Thomas Aquinas

After the Apostle has above admonished them how they ought to conduct themselves in bearing evils, here he admonishes how they ought to conduct themselves in doing good. Hence according to the Gloss, from this place moral instruction begins, after the commendation and the exhortation to imitate him. And concerning this he does two things: first he exhorts them to good things; second he prays for them, at the place, Now the God of peace. Concerning the first he does three things: first he shows how they ought to do good with respect to their neighbors; second, with respect to themselves, at the place, Marriage is honorable; third, with respect to their prelates, at the place, Remember your prelates.

He says therefore, with respect to the first, thus: it has been said that an unshakeable kingdom is promised to us, and if we wish to arrive at it, it is necessary that we have charity. Therefore let brotherly love remain in you. 1 John 4:20: he who does not love his brother, whom he sees, how can he love God, whom he does not see? Again, 1 Peter 2:17: honor all one another, love the brotherhood. But because charity is not idle, as Gregory says, therefore he exhorts to works of charity. 1 John 3:18: let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Therefore he says that we ought to show charity to strangers through hospitality, to those in bonds through compassion, to the poor through assistance. And he sets down the first at the place, and do not forget hospitality; the second at, remember those in bonds; the third at, and those who labor.

He says therefore, with respect to the first, do not forget hospitality. And he says "forget" because these people had at one time, in their prosperity, been very hospitable, but now they had become impoverished, and so were not so well able to do it; yet he encourages them to continue according to their ability. Romans 12:13: pursuing hospitality. And he makes special mention of hospitality, because he who receives strangers fulfills three works of mercy at once, because he both receives, and feeds, and gives drink. 1 Peter 4:9: be hospitable to one another without murmuring. And he adds the reason, because through this many have pleased [God], having received Angels in hospitality, as is clear concerning Abraham and Lot, Genesis 19:2 ff. Another text has: through this, as it were unknowingly, they received Angels; because they did not believe them to be Angels, which is true at the beginning; hence, as to the fact that Abraham worshipped them, he thought that they were holy men sent by God, and he worshipped them with the worship of dulia, which is shown to saints, and offered them food as though to men. But afterward he understood them to be Angels, in whom God was speaking, and he spoke to them as to God, saying: this is not like you, who judge all the earth; and likewise Lot.

With respect to the second he says, remember those in bonds, namely those who have been sent to prison for God's sake; remember them by visiting and ransoming, as though you were bound together with them in body. For this is another work of mercy. Matthew 25:36: I was in prison, and you came to me. Against which it is said, Isaiah 14:17: he did not open the prison to his bound ones. This they themselves once did, as is clear above at 10:34. But this pertains especially to the work of mercy, to reckon another's misery as one's own.

With respect to the third he says, and those who labor, whether by bodily labor. Psalm 127:2: the labors of your hands, for you shall eat. Or by spiritual care. 2 Timothy 2:6: the laboring farmer must first partake of the fruits. Or in enduring evils. Ecclesiastes 1:17: and I knew that in these also there was labor and affliction of spirit. Briefly, the whole present life is a kind of labor. Job 5:7: man is born to labor, and the bird to flight. Supply: remember, as though you yourselves also were dwelling in the body. By which you have experienced what is necessary for those who labor. Ecclesiasticus 31:18: understand the things of your neighbor from yourself. Matthew 7:12: all things whatsoever you wish men to do to you, do the same also to them.

Then when he says, Marriage is honorable, he admonishes them to do good with respect to themselves. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down an admonition against the concupiscences of carnal delights; second, against the desire of external things, at the place, let your manner of life be without avarice.

First therefore he sets down the admonition, saying, Honorable, etc. Concerning which it must be known that with regard to venereal matters sin occurs in two ways. In one way, through the illicit union of an unmarried man with an unmarried woman, and with respect to this he says, Marriage is honorable; supply: let it be in all, who are unwilling to remain continent, not a fornicatory union. And it is called honorable when it is done according to the due circumstances of matrimony. From which it is clear that the marital act can be without sin, which is against the heretics. 1 Corinthians 7:28: if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Hence the Lord, to show that the marital act is good, worked his first sign at a wedding, and ennobled matrimony by his own bodily presence, and willed to be born of a married woman.

In another way, through the violation of the marriage bed, namely when a man goes in to another's wife, or a woman to another's husband. And with respect to this he says, and the bed undefiled. And Wisdom 14:24: neither do they any longer keep life or marriages pure, but one kills another through injustice, or grieves him by adultery. Again, chapter 3:13: happy is the barren and undefiled woman, who has not known the bed in sin; she shall have fruit in the visitation of holy souls.

But the Apostle adds the reason, saying, for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. In which he refutes the error of some who say that God does not punish carnal sins, nor care about them. Ephesians 5:6: let no one seduce you with empty words, for because of these things — namely, because of the carnal sins which he had mentioned beforehand — the wrath of God comes upon the sons of unbelief. Therefore he here says fornicators, on account of what he said, Marriage is honorable, and adulterers, on account of what he said, the bed undefiled — God will judge, that is, will condemn. Ephesians 5:5: every fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, which is the service of idols, has no part in the kingdom of God and of Christ.

Then when he says, let your manner of life be, he forbids the desire of external goods: concerning which sin occurs in two ways. In one way through tenacity; in another way through covetousness. For liberality is a virtue which establishes a mean concerning money, both as to giving and as to receiving. With respect to the first, namely against tenacity, he says, let your manner of life be without avarice. For the miser is called too tenacious, as it were greedy for money. Hence Ecclesiasticus 10:9: nothing is more wicked than the miser. With respect to the second he says, content with present things. Those who, beyond what they have, wish to heap up other things, are not content with present things. 1 Timothy 6:8: having food, and things with which we may be covered, let us be content with these.

Or, that which is said, let your manner of life be without avarice, forbids avarice with respect to covetousness and tenacity. But when he says, content with present things, he excludes the cause of avarice, namely anxious care. Matthew 6:34: be not anxious, etc. For it is not forbidden that a man should not be concerned about things necessary for the future, but that care and anxiety should not preoccupy the mind. For thus he who anticipates future anxiety is anxious for the morrow.

Then when he says, for he himself has said, he sets down the reason for the admonition. And it is the reason why we ought not to be excessively anxious, but nevertheless do what is in us, namely with confidence in divine help. For he himself said, Joshua 1:5: I will not forsake you — namely, so as not to supply you with necessities — nor will I abandon you — namely, to perish of hunger. Psalm 36:25: I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread. Or, I will not abandon you, so as not to free you from evils. And from this confidence is caused in the heart, so that we say confidently. Isaiah 12:2: I will act with confidence, and I will not fear. And what shall we say? That saying, Psalm 117:6: the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man may do to me. Helper, insofar as he frees from evils. Psalm 45:2: a helper in the tribulations which have found us exceedingly. And therefore I will not fear what man may do to me, that is, whatever carnal adversary. Isaiah 51:12: who are you, that you should fear a mortal man? Or the Devil, who is called man from the man he has conquered; just as Scipio Africanus was called Africanus from conquered Africa. Matthew 13:28: an enemy man has done this.

Then when he says, Remember your prelates, etc., he shows how they ought to do good with respect to their prelates. And concerning this he does two things: first he shows how they ought to conduct themselves toward the dead, namely that they should follow their examples; second, how toward the living, namely that they should obey them, at the place, obey your prelates. With respect to the first he does two things. First he shows how they should imitate the teaching of the good; second, how they should avoid the teaching of the bad, at the place, various teachings.

He says therefore, Remember your prelates, who have spoken to you the word of God, that is, of the apostles who preached to you. Isaiah 51:2: look to Abraham your father, etc. But they not only preached by word, but also showed it by deed. Mark, last chapter: the word being confirmed by the signs that followed. Remember not only their words, but also consider their outcome. 1 Maccabees 2:51: remember the works of the fathers, which they did in their generations, and you shall receive great glory, etc. James 5:10: take, my brethren, as an example of evil outcome, and of longsuffering, and of labor, and of patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord, etc. But imitate not only this, namely the outcome — that is, that you patiently endure for Christ's sake — but also their manner of life, for one comes to a good death through a good manner of life; imitate also their faith, so that you may not turn aside from it.

There follows, Jesus Christ, yesterday and today, the same also forever; according to the Gloss this text is introduced thus: for he had said above what indeed was said, Joshua 1:5: I will not forsake you, nor abandon you; these people could say: he to whom this was said had good reason to trust in God's help, but we do not, to whom it has not been said. The Apostle removes this, saying that Christ, who said this to Joshua, abides forever. And therefore just as then he was able to help him, so now he is able to give aid to us. Therefore he says, Jesus Christ yesterday and today, etc.

Or it can be referred to what was said immediately before. For he had already said that they ought to imitate the apostles. They could say that it is not alike, because those men were instructed immediately by Christ and served him, but we are not so. And therefore the Apostle says that Christ therefore abides, and instructs us to serve him. Hence he says, Jesus Christ yesterday, namely in the time of the first apostles, and today, namely in this present time; the same also forever. Matthew, last chapter: behold I am with you even to the consummation of the world. Apocalypse 1:8: says the Lord God, who was, and who is, and who is to come, the Almighty. Psalm 101:28: but you are the selfsame, and your years shall not fail. In this therefore the Apostle shows the eternity of Christ.