Thomas Aquinas

Above, having set down the admonition, the Apostle taught that, the old state having been laid aside, the Ephesians should take up newness, by forbidding spiritual vices; here he forbids for them also carnal vices. Now it is divided into two parts. For first he forbids the old state of the carnal vices; second he leads them on to newness, where he says, "See therefore, brethren," etc. The first is again divided into three. First he excludes the old state of the vices; second he sets forth their punishment, where he says, "But know this," etc.; third he excludes a deception, where he says, "Let no man deceive you," etc. The first, again, is divided into two. First he excludes certain principal vices; second he excludes certain adjoined vices, where he says, "or obscenity," etc.

Now he excludes three vices: namely, natural lust, which is with one who is not one's own, whence he says, "fornication." Hosea 4:12: "For the spirit of fornications has deceived them." 1 Corinthians 6:18: "Flee fornication." So did Job, ch. 31:1: "I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin." Now fornication is named from "fornix," that is, a triumphal arch, next to which there were brothels. Proverbs 20: "fornication entered upon them," etc. And "all uncleanness," that is, every pollution against nature, namely, that which is not ordered to generation. Galatians 5:12: "Manifest are the works of the flesh, which are fornication, uncleanness, lust," etc. Third he excludes avarice, saying, "or covetousness."

But why this? Is it the same as the carnal sins? I respond: it must be said that it is not, nor is it entirely divided from them, but it is a mean between spiritual and carnal sins; which is evident thus. In sin there are two things, namely the object of the sin, and the delight in the object. There are, therefore, some sins whose object and delight are spiritual, as anger. For vengeance, which is the object of anger, and its delight, is something spiritual; and likewise vainglory. But some sins are entirely carnal, both object and delight, as gluttony and lust. But avarice holds the middle, because its object is carnal, namely money, but its delight is spiritual, because one's mind comes to rest in money. And therefore avarice is reckoned together with the carnal sins by reason of its object, but with the spiritual ones by reason of its delight. Hebrews, last chapter: "Let your manners be without covetousness." Or it must be said that avarice is opposed to justice, whence it is put for a species of lust, namely adultery, which is the unjust use of another's wife, just as avarice is the unjust use of money.

But above he said, "he that stole," etc.; here, however, he says that it should not even be named, etc., because in spiritual combat the carnal vices are the first that must be overcome; for one fights in vain against the interior things unless he first conquers the exterior ones, namely the carnal, against which the war always remains. And therefore he says, "let it not so much as be named among you, as becomes saints," namely, that one should abstain from deeds, from thoughts, and from words. Isaiah 14: "I will destroy the name of Babylon, and the remains, and the offspring and the stock." Ecclesiasticus 41:15: "Take care of a good name, for this becomes saints." 2 Corinthians 6:4: "In all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God," etc.

There follows, "or obscenity," etc., where he sets down certain adjoined vices. Concerning this he does two things. First he excludes the adjoined vices; second he leads to their contraries, where he says, "but rather the giving of thanks," etc.

He excludes, therefore, three vices: namely, obscenity, which is in shameful touches and embraces and lustful kisses. Proverbs 6:32: "But he that is an adulterer, on account of the poverty of his heart, shall destroy his own soul; he gathers to himself shame and disgrace." Likewise, foolish talking, that is, words provoking to evil. Ecclesiasticus 9:11: "her conversation burns as fire," namely, of the evil woman. And scurrility, that is, a jesting word, by which some wish thereby to please others. Matthew 12:36: "Of every idle word that men shall have spoken, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment." And all these are mortal, insofar as they are ordered to mortal sins, because a thing, even if it is good in its genus, insofar as it is ordered to what is mortal, is itself mortal.

Then he leads them to the contraries, namely the giving of thanks. Whence he says, "but rather the giving of thanks." Isaiah 51:3: "Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of praise."