Thomas Aquinas

Above he said that God wills all to be saved, and he proved this on the part of God, who is one of all, and on the part of Christ, who is one mediator of all; here he proves the same thing on the part of testimony. And first he brings forward other witnesses; second, his own testimony, at the words "in which I am placed." He says therefore: "he gave himself for all." But did it perhaps suddenly come into God's mind, that he who had chosen to save the Jews only should will to save the whole world? Excluding this he says, "the testimony of which was in its own times"; as if to say: this law is not sudden, but attested of old through the Law and through the Prophets. Isaiah 44:8: "You are my witnesses." Acts 10:43: "To this all the prophets bear witness," etc. "It was confirmed," namely by the fulfillment and showing of signs, and by the preaching of the apostles. "In its own times," namely in which it had been predetermined to come to pass. Ecclesiastes 3:1: "All things have their time." Or: the testimony of the apostles was confirmed at determined times. Acts 1:8: "You shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth," etc.

Then, when he says "in which I am placed," he sets forth his own testimony. And first he shows his office; second, the use of his office, at the word "truth." He says therefore, "in which," namely in the office of bearing witness, "I am placed," namely by God. John 15:16: "I have placed you that you may go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit may remain." "I a preacher," because he placed me for this, that I should preach. Mark, last chapter: "Going into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature." But in any craft there are two kinds: some working in a ministerial way, and some who arrange concerning others, namely the master-builders; but in the office of the Church, those who arrange are the apostles; and therefore he says "apostle," as it were with authority. 1 Corinthians 9:2: "You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." Now the use of the office is to preach the truth, and this is the office of preachers, that they speak the truth. Proverbs 8:7: "My throat shall meditate truth." Ephesians 4:25: "Speak the truth." But there is no teaching which does not have some truth; but a teaching is condemned in this, that it mixes falsity with truth. And therefore he says, "I speak the truth, I do not lie." Proverbs 8:8: "All my words are right." Job 6:30: "You shall not find iniquity in my tongue." And this is the use of the office, namely to preach the truth without lying, which pertains to my office, who am "teacher of the Gentiles." Now a teacher generates knowledge in the soul of the disciple. But knowledge is not of the false; hence one who teaches what is false is not a teacher. But on the contrary, Matthew 23:8: "Do not be called Rabbi." I answer: he does not forbid the ministry of teaching, but the ambition of office. Acts 9:15: "This man is a vessel of election to me, to carry my name," etc. Isaiah 49:6: "I have given you as a light of the Gentiles," etc. And I ought to teach them "in faith and truth," because he ought to teach faith and good morals. And he says "in faith," that is, concerning those things which pertain to the present state, in which we live according to faith, and "in truth" as regards the state of glory.

Then, when he says "I will," he descends to the particular ranks of men. And concerning this he does two things: first he admonishes men about prayer, second, women, at the words "likewise also women." He says therefore, "I will," etc. He requires three things from men in praying: first, that prayer be assiduous; second, pure; third, quiet. Assiduous, as at every time and in every place. And he says "I will," because it is good that a man should pray, and I the teacher will that men pray "in every place," not in Jerusalem only, as the Jews, nor on Mount Gerizim, as the Samaritans, John 4:21. In every place a man can pray spiritually and mentally. Zephaniah 2:11: "Men shall worship him from his own place, all the islands of the Gentiles," etc. But how does the Lord reprove the Pharisees standing at the corners, Matthew 6:5? I answer: mental prayer can be done anywhere, but outward signs of prayer ought not to be made in every place, because a man ought not to appear singular in outward things, since on account of this vain glory could be had. But why then are churches made? I answer: not that a place is of necessity to prayer, but for its well-being; because prayer requires solitude and quiet.

Likewise pure. Therefore he says "lifting up pure hands." Augustine: what we do outwardly in praying, we do so that our affection may be stirred up inwardly. For genuflections and things of this kind are not in themselves acceptable to God, but because through these, as through signs of humility, a man is inwardly humbled, just as the raising of the hands signifies the raising of the heart. Lamentations 3:41: "Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to the Lord in heaven." "Lifting up," etc., that is, praying with devotion of heart. Job 8:5f: "If you rise at dawn to God, and entreat the Almighty, if you walk clean and upright, at once he will awaken to you, and will render the dwelling of your righteousness peaceful."

Likewise quiet. Therefore he says "without anger and disputation." And he sets down two things. First, namely, that the mind be without anger, which disquiets the soul toward inflicting harm on one's neighbor, from which the soul of the one praying must be free. Sirach 28:3: "Man keeps anger against man, and seeks healing from God." Likewise a man ought to be free from disputation, which can be understood in two ways. In one way, according to the Gloss, that we should not dispute against God, being incredulous of his words, and murmuring against his ordinance. Romans 9:20: "O man, who are you that you should answer back to God," etc. Likewise against one's neighbor, that we should not break peace with him, which is done through disputation. For peace is necessary to one who prays. Matthew 18:19: "If two of you shall agree on earth, concerning any matter which they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father."

Then, when he says "likewise also women," he sets women in order, and first as to prayer, second as to teaching, at the words "let women in silence." Likewise, first he shows what is required of a woman praying; second he explains what he had said, at the words "not in braided." Concerning the first it must be known that all things which are required for a man praying are required also for women. And therefore he says "likewise also women," as if to say: let them keep all the things that have been said. But he adds two things, namely adornment and modesty, saying "in adorned attire with modesty," the reason for which is, that it is natural that, just as women are of softer body than men, so also of weaker reason. Now it belongs to reason to order the acts and the effects of each thing. But adornment consists in due order and disposition. Thus in inward comeliness, unless all things be ordered by disposition through reason, they do not have spiritual beauty. And therefore, because women fall short in reason, he requires adornment from them. Likewise modesty concerns a shameful act, and therefore it is praiseworthy in those who are accustomed to fall easily into shameful acts, of which sort are the young and women, and therefore this is praised in them, but not in the old and the perfect. Sirach 26:19: "Grace upon grace is a holy and modest woman." Likewise he requires sobriety; hence there follows "and with sobriety." For because in women reason is weak, and sobriety preserves the power of reason, therefore drunkenness is most especially reproved in women. Hence of old among the Romans wine was not given to them.

"Not with braided hair, and gold," etc. He explains what he had said, and first concerning adornment, second concerning modesty, at the words "but what becomes." Concerning the first, first he excludes bodily adornment; second he sets down spiritual adornment, at the words "but what becomes." Concerning the first he says: what I said about adorned attire, I do not mean of the exterior, because "not with braided hair," that is, not with the head or the whole body adorned. But women adorn the head especially, which is natural to woman, as is said 1 Corinthians 11:15. And therefore they have adornments on the head. But on the head there is a twofold covering. One is natural, namely the hair, as is said 1 Corinthians 11:5; the other artificial, and in both they adorn themselves, because they braid their hair. Hence he says "not with braided," that is, curled. Isaiah 3:24: "Instead of curled hair there shall be baldness." Likewise he forbids artificial things, when he says "or with gold, or pearls." 1 Peter 3:3: "Not the outward braiding of hair, or the wearing of gold, or of apparel, or the adornment of garments," etc. Or: "not with braided hair, and gold," that is, not having hair braided with gold, or pearls. But as to the whole body he says "or with costly garment"; for this the apostle condemns here, and Isaiah 3:17.

But is this indeed a sin? I answer: it must be said that according to Augustine two things are to be considered in the adornment of women, namely simple adornment and painted adornment. Simple adornment, as in garment, and in gold, and things of this kind, can be done with sin in three ways: namely from a depraved intention, as if they intend the stirring of concupiscence, ostentation, or vain glory. Proverbs 7:10: "Prepared to capture souls." Second, if it be done contrary to the custom of one's homeland, which is done in various ways. For what exceeds the accustomed measure of one's homeland comes from lightness of mind. Third, if it exceeds the condition of one's own state. But if right intention, the custom of one's homeland, and the condition of one's state are preserved, it is not a sin. But concerning the painted kind, it is always a sin. For women are not permitted to be adorned except for the sake of men, and men do not wish to be deceived, so that painted women should appear to them.

Let there be, therefore, not such adornment, but such as becomes women "professing godliness." For the exterior works of man are as it were a certain profession of the interior man, just as religious have their habit for this, and clerics likewise. Hence unless the interior agrees with the exterior, it is a pretense. So too concerning other interior works. For inwardly we ought to cultivate godliness, that is, to have the worship of God, but outwardly to promise and to render it through good works, which agree with godliness; and likewise to have inwardly, just as we show outwardly. Or, I say, that they ought to adorn themselves not outwardly, but according to what becomes them "professing," that is, what they ought to profess, godliness through good works. Sirach 19:27: "The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the walk of a man declare concerning him."