
that this can be done without scandal to others; else the multitude
should be spared and severity foregone. The same applies to the
sovereign, whom the multitude follow. For his sin should be borne
with, if it cannot be punished without scandal to the multitude:
unless indeed his sin were such, that it would do more harm to the
multitude, either spiritually or temporally, than would the scandal
that was feared to arise from his punishment.
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