Thomas Aquinas

Here he shows the author of the supernatural desire for the heavenly dwelling. For the cause of the natural desire by which we do not wish to be stripped is that the soul is naturally united to the body, and conversely. But this, that we desire to be clothed over with the heavenly dwelling, is not from nature, but from God. And therefore he says "but he who works us unto this," etc., as if to say: we wish to be clothed over with the heavenly dwelling, yet in such a way that we are not stripped of the earthly, and yet this very thing, that we wish to be so clothed over, God works in us. Phil. 2:13: "It is God who works in us," etc. The reason for this is that upon any nature there follows an appetite fitting to the end of its nature, just as a heavy body naturally tends downward, and desires to rest there. But if there is an appetite for something above its nature, that thing is not moved to that end naturally, but by another that is above its nature. Now it is agreed that to enjoy the heavenly glory and to see God through essence, although it belongs to the rational creature, is nevertheless above its nature; therefore the rational creature is not moved to desire this by nature, but by God himself, "who works us unto this very thing," etc. But how he brings this about he adds, saying "who has given the pledge," etc.

Concerning this it must be known that God works in us both natural desires and supernatural ones. Natural ones, indeed, when he gives us the natural spirit fitting to human nature. Gen. 2:7: "he breathed into his face," etc. Supernatural ones, however, he gives when he pours into us the supernatural spirit, namely the Holy Spirit. And therefore he says "he has given us the pledge of the Spirit," that is, the Holy Spirit, causing in us the certainty of this thing, with which we desire to be filled. Eph. 1:13: "you have been sealed with the holy Spirit of promise," etc. He says "pledge," because a pledge ought to be worth only as much as the thing is worth for which it is put down. But it differs from the thing for which it is put down in this: that the thing is possessed with fuller right when it is already had, than the pledge, because the thing is possessed as something one's own, whereas the pledge is kept and held as it were for the certainty of the thing to be had. So it is with the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit is worth as much as the heavenly glory, but it differs in the manner of having, because now we have him as it were unto the certainty of obtaining that glory; but in the homeland we shall have it as a thing already ours, and possessed by us. For then we shall have it perfectly, now imperfectly. Thus, then, the desire of grace is held back by the desire of nature. But is it hindered? No, but the desire of grace conquers.

And this is what he says, "daring, therefore," etc., as if to say: there are two desires in the saints: one by which they desire the heavenly dwelling, another by which they do not wish to be stripped. And if these two were compossible, they would not be contrary, and one would not be held back by the other. But the apostle shows that they are incompossible, and that it is necessary that one conquer the other. Hence concerning this he does three things. For first he shows the incompossibility of the said desires; second he inserts a certain proof, at "for by faith," etc.; third he shows which of these conquers, at "but we dare," etc.

He shows the incompossibility when he says "daring, therefore," etc. To dare, properly, is to mix oneself into the dangers of death, and not to yield on account of fear. But although the saints naturally fear death, nevertheless they dare toward the dangers of death and do not yield through fear of death. Prov. 28:1: "the just man is confident as a lion." Eccli. 48:13: "in his days he did not fear the prince." And "knowing" — that is, we know — this, which confirms in us boldness, so that we do not fear to die for Christ, since while we are in this mortal body, we are on pilgrimage, that is, we are removed far, from God. Ps. 119:5: "woe is me, that my sojourning," etc. We are on pilgrimage, I say, because we are outside our homeland, which is God, otherwise we would not be said to be on pilgrimage from him. And this is not from our nature, but from his grace.

But that we are on pilgrimage from the Lord, he proves when he says "for we walk by faith," that is, we proceed in this life by faith, and not by sight, that is, not by perfect vision. For the word of faith is like a lamp by which we are illuminated for walking in this life. Ps. 118:105: "a lamp to my feet is the word," etc. But in the homeland there will not be a lamp of this kind, because the very brightness of God, that is, God himself, will illuminate it. And therefore then, by sight, that is, by essence, we shall see him. He says, however, "we walk by faith," because faith is of things not seen. For "faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things not appearing," Hebr. 11:1f. But as long as the soul is united to a mortal body, it does not see God through essence. Ex. 33:20: "man shall not see me," etc. Hence, insofar as we assent, by believing those things which we do not see, we are said to walk by faith and not by sight.

Thus, then, the incompossibility of the two desires is clear, because we cannot, with this body, be clothed over with the heavenly dwelling; and the proof of this is, that we walk by faith. There follows, consequently, the victory of one of the two desires over the other, namely the desire of grace, when he says "we dare," etc. And "knowing," placed above, ought to be resumed, because the text is left suspended, so that it might be said thus: this, I say, knowing, that while we are in this body, etc., we dare and have a good will, etc. He says two things, of which one imports the resistance which is present in willing, which comes about through fear of death — for where there is fear, there is no daring. For from the appetite of nature arises fear of death, from the appetite of grace arises daring. Therefore he says "we dare." The other imports an imperfection of soul in desiring, because unless it were well desired, the fear of death would not be conquered, since it is quite natural. And therefore it is necessary not only to dare, but to have a good will, that is, to will with joy. For although, according to the Philosopher, in the act of fortitude joy is not required for the perfection of the virtue, as in the other virtues, but only that one not be sorrowful, nevertheless, because the fortitude of the saints is more perfect, they not only are not sorrowful in the dangers of death, but even rejoice. Phil. 1:23: "having the desire to be dissolved," etc.

But what do we dare? Rather to be on pilgrimage from the body, that is, to be removed from the body through the dissolution of the body — which is against the desire of nature — and to be present to the Lord, that is, to walk by sight, which is the desire of grace. This the Psalmist desired, Ps. 41:3, who said: "my soul thirsted for God," etc. And note that here he concludes with the same two things which he proposed at the beginning, above, in the second place, namely that if our earthly house of this dwelling be dissolved — which is the same as what he here says, "to be on pilgrimage from the body" — and that we have a dwelling in the heavens not made by hand, and this, which is the same, "to be present to God."

By these words is refuted the error of those who say that the souls of the departed saints are not led immediately after death to the vision of God and to his presence, but remain in certain dwelling-places until the day of judgment. For in vain would the saints dare and desire to be on pilgrimage from the body, if, separated from the body, they were not present to God. And therefore it must be said that the saints, immediately after death, see God through essence, and are in the heavenly dwelling. Thus, then, it is clear that the reward which the saints await is inestimable.

There follows the matter of preparation for the reward, which comes about through the struggle against temptations and through the exercise of good works, and this is what he says, "therefore we strive," etc. The saints, moreover, are prepared for this reward in three ways: namely, first by pleasing God; second by benefiting the neighbor, at "but knowing the fear of God"; third by putting away from themselves carnal affections, at "and so we," etc.

Now they please God by resisting evils, and therefore he says "therefore" — because, namely, our whole desire is that we be present to God — "we strive," that is, we strain with effort, or we labor with struggle and fight, against the temptations of the Devil, the flesh, and the world. Lc. 13:24: "strive to enter by the narrow gate," etc. "To please him," namely God, to whom we desire to be present; and this whether we are absent or present to him: because unless we strive to please him in this life while we are absent, we will not be able to please him, nor to be present to him in the other life. Sap. ch. 4:10: "being pleasing to God, he was made beloved," etc.

Consequently, when he says "for we must all be manifested," etc., he adds the reason why the saints strive to please God, which reason indeed is taken from the consideration of the future judgment, where we must all be manifested. Now the apostle sets down five conditions of the future judgment.

First he sets down its universality, because no one will be excepted from that judgment. And therefore he says "all of us," that is, all men, good and evil, great and small. Rom. 14:10: "we shall all stand before the tribunal of Christ." Apoc. 20:12: "I saw the dead, small and great, standing in the sight of the lamb," etc. But against this, objection is raised in two ways. First, because it seems that unbelievers will not come to judgment, for "he who does not believe is already judged," as it is said in Io. 3:18. Second, because certain ones will be there as judges, Matth. 19:28: "you shall sit upon seats," etc. Therefore not all will be before the tribunal, to be judged.

Response. It must be said that in the judgment there will be two things, namely the pronouncing of the sentence, and the discussion of merits, and as to this, not all will be judged, because those who have totally renounced Satan and his pomps, and in all things have clung to Christ, will not be examined, because they are already gods. But those who in nothing have clung to Christ, neither through faith nor through works, likewise do not need examination, because they have nothing in common with Christ; but those who have something in common with Christ, namely faith, and in some respect have withdrawn from Christ, namely through evil works and depraved desires, will be examined concerning those things which they committed against Christ. Hence, as to this, only sinful Christians will be manifested before the tribunal of Christ.

Again, in the judgment there will be the pronouncing of the sentence, and as to this all will be manifested. But concerning children it does not seem so, because it is said that "each one may bring back the things proper to the body according as he has done"; but children have done nothing in the body, therefore, etc. But the Gloss resolves this, because they will not be judged for those things which they themselves have done through themselves, but for those things which they have done through others, insofar as through them they believed or did not believe, were baptized or were not baptized. Or they will be damned for the sin of the first parent.

Second, he sets down the certainty of the judgment. In the judgment of men many can be deceived, since some are judged evil who nevertheless are good, and conversely. And the reason for this is that hearts are not made manifest; but in that judgment there will be the most perfect certainty, because there will be there a manifestation of hearts. Hence he says "be manifested." I Cor. 4:5: "do not judge before the time," etc.

Third, he sets down the necessity of the judgment, because neither through an interposed person, nor through obstinacy, will anyone be able to escape that judgment. Hence he says "it is necessary," that is, it is a necessary thing. Iob 19:29: "know that there is a judgment." Eccle., last chapter: "God will bring all things that are done," etc.

Fourth, he sets down the authority of the judge. Hence he says "before the tribunal of Christ," namely that he may come to judge men in the same form in which he was judged by men, so that, existing in human form, he may be seen by the good and the evil — for the evil cannot see the glory of God. Io. 5:27: "he has given him power to execute judgment," etc. "Tribunal," moreover, signifies judiciary power, and is taken from the ancient custom of the Romans, who chose three tribunes of the people, to whose office it belonged to judge the excesses of the consuls and senators, and the places of these were called tribunals.

Fifth, he sets down the equity of the judge, because according to each one's own merits there will be rewards or punishments. Hence he says "that each may bring back," etc. Rom. 2:6: "he will render to each according to his works." And he says "of the body," not only for those things which he did by movement of the body, but for those things which he did in mind, otherwise unbelievers would not be punished. And therefore when he says "of the body," it is to be understood, that is, for those things which he did while he lived in the body.