Thomas Aquinas

Above the Apostle showed what gain is expedient for Christians, namely piety with sufficiency; here he shows that those who seek a superfluous gain of riches incur many losses. And first he shows the evils that follow from an inordinate appetite for riches; second he assigns the reason, at the place "for the root..." But the evils that follow are twofold: for some arise from an outward enemy, but some from inward concupiscence, at the place "desires..."

He says therefore: let us be content with food, etc.; because those who wish to become rich, not for necessity, but for abundance of riches, fall, etc. Ecclesiasticus 10:10: "Nothing is more wicked than to love money." Ecclesiastes 5:9: "He who loves riches shall not take fruit from them." And he sets down two things, namely temptations, and a snare, because first they tempt, inasmuch as riches allure, and lead to certain sins. 1 Thessalonians 3:5: "lest perhaps he who tempts should have tempted you, etc." 1 Corinthians 10:13: "Let no temptation take hold of you but such as is human." And they entangle with a snare, because riches are, to those who do not have them, unto temptation, and to those who have them, unto a snare, because they do not willingly give back what they take away. Proverbs 21:6: "He who gathers treasures with a lying tongue is vain and foolish."

On the interior side he sets down three evils. First, that he falls into many desires. For the perfection of man is that his heart be gathered into one, because the more something is one, the more like it is to God, who is truly one. Psalm 26:4: "One thing I have asked of the Lord, etc." But he who seeks riches suffers against this, because his heart is drawn to diverse things. Hosea 10:2: "Their heart is divided, now they shall perish." And this is so, because Matthew 6:21: "where your treasure is, etc."

Likewise, desires of this kind are useless in many ways. First, because they are useless spiritually, since riches do not lead to beatitude. Wisdom 5:8: "What has pride profited us? Or what has the boasting of riches conferred on us? etc." Ecclesiastes 5:9: "He who loves riches shall not take fruit from them." Likewise temporally, because they do not give what they promise. Ecclesiastes 6:1 and following: "There is another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and indeed frequent among men: a man to whom God has given riches, and substance, and honor, and nothing is lacking to his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a stranger will devour it, etc." Third, they are harmful. Ecclesiastes 5:12: "Riches kept to the hurt of their owner." And he shows how they are harmful, because they plunge into destruction, namely in the present. On account of riches many have perished. Likewise in the future; hence he says "and perdition." Acts 8:20: "May your money be with you unto perdition." Or both are referred to spiritual damage. "Destruction," that is, eternal death. Romans 9:22: "He endured with much patience vessels of wrath fit for destruction, etc." And "perdition," that is, eternal punishment, which is called perdition on account of the punishment of loss, because they are as it were lost, the damned, since they cannot return to their home, namely of eternity. Job 21:30: "The wicked man is kept unto the day of destruction, and he shall be led to the day of wrath."

Then when he says "root," etc., the reason for this is shown, and this from two things, namely from the nature of cupidity, and from experience, at the place "which some," etc. He says therefore: "they fall into temptation, etc." Why? Because "the root of all evils is cupidity." Here it is to be noted that according to some, cupidity is taken in three ways. Sometimes for avarice, insofar as it is a special sin, namely an inordinate love of having riches. Sometimes as it is a genus of all sins, insofar as it implies an inordinate appetite for a temporal thing, and this is included in every sin, because sin is a turning toward a changeable good. But in this sense it is not a root, but a genus of all. In a third way, insofar as it is a certain disorder of the mind toward desiring temporal goods inordinately, and this is only a habitual sin, and not in act, but it is a certain root of all sins. And cupidity is called "root," and pride "beginning." Ecclesiasticus 10:15: "The beginning of all sin is pride," because pride denotes a corruption of the mind toward withdrawing from God. But a tree has nourishment from the root, and thus sin takes its nourishment from cupidity on the part of the turning toward a changeable good.

But I believe that he is speaking of cupidity insofar as it is a special sin, hence he says: "those who wish to become rich, etc." And this is the inordinate love of money. And therefore I say that avarice is the root of all. For all sins consist in appetite, and therefore the origin of sins is according to the origin of the things appetible. For the origin of appetible things proceeds from the end. And therefore the more a sin has an end that is more desirable, the worse it is. But the end of some sin is desirable on account of two things: namely, on account of itself, and this is excellence, because for this reason man wills that good, that he may excel. And this is pride, and therefore pride is the beginning of all sins. Likewise on account of something else, and this is that which avails for all things, and riches are of this kind, because through this men believe themselves to have all things. From this side, avarice is "the root of all evils."

Then when he says "which some," he shows the same through experience. And he says "desiring," because the more riches are had, the more they are desired. Ecclesiasticus 5:9: "The greedy man shall not be filled with money." And they fall first into spiritual harm. Hence he says "they have erred from the faith." The reason for this is that through sound doctrine of the faith many illicit gains are prohibited, from which they are unwilling to desist, and they find for themselves another doctrine, where there might be hope of salvation for them. And this usurers do especially. Second, because "they have entangled themselves in many sorrows," even in the present, because there is anxiety in acquiring, fear in possessing, sorrow in losing. Job 20:22: "When he shall be satisfied with riches, he shall be straitened, he shall burn, and every sorrow shall rush upon him." And much more shall they grieve in the future.

Then when he says "but you," he admonishes to follow sound doctrine, and to avoid the bad. And first he sets forth the way that he should follow; second he binds him by the introduction of a precept, at the place "I charge." Likewise, first he exhorts him to avoid the aforesaid sins; second he shows what he should do, at the place "but pursue." And because a servant ought to imitate his lord, since, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus 10:2: "As the judge of the people is, so also are his ministers," therefore he says: "O man of God"; as if he were to say: you are given over to the service of God. Psalm 115:6: "I am your servant." 1 John 2:6: "He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked." If therefore you are a man of God, you ought to do as Christ did, who, as is found in John 6:15, fled when they wished to make him king. Hebrews 12:2: "who, joy being set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame." Therefore you also "flee these things." Psalm 54:7: "I have gone far off flying away, and I remained in the wilderness."

What then shall he do? He exhorts to two things: first, namely, to pursuing spiritual arms; second, to fighting in them, at the place "fight the good." But spiritual arms are either for doing good, or for enduring evil. The first, however, is either in relation to the neighbor, to whom we are ordered through two things, namely through justice and piety or mercy, because the first without the second is severity; the second without the first is remission. As to the first he says "pursue justice," which befits prelates. Wisdom 1:1: "Love justice, you who judge the earth." Likewise as to the second he says "piety," that is, mercy. Proverbs 20:28: "Mercy and justice preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency." But in relation to God, the first is that which perfects the intellect, namely faith. Hebrews 11:6: "Without faith it is impossible to please God, etc." The second, which perfects the affection, is charity. 1 John 4:16: "He who abides in charity abides in God, and God in him." For enduring evils there are two virtues, namely patience and meekness, because man in evil incurs two inordinate passions, namely inordinate sorrow, and anger which arises from it. And therefore patience is against immoderate sorrow. Luke 21:19: "In your patience you shall possess your souls." And meekness is against anger.

Then he leads him to the due combat. And first he shows how he should fight; second he introduces the reason. He says therefore "fight the good fight," namely by the example of soldiers, who fight in two ways: namely, sometimes to defend what they have, sometimes to acquire what they do not have; and this is imminent for the saints. The first, that they may guard what they have, namely faith and the virtues; and therefore he says "of the faith," that is, for guarding the faith. Ecclesiasticus 4:33: "Fight even unto death for justice, etc." Or "of the faith," that through faith you may avoid sins. 1 John, last chapter: "This is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith." Or "of the faith," that is, that you may convert others to it. And he says "good," that is, a lawful fight. 1 Corinthians 9:25: "Everyone who strives in the contest abstains from all things." It is good then when one abstains from all hindrances. 2 Timothy 4:7: "I have fought the good fight." Second, they fight to acquire what they do not have. And this is eternal life, which is acquired through combat. Matthew 11:12: "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away." And therefore he says "lay hold of eternal life," namely, as one holding it, that by your combat you may conquer. Or, that you may fight the fight of faith. And with what reward? That you may lay hold of eternal life. 1 Corinthians 9:25: "But we an incorruptible, etc."

Then when he says "unto which you are called," he sets down the reason for this saying, namely "lay hold," etc. And first he responds to an objection, as if he were to say: you say that I ought to lay hold; I would indeed wish to, but I cannot. Nay, you can, because it is owed to you by right, since you have been called to it by God, and by the King of that kingdom. And therefore you ought most of all to strive. 1 Peter 2:9: "He has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Second, he sets forth the obligation; as if he were to say: "fight the good fight," because you have given an oath of doing this, and therefore it is not lawful for you to resist. Hence he says "and confessed a good confession before many witnesses," that is, at your consecration you professed the good fight, when you were ordained bishop. 1 Corinthians 9:16: "For if I do not preach the gospel, etc.," up to "a dispensation has been entrusted to me." Or "a good confession," namely by preaching the faith, that you may keep it.

Then when he says "I charge," he binds him to the aforesaid things by a precept, which he first sets down, and second manifests certain sayings, at the place "which in its own." But in the precept, first he introduces witnesses, second he commends the precept, third he shows how long he should keep the precept. He introduces as witnesses God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. He says therefore: I have admonished you, but lest you believe that it is lawful to do otherwise, "I charge you," just as you ought to charge your subjects, "before God." He had introduced two things, namely "lay hold of life," and "you have confessed," etc., and therefore he introduces the author of life, "who gives life to all things." But he says "God," who is the whole Trinity, who is the author of life. Likewise he also introduces the man Christ, who confessed himself to be the Son of God, which is the good confession of our faith. Likewise he commends the commandment, because it is in itself just, and right, and irreproachable by others. Job 6:30: "You shall not find iniquity in my tongue." And for how long is it to be kept? "Until the coming of the Lord." The term "until" denotes the end of the intention, that is, that through observance of this commandment you order yourself toward the coming. Or until your death, because as you shall be at that time, such shall you be found then. Matthew 24:13: "He who shall persevere unto the end, etc."