Thomas Aquinas

Above he rejected the superstitious abstinence from foods; here he charges Timothy to set before the faithful the teaching already given, and first he shows what he ought to set forth; second, what he ought to avoid, at the words "but foolish." He sets forth, therefore, two reasons why he ought to set forth what was said above: one from the office committed to him, the second from his upbringing. He therefore says, "these things" — that is, what I said above, namely that every creature is good and that nothing is to be rejected, etc. — "setting forth," and so on. For Timothy had been established in the office of the ministry of Christ, since all who have the office of preaching and ruling are established as ministers of Christ. 1 Cor. 4:1: "So let a man regard us as ministers of Christ," etc. Now he is a good minister who follows the intention of his lord. But Christ taught this: Matt. 15:11: "Nothing that enters into the mouth defiles." And therefore this office requires him to teach that. Likewise his very upbringing requires this. Prov. 22:6: "A young man, according to his way, even when he is old, will not depart from it." And therefore it is unfitting that those nourished on the truth of doctrine should depart from it. Hence one who departs from the doctrine by which the Church instructs her little ones is not a good minister of Christ. And therefore he says, "nourished on the words of the faith," etc. For the word of God is spiritual nourishment by which the soul is sustained, just as the body is by food. Matt. 4:4: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." This word of faith instructs, first, concerning what is to be believed, and thus he says "nourished on the words of the faith"; second, concerning what is to be done, and thus he adds "and of good doctrine." Or: "the word of faith," which even the simple have, and "of good doctrine," which spiritual teachers have.

Then, when he says "foolish," etc., he shows what is to be avoided, namely foolish and empty fables. For a fable, according to the Philosopher, is composed of marvels, and fables were first invented, as the Philosopher says in the Poetics, because the intention of men was to lead others to acquire virtues and avoid vices. But the simple are better led by representations than by reasonings. Hence in a marvel well represented delight is seen to arise, because reason delights in comparison. And just as representation in deeds is delightful, so too is representation in words; and this is a fable, namely a saying representing something, and by representing, moving toward something. For the ancients had certain fables fitted to certain truths, in which they concealed the truth under fables. There are, therefore, two things in a fable: namely, that it contain a true sense, and that it represent something useful. Likewise, that it be fitting to that truth. If, then, a fable is set forth which cannot represent any truth, it is empty; but one which does not properly represent is foolish, like the fables of the Talmud.

Then, when he says "exercise," etc., having excluded superstitious abstinence, he here compares virtuous abstinence to the other virtues. And it should be known that Timothy was a man of great abstinence. Hence he says below, 5:23, that he should use a little wine — perhaps so that he might be attentive to those things which pertain to mercy, since those who do not spare themselves frequently do not spare others either. And therefore he leads him to prefer piety to abstinence. And first he leads him to piety; second, he prefers it to abstinence, at the words "for bodily"; third, he confirms a certain saying, at the words "the promise"; fourth, he gives the manner of teaching piety, at the words "command these things." He therefore says, "exercise yourself unto piety." Piety is that by which we hinder the office of benevolence toward parents and country, just as religion is that by which we render the worship owed to God. For piety implies a certain affection toward its principle. But the principle of generation is one's father and one's country. And therefore it is fitting that a man be benevolent toward them. But the Father of all is God. Mal. 1:6: "If I am a father, where is my honor?" And therefore the name of piety is extended to the worship of God, as Augustine says in Book IV of the City of God. Hence "eusebia" is the same as piety. Job 28:28: "Behold, piety itself is wisdom," according to another translation, where ours reads thus: "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom." Tit. 1:1: "in the knowledge of the truth, which is according to piety." But as regards earthly piety, it belongs to piety that a man be benevolent to his fellow-countrymen; but as regards Christian piety, it is required that a man be benevolent to all men, because we are all of the same fatherland. And therefore piety is taken for mercy. When, therefore, he says "exercise yourself unto piety," it can be understood as pertaining both to the worship of God and to the rendering of works of mercy. The Gloss: "unto piety," that is, unto the worship of almighty God, and works of mercy. And he says "exercise," not "do," because exercise implies readiness; and this is because one who is practiced does a thing more easily, more delightfully, and more steadfastly. Prov. 24:27: "Diligently exercise your field."

Then, when he says, "for bodily exercise is profitable for a little," he prefers it to abstinence. And first he shows for what bodily exercise avails; second, for what piety avails, at the words "but piety." Bodily exercise — of fasting and the like — is not in its own nature good, but penal; and if man had not sinned, none of these would have existed; but they are medicinal goods. For just as rhubarb is good insofar as it relieves from bile, so also these are good insofar as they restrain the concupiscences; therefore they are useful to this small degree. 1 Cor. 9:27: "I chastise my body and bring it into subjection," etc. Col. 3:5: "Mortify your members which are upon the earth." And therefore if man were in a state in which he could not sin, he would not need fasting and the like. Hence Chrysostom, on that passage of Matt. 16, "Jesus came," etc., says: "John, a mere man, needed the medicine of fasting; Christ was God and not a mere man, and therefore did not need such things." Therefore it is profitable for a little, because it is only for the disease of carnal sin, not spiritual sin, since sometimes on account of abstinence a man falls into anger, vainglory, and the like.

Then, when he says "but piety," he prefers piety to abstinence, and it is taken here in both senses, namely for the worship of God and for mercy. And it "is profitable unto all things," because it is for the blotting out of all sins. Ecclus. 3:33: "Water extinguishes a burning fire, and alms resists sins." Likewise, for the promoting of goods. Ecclus. 17:18: "The alms of a man is like a purse," etc. Likewise, it merits the special mercy of God. Matt. 5:7: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." And therefore, to indicate this, the Lord in Matt. 25:34 especially commemorates the works of mercy. He proves this by adding, "having promise." For among the precepts of the Decalogue only one is found which pertains to piety, namely to honor father and mother; and under it are contained all the precepts for rendering any benefit whatsoever to one's neighbor; and this is the only precept, among those which concern one's neighbor, "having promise," namely, "that you may be long-lived," etc., Exod. 20:12. And the Apostle here interprets "long-lived" according to the present life and the future; hence he says, "of the life which now is, and of that which is to come." Prov. 3:16: "Length of days is in her right hand."

But then there is a question, because sometimes someone is found following piety who nevertheless is not long-lived. I answer. As the Philosopher says, these temporal goods are good only insofar as they are useful for happiness. Hence if someone had so much of temporal things that on account of them he was impeded from the good of virtue and happiness, this would not be to his good fortune, but to his bad fortune, as is said in Ethics X. And length of life is one of the temporal goods, good only insofar as it helps toward virtue. But sometimes it is an occasion for sinning, and therefore God sometimes withdraws it from a man, not because he fails in his promise, but because he gives what is better. Wis. 4:11: "He was taken away, lest malice should change his understanding."

There is another question, because the Apostle prefers piety to bodily exercise, since it has the hope of the present life and of the future. But does bodily exercise not have this hope? Otherwise, one who fasts would not merit eternal life. I answer. When there are two virtues and one contains the other, that which belongs to the higher virtue per se belongs to the lower accidentally; but the virtue to which it belongs per se to merit eternal life is charity, whose proper and immediate effect is piety. And therefore, according to its own proper nature, it attains to meriting eternal life. But abstinence does not, except insofar as it is ordered to charity and piety, because if one who fasts does not refer this to the love of God, he does not merit eternal life.

The third question is this, because Ambrose says here in the Gloss: "The whole sum of Christian discipline consists in mercy and piety; and one who follows it, if he suffers the slipperiness of the flesh, will without doubt be beaten, yet will not perish." Here, first, there is a doubt about the first part of this, because mercy and piety are immediately ordered to charity, in which is the sum of the Christian religion. I answer. It was the opinion of some, as Augustine says in Book X of the City of God, that those who practice the works of piety, however many carnal sins they commit, do not in the end perish eternally. And this text is an authority for that. Likewise, what is found in Matt. 25:41, where he reproaches those to be damned only with the lack of mercy; therefore eternal punishment is owed only to the unmerciful. But Augustine says the contrary, because the Apostle says: "because they do such things, the kingdom of God," etc. For however much someone practices mercy, if at death he is in mortal sin, he will not enter the kingdom. To the objections it must be said that he is not merciful who has no mercy on himself, according to that saying of Ecclus. 30:24: "Have mercy on your own soul, pleasing God"; and this happens if a man is joined to God through love; otherwise he is not merciful. To that passage of the Gospel, Augustine responds that not everyone who sins is thrust into Hell immediately, because a place of repentance remains to him; but he is thrust down who dies finally in sin, and repentance pertains to mercy. But what does he mean by saying, "if the slipperiness," etc.? I answer. It must be said that he speaks of mortal slipperiness. And as to what he says, "he will not perish" — although this is not by condign merit, it is nevertheless by congruous merit, insofar as the soul is disposed toward the good; hence the Lord restores man after his fall. And this seems to be especially the case in piety, because a man, by doing good to others, leads others to pray for him; and the Lord sometimes grants pardon to sinners at the prayers of the saints, insofar as pardon of sins and the gift of grace is obtained for them, since a man can merit first grace for another by congruous merit; otherwise the Church would pray for sinners in vain.

Then, when he says, "a faithful saying," he shows that the future life is promised to us; and first he shows this from the labor of the saints; second, from their hope, at the words "because we hope"; third, from the goodness of God, at the words "who is." He therefore says, "the saying" — namely, that piety has a promise — "is faithful." This was explained above. And why? "For to this end," that is, on account of this, that we may attain eternal life, "we labor." 2 Tim. 2:6: "The laboring farmer must first partake of the fruits." Likewise, that we may do good, even though we suffer evils; hence he says, "we bless, and are cursed." James 1:4: "Patience has a perfect work"; and Rom. 5:3: "Patience works proof," etc. And we endure on account of the hope of life, "because we hope in the living God," who is the Savior of the present life and of the future. Likewise, from the office of God, whose part it is to save. Isa. 43:11: "There is no savior besides me." And therefore God became incarnate, and was called Jesus. Matt. 1:21: "For he shall save his people from their sins." And Jesus is the same as Savior, because he saves — by bodily salvation, as regards all; and therefore he says, "of all men." Likewise by spiritual salvation as regards the good; and therefore he says, "and especially of the faithful."