Thomas Aquinas

Having set forth above the general admonition, that they should put on newness, here the Apostle sets down specific precepts. Concerning this he does two things. First, he forbids them the interior sins that corrupt the spirit; second, the exterior sins, which corrupt the flesh, at "but fornication," etc. The first is divided into two. First he prohibits sins which consist in the disordering of oneself; second, sins which consist in the disordering of another, at "let no evil speech," etc. The first is again divided into three, because first he prohibits the sin corrupting the rational power; second, the sin disordering the irascible power, at "be angry, and sin not," etc.; third, the sin pertaining to the concupiscible power, at "he who stole," etc.

Concerning the first he does three things. First, because he prohibits one of these; second, he leads them toward the other; third, he assigns the reason. He therefore first prohibits that which pertains to the old man, so that this text is expository of what he had said before: "put on the new man" — for the putting on of which he first forbids lying, because by this sin of the mouth the truth of reason is corrupted. Hence he says "wherefore," namely that the new man is to be put on, "be" — understand this — "putting away lying," because, as it is said in Psalm 5:7: "You will destroy all who speak lying," namely pernicious lying. And afterward he leads them toward newness, saying, Zechariah 8:16: "Speak the truth, each one with his neighbor." And why? "Because we are members one of another." For members love one another and help one another mutually in truth. Romans 12:5: "We are one body in Christ, and each one members one of another."

There follows: "Be angry," etc. Here he prohibits the sin corrupting the irascible power. Concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the admonition; second he expounds it, at "let not the sun go down," etc.; third he gives the reason, at "give no place," etc.

Now he sets down the admonition when he says "be angry," etc. This can be expounded in two ways, because there is a twofold species of anger, one good, one bad. It is bad indeed when it tends inordinately toward vengeance, namely against justice; but it is good when it tends toward due vengeance, that is, when someone is angry when it is fitting, with whom it is fitting, and as much as is fitting. And it can be expounded of either.

If of the bad, the sense is thus: he does not command, but permits; as if he were to say: if it is so that a movement of anger arises — which is human — do not sin, that is, do not carry it through to effect by consent. 1 Corinthians 10:13: "Let no temptation take hold of you but such as is human." For certainly, whoever is angry with his brother otherwise will be liable to judgment, as it is said in Matthew 5:22. Concerning this anger Joseph warned his brothers, Genesis 45:24: "Do not be angry on the way."

But if it is expounded of the good, then it is taken not only permissively, as at first, but imperatively: "be angry," namely against your sins, since there is a twofold vengeance which man seeks. One concerning himself sinning, and thus penance is a certain vengeance which a man exacts and takes upon himself. And this is good anger, and of this it is said imperatively, "be angry," namely against your sins, "and sin not," namely henceforth, nor commit such things against which it would again be necessary to be angry. Now some believe that a man can safely be angry at himself on account of his own sins, but not at his neighbor on account of his; but it is not so: for just as one is angry against himself on account of his own sins, so also against his neighbor on account of his; therefore, be angry against the vices of others, and this with zeal. Numbers 25:11: "Phinehas turned away my wrath from the children of Israel, because he was moved with zeal for me against them." Thus Elijah, 3 Kings 19:10: "With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken the covenant of the Lord," etc. And do not sin by getting ahead of reason, but rather by following it. James 1:19: "Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger," etc.

There follows: "Let not the sun go down," etc. Here he expounds what he had said, and, according to the three aforesaid expositions, it can be expounded in three ways.

For if of bad anger, then thus: "the sun," etc., that is: do not persist in anger once conceived, but put it away before the setting of the sun, because although the movement is permitted, on account of frailty, delay is not permitted.

If of the good, and this against one's own sins, then thus: "the sun," that is Christ — Malachi 4:2: "To you who fear my name, the sun of justice shall arise," etc. — "let it not go down upon your anger," that is, upon your sins, for which it would again be necessary for you to be angry and to punish yourselves.

If against the sins of others, then the sun is taken thus, namely of reason. Ecclesiastes 12:1: "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the time of affliction comes, and the years draw near of which you shall say: They please me not — before the sun grows dark," etc. "Let not the sun go down upon your anger," that is, let not the dictate of reason be darkened. Job 5:2: "Anger kills the foolish man."

There follows: "Give no place to the devil," where he assigns the reason for the admonition. For the devil has a place in us through sin, or through consent. John 13:2: "When the devil had now put into the heart that Judas should betray him," etc. And it follows there, that after the morsel Satan entered into him. Now passions of this kind greatly incline one toward consent, and especially when they pervert the judgment of reason, and this anger does in a special way, which consists in the kindling of the blood, which indeed, by reason of the swiftness of its movement, precedes the judgment of reason. And because, when we are thus disturbed, the devil begins to have a place in us, therefore he says "give no place to the devil," as if to say: do not persist in anger, because by this you give place to the devil, for the whole devil is wrathful. Psalm 17:48: "My deliverer from my wrathful enemies." Now he enters man with fury and anger. Apocalypse 12:12: "The devil has come down to you, having great wrath." But he cannot do this, at least in the soul, so long as a man is just. But this justice is lost through anger, because "the anger of man does not work the justice of God," as it is said in James 1:20. If therefore you do not wish to give place to the devil, at least in the soul, let not the sun go down upon your anger. Ecclesiastes 11:10: "Remove anger from your heart."