Whether One Ought, by Humility, to Subject Oneself to All Men?
Objection 1: It would seem that one ought not, by humility, to
subject oneself to all men. For, as stated above (A. 2, ad 3),
humility consists chiefly in man's subjection to God. Now one ought
not to offer to a man that which is due to God, as is the case with
all acts of religious worship. Therefore, by humility, one ought not
to subject oneself to man.
Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Nat. et Gratia xxxiv): "Humility
should take the part of truth, not of falsehood." Now some men are of
the highest rank, who cannot, without falsehood, subject themselves
to their inferiors. Therefore one ought not, by humility, to subject
oneself to all men.
Obj. 3: Further no one ought to do that which conduces to the
detriment of another's spiritual welfare. But if a man subject
himself to another by humility, this is detrimental to the person to
whom he subjects himself; for the latter might wax proud, or despise
the other. Hence Augustine says in his Rule (Ep. ccxi): "Lest through
excessive humility the superior lose his authority." Therefore a man
ought not, by humility, to subject himself to all.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Phil. 2:3): "In humility, let each
esteem others better than themselves."
_I answer that,_ We may consider two things in man, namely that which
is God's, and that which is man's. Whatever pertains to defect is
man's: but whatever pertains to man's welfare and perfection is
God's, according to the saying of Osee 13:9, "Destruction is thy own,
O Israel; thy help is only in Me." Now humility, as stated above (A.
1, ad 5; A. 2, ad 3), properly regards the reverence whereby man is
subject to God. Wherefore every man, in respect of that which is his
own, ought to subject himself to every neighbor, in respect of that
which the latter has of God's: but humility does not require a man to
subject what he has of God's to that which may seem to be God's in
another. For those who have a share of God's gifts know that they
have them, according to 1 Cor. 2:12: "That we may know the things
that are given us from God." Wherefore without prejudice to humility
they may set the gifts they have received from God above those that
others appear to have received from Him; thus the Apostle says (Eph.
3:5): "(The mystery of Christ) was not known to the sons of men as it
is now revealed to His holy apostles." In like manner, humility does
not require a man to subject that which he has of his own to that
which his neighbor has of man's: otherwise each one would have to
esteem himself a greater sinner than anyone else: whereas the Apostle
says without prejudice to humility (Gal. 2:15): "We by nature are
Jews, and not of the Gentiles, sinners." Nevertheless a man may
esteem his neighbor to have some good which he lacks himself, or
himself to have some evil which another has not: by reason of which,
he may subject himself to him with humility.
Reply Obj. 1: We must not only revere God in Himself, but also that
which is His in each one, although not with the same measure of
reverence as we revere God. Wherefore we should subject ourselves
with humility to all our neighbors for God's sake, according to 1
Pet. 2:13, "Be ye subject . . . to every human creature for God's
sake"; but to God alone do we owe the worship of latria.
Reply Obj. 2: If we set what our neighbor has of God's above that
which we have of our own, we cannot incur falsehood. Wherefore a
gloss [*St. Augustine, QQ. lxxxiii, qu. 71] on Phil. 2:3, "Esteem
others better than themselves," says: "We must not esteem by
pretending to esteem; but we should in truth think it possible for
another person to have something that is hidden to us and whereby he
is better than we are, although our own good whereby we are
apparently better than he, be not hidden."
Reply Obj. 3: Humility, like other virtues, resides chiefly inwardly
in the soul. Consequently a man, by an inward act of the soul, may
subject himself to another, without giving the other man an occasion
of detriment to his spiritual welfare. This is what Augustine means
in his Rule (Ep. ccxi): "With fear, the superior should prostrate
himself at your feet in the sight of God." On the other hand, due
moderation must be observed in the outward acts of humility even as
of other virtues, lest they conduce to the detriment of others. If,
however, a man does as he ought, and others take therefrom an
occasion of sin, this is not imputed to the man who acts with
humility; since he does not give scandal, although others take it.
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