Thomas Aquinas

Above he treated of the widows who are to be honored, who were supported by the stipends of the Church; here he treats of the honoring of presbyters; and first he instructs Timothy how he should conduct himself toward them; secondly he shows how certain things said are to be understood, at the words "of certain men." Again, first he shows that presbyters are to be honored; secondly he confirms this by authority, at the words "for the Scripture says." Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows that they are to be honored; secondly he shows for what reason honor is owed to them, at the words "especially those who."

He says therefore, "the presbyters who rule well." Presbyter is the same as elder, and just as those advanced in age are accustomed to have prudence—Job 12:12: "in length of time is prudence"—so too one who is taken up for the governance of the Church ought to be prudent, Luke 12:42: "the faithful and prudent servant," etc. And therefore the prelates of the Church, namely bishops and priests, are called presbyters. And therefore he says "who rule," etc. Nor is this alone enough, but it is fitting that they rule well, namely for the honor of God, and not for their own advantage. Ezekiel 34:2: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who fed themselves." Likewise let him be prudent, so as to give to each in his own time. 1 Corinthians 4:2: "here now it is required among stewards, that a man be found faithful."

These are worthy of double honor, of which one is in the ministering of necessary things. Tobit 1:16: "of those things by which he had been honored by the king, he had ten talents of silver," etc. Proverbs 3:9: "honor the Lord with your substance." The other is in the showing of reverence. Ecclesiasticus 4:7: "humble your soul to the presbyter." Hebrews 13:17: "obey your prelates." Proverbs, the last chapter: "all her household are clothed with double garments." Isaiah 61:7: "in their land they shall possess double." But this honor is especially and chiefly to be shown to those who merit it by their labor, namely those who labor in the word of preaching. Philippians 2:15: "among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life." Colossians 3:16: "let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, teaching in all wisdom." Likewise "in doctrine," that is, in teaching. Jeremiah 3:15: "I will give you shepherds according to my heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine." And Ephesians 4:11 joins pastors and teachers, because this is the office of a bishop.

Then when he says "for the Scripture says," he proves it by a twofold authority, and he introduces one according to the mystical sense, the other according to the literal, at the words "he is worthy." He says therefore "for the Scripture says," namely Deuteronomy 25:4: "you shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain." In 1 Corinthians 9:8 the Apostle proves that this is to be understood of teachers, because God has no care for oxen—not that they are not subject to divine providence, but because God has no care about how men treat oxen, who can use them as they wish. Hence that law is not about oxen, but is said by way of likeness. As if he were to say: do not forbid the man who labors in the office of preaching and governance to live from that office. For by oxen are understood teachers. Proverbs 14:4: "where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest." By the harvests, the faithful. Matthew 9:37: "the harvest indeed is great," etc. Therefore preachers and teachers are not to be forbidden from having their expenses.

The other authority is "the laborer is worthy of his food," Matthew 7. Or rather it is in the Old Testament, although it is not written exactly thus. Nor was it the Apostle's custom to adduce an authority from the Gospel, except with an express statement of who is speaking; but this is taken from Leviticus 9: "the wages of your hired man shall not remain with you until morning." But are these expenses truly wages? Augustine says in the Gloss that they are: "yet the Gospel is not for sale, that it should be preached for these things." For "wages" is sometimes said of what is rendered to a man as a final reward, and thus far be it that the wages of preachers should be expenses of this kind; sometimes "wages" is said only of that by which one is made worthy through laboring, and in this broad sense it is here called wages. And therefore Augustine says: "let them receive, therefore," etc.

Then when he says "against a presbyter," he treats of the correction of a presbyter, saying that presbyters who rule well are to be honored with double honor, but the wicked are to be corrected. Concerning this he does three things. First he says that an accusation against them should not be readily admitted; secondly, that the guilty are to be publicly corrected, at the word "those who sin"; thirdly, that they should not be condemned rashly, at the words "without prejudice." He says therefore: you, the greater presbyter, do not admit an accusation against a presbyter, etc. Two suffice, if they are good. The reason for this saying is given in the Gloss, that a person of so high an order, who stands in the place of Christ, is not easily to be accused. But this does not seem sufficient, because the accusation of others is admitted only under two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 17:6: "by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he perish who is put to death." Hence it should be noted that it is one thing to receive an accusation, and another to condemn the accused; the judge ought not to condemn the latter, except when he has been convicted by witnesses, and this in the case of common men; but he ought not to receive an accusation against a priest, unless it is evident.

Then when he says "those who sin," etc., he shows how one is to be punished if it is proved against him; and first he shows that he should correct him publicly; secondly he adjures him to observe these things, at the words "I charge before." He says therefore, "those who sin"—whether presbyters or anyone at all—"rebuke before all." And why? "That the rest also may have fear." Yet the procedure differs in fraternal correction and in judicial correction, because the judge bears a public role, and therefore ought to attend to the common good, which is harmed by public sin, since many are scandalized. And therefore the ecclesiastical judge ought to punish publicly in such a way that others may be edified. Ecclesiastes 8:11: "because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear." Proverbs 19:25: "the pestilent man being scourged, the fool will become wiser." Note that he says "before all." But against this is Matthew 18:15: "if your brother sins against you, reprove him between you and him alone," etc. Augustine answers in the Gloss: distinguish the times and the sin, because one thing is a hidden sin, another a public one. But the first requires a hidden remedy, that is, it must be reproved secretly, and it is of this that the Lord speaks. Hence he says "against you," namely you alone, as it were secretly. But the Apostle speaks of public sin, which requires public punishment. And this is signified in the dead whom the Lord raised. In Matthew 9:25, he raised the girl within the house, by which a hidden sin is understood, and hence he also cast out the crowd at that time; but in Luke 7:12, the widow's son outside the gate, before all, by which it is shown that a public sin is to be publicly punished.

Then he says "I charge," etc., because the ecclesiastical judge, in judging, above all bears the person of God, and therefore he is to be adjured by God, that he may judge justly. For he ought so to rebuke before all, that he does not despise the judgment of God. Here he shows three things. The first is the divine authority, because God the Father will judge by authority; therefore he says "before God." Genesis 18:25: "you judge all the earth." Likewise Christ as man, as appearing in judgment. John 5:27: "he gave him power to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man." And therefore he says "and Christ Jesus." Likewise the Angels, as ministers. Matthew 25:31: "when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the Angels with him, then he shall sit upon the seat of his majesty." Therefore he adds "before the Angels." Job 10:17: "you renew your witnesses against me."

Then when he says "without prejudice," he removes rash judgment, saying "without prejudice," that is, that you should not proceed rashly, but with deliberation, "doing nothing," namely by inclining to either side. Or "without prejudice," that is, without a preceding examination. Ecclesiasticus 33:30: "without judgment do nothing weighty." Job 29:16: "the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently"—otherwise you would not be a mediator between the parties. Exodus 23:6: "you shall not incline the judgment of the poor."

Then when he says "lay hands hastily on no man," he treats of promotion, and this seems to be the reason for the first point. For just as he ought not to punish hastily, so neither should he promote hastily, that is, ordain easily to sacred orders. Above, 3:10: "and let these first be proved," etc. Numbers 11:16: "gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and masters," as if to say: those whom it is clear to you are fit. And why? "Neither be partaker of other men's sins," because if you promote in a disordered way, and from this a sin should befall them, or the people, this will be imputed to you. Or he is a partaker of others' sins, because he does not correct when he can. Romans 1:32: "they are worthy of death, not only who do these things, but also who consent to those who do them." Isaiah 52:11: "touch not the polluted thing."

Then when he says "yourself," etc., he shows how he ought to conduct himself toward himself. And this quite reasonably, because it happens that someone is so carried toward others that he neglects himself; and so first he exhorts him to chastity; secondly, from this he checks his immoderate abstinence, at the words "do not still," etc. He says therefore: you, who ought to correct others, "keep yourself chaste," etc. 1 Corinthians 9:27: "I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become reprobate." This Timothy, indeed, was of excessive abstinence, and macerated his body to avoid the sins of the flesh. Ecclesiastes 2:3: "thinking in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine," etc. And because on account of this he was altogether infirm, therefore he says "do not still," after you are infirm, "drink water." And why? Because Leviticus 2:13: "whatever sacrifice you shall offer, you shall season with salt," namely of discretion. Romans 12:1: "your reasonable service." And therefore he says "use a little wine." Not unto drunkenness. Ecclesiasticus 31:36: "wine drunk with moderation is the joy of the soul and the heart." "For your stomach's sake, and your frequent infirmities," namely those which came upon you from abstinence. The Gloss: for one must labor, that if it can be done, the office begun may be advanced gradually, rather than diminished through lack of consideration. But it should be noted that Paul healed the infirm, and raised the dead, and yet he treats Timothy by the counsel of medicine; by which it is given to be understood that he did not use miracles toward everyone, but only when it was expedient for the sake of the faith.

Then when he says "of certain," etc., he shows how the two things he said are to be understood, namely that nothing is to be done in condemnations without prejudice; and likewise "lay hands hastily," etc. And first the first, secondly the second. As to the first he says "for the sins of certain," etc., as if to say: above I said "without prejudice," etc., yet you ought to apply consideration, because some sins are notorious, and these do not need examination; some are hidden, and these do need it. Hence it is truly in the case of the latter that "without prejudice" is to be understood, and not in the former, because those precede judgment, but these follow, namely the manifestation through examination not then to be made public. Proverbs 27:19: "as in waters the faces of those who look shine, so the hearts of men are manifest to the prudent."

Secondly he said: "lay hands hastily," etc., which he says is to be understood in the case of those not manifestly good, because likewise the good deeds of some are manifest. Matthew 5:46: "let them see your good works, and glorify your Father." John 3:21: "but he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest." "Those which are otherwise," that is, which are not manifest, "cannot be hidden," because Matthew 10:26: "nothing is covered that shall not be revealed, and hidden that shall not be known," because either in the future, or even here, all iniquity is made manifest. And in these there is no easy laying on of hands.