Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Apostle set forth the authority of David and expounded it; now, however, he argues from it. And concerning this he does two things. First, he induces a solicitude for entering; second, he admonishes that we should hasten to enter, at the place, let us therefore hasten. Concerning the first he does two things. First, he instills a solicitude of fear; second, he shows that this solicitude ought to press upon us, at the place, for indeed to us also.

He says therefore: it has been said that he was angered against those who did not believe, so that he swore that they would not enter into his rest; therefore let us also fear, namely with a chaste and solicitous fear. Prov. XXVIII, 14: blessed is the man who is always fearful. I Cor. X, 12: let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. For fear of this kind is a useful admonition unto good, and is a companion of the three spiritual virtues, namely hope, faith, and charity. Eccli. XXIV, 24: I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.

But what ought we to fear? Lest perhaps, the promise being left, et cetera. For beatitude, or happiness, consists in this, that man should enter into it. Tob. XIII, 20: I shall be blessed, if the remnant of my seed shall be left to see the glory of Jerusalem. Below, XII, 15: watching, lest perhaps anyone be lacking in the grace of God. For, as Chrysostom says, greater is the punishment for the damned in this, that they are excluded from the vision of God, than the other punishments which they have. And he says be thought, namely by divine judgment. Matth. XXV, 41: depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Or be thought according to human opinion. Eph. V, 5: know ye this and understand, that every fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, which is a servitude of idols, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

It is to be feared, therefore, lest any of you be thought to be wanting, because the promise of entering has been made to you. Is. XXXII, 18: my people shall sit in the beauty of peace, in the tabernacles of confidence, in wealthy rest. Apoc. XIV, 13: from henceforth now, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors. It is to be feared, therefore, lest on account of our fault we do not enter, the promise being left — that is, the promise which we abandon by forsaking hope, faith, and charity, by which we are able to enter. And this happens through mortal sin.

Next, when he says for indeed to us, he shows that this solicitude presses upon us. And concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth his intention; second, he proves it, at the place, we shall enter. Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows that this promise was made to us; second, that this promise does not suffice, at the place, but it did not profit.

He says therefore for indeed to us it has been announced, that is, it has been promised to us. Hence it must be known that those things which were promised temporally in the Old Testament are to be understood spiritually. For all things happened to them in figure, I Cor. X, 11; and Rom. XV, 4: whatsoever things are written, are written for our doctrine.

Then, when he says but it did not profit, et cetera, he shows that the promise does not suffice, so that nonetheless we ought to be solicitous. Hence he says that the word heard and not believed profited them in nothing. For not the hearers of the law shall be justified, but the doers, Rom. II, 13. And he says not mixed with faith, because just as from the intellect and the thing understood one thing is made, so from the heart of the believer and formed faith itself one thing is made. I Cor. c. VI, 17: he who adheres to God is one spirit.

But that which he says, from the things which they heard, can be the reason why the word was not mixed with faith. For this was from the things which they heard from the spies, to whom they were incredulous. Or it can be a determination of faith, which ought to be from the things which they heard. For faith is from hearing, Rom. X, 17. For the words of God are so efficacious, that as soon as heard they ought to be believed. Ps. XCII, 7: thy testimonies are become exceedingly credible.

Then, when he says for we shall enter, et cetera, he proves the proposition, and concerning this he does three things. First, he shows that it is necessary for us to believe just as for them; second, he adduces two authorities to prove his intent, at the place, and indeed by the works; third, from these he argues, at the place, since therefore it remains.

He says therefore: the word was made to us just as to them, for we shall enter into rest. Ps. IV, 8: in peace, in the very self-same, I will sleep and I will rest. Job XI, 19: he shall rest, and there will be no one to rouse thee. But there is a twofold rest. One in external goods, and unto this man goes forth from the rest of the mind; the other is in spiritual goods, which is intimate, and unto this he enters. Matth. XXV, 21: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Cant. I, 3: the king has brought me into his storerooms. Then he sets down the authority as I have sworn, et cetera, and this has been expounded.

Then, when he says and indeed by the works, et cetera, he sets down two authorities. One of the Law, which is found in Gen. II, 2; the other, which has frequently been set down, which is found in Ps. XCIV, 8.

He says therefore as to the first: and indeed, the works being finished from the foundation of the world; he said, et cetera. This can be read in two ways: in one way, that there is not there for, but he said, in a certain place, et cetera. And this is the plainer reading, so that the sense is: I say that we shall enter into the rest which was prefigured from the foundation of the world, concerning which rest, prefigured through the seventh day, he said — namely the Holy Spirit who speaks in Scripture, because holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, II Pet. I, 21 — in a certain place, a famous one, namely Gen. II, 2, concerning the seventh day: and so God rested from his works. The works, I say, being finished from the foundation of the world.

Or: the Holy Spirit said in a certain place concerning the seventh day; and he said this after he had narrated the works of the six days, these being finished from the foundation of the world. But if there is there for he says, then the construction is defective, and the sense is: it has been announced to us that we shall enter, and this the works being finished from the foundation of the world; but when and how it was announced, is because he said, in a certain place, et cetera.

But he says the works being finished to denote the works of the six days, which were finished. But he says from the foundation of the world because first the world was established, and after six days it was perfected distinctly in its individual parts. But concerning the distinction of these days, the saints speak in various ways. For Augustine understood it otherwise than the other saints, as is clear in the First Part of the Summa, question LXXIV, articles 2 and 3.

Yet however it be said, it is manifest that those works were finished. For in them there is a twofold perfection. One according to the parts of the world, which are the heaven and the four elements. And this is considered according to their essences, as is held in the First Part of the Summa, as it were where above. And this was through the work of creation, which was on the first day; and through the work of distinction, which was on the second and third day. And in this Augustine agrees with the others.

The other perfection is according to the individual parts. And this perfection pertains to the work of adornment. And this adornment, as to the higher things, was on the fourth day; as to the middle, namely the air and the water, on the fifth day; but as to the earth, which is the lowest element, was on the sixth day.

But this perfection agrees with the senary number, which arises from its aliquot parts taken together, which are one, two, and three; for six times one are six, likewise three times two, and two times three, and one, two, three, are six; for this reason the senary is the first perfect number, because although the ternary agrees in some way with the things that have been said, since three times one are three, and one and two are three, nevertheless twice one do not make three, likewise once two do not make three, but only two. Therefore by the senary itself the perfection of things is designated.

But after the perfection, rest is promised, which is given to none except to one who has worked. And thus on the seventh day, on which the state of the world was changed, there was, just as on each of the others, a certain variation. Hence in it began the state of propagation, on account of which it is also numbered along with the others; therefore in the seventh age of the world is the state of those who rest. According to Augustine, however, this seventh day is nothing other than the angelic knowledge referred to the rest of God from his works.

But on the contrary: if he rested on the seventh day, who then made it, if it is not a work of God? Moreover, John V, 17: my Father worketh until now, and I work.

I answer. It must be said that rest is taken there not as it is opposed to labor, but as it is opposed to motion. For although God, in producing, is not moved, nevertheless because we do not speak of him except through sensible things, in which there is no operation without motion, therefore every operation, speaking broadly, is called motion; and thus he is said to have rested, because he ceased to produce new species: for those things which were made afterward were in those things then produced — either according to active power, as in perfect animals, or according to seminal reasons, or according to matter, as minerals. Therefore then no dead man was raised up, but a body was made which could be raised up. But certain things then existed according to likeness, as rational souls, which are made by God alone.

So then God rested from producing works, because all things in some way preceded, as has been said; yet he works until now, conserving and governing the things he founded. And thus God made the seventh day just as any other, because then something was added, because then the state of propagation began. But each addition varied the state of the world, as has been said, and made one day.

Or, according to Augustine, it does not say simply he rested, but he rested from his works. For from eternity he rested in himself, but then he also rested, not in his works, but from his works. For God works otherwise than any other craftsman. For a craftsman acts on account of his own need, just as a house-builder makes a house, that he may rest in it. Likewise a smith makes a knife for profit. Hence the desire of any craftsman is set at rest in his work. But it is not so with God, because he does not act on account of his own need, but on account of his goodness to be communicated. Hence he does not rest in the work, but from the work of producing, and he rests only in his own goodness.

Next, he sets down the authority of David, which has already been expounded.

Next, when he says since therefore it remains, et cetera, he argues from the premises. And concerning this he does two things. First, he takes up the sense of that second authority, if you shall hear his voice, et cetera; second, he argues from the first, at the place, there remains therefore, et cetera. Concerning the first he does two things: first he draws two things from the second authority; second he shows that these two are understood in it, at the place, for if Jesus had.

He takes therefore two things which are understood in it: at for it is just, namely, that the ancient fathers did not enter. The other is, that in the time of David there still remained another rest to be granted. For although rest to be granted in the land of promise had been promised to them, nevertheless by this, that after a long time he says: today, if you shall hear the voice, et cetera, he shows that another rest remains. For otherwise he would not make mention of rest, saying today, et cetera.

There is therefore a certain rest into which we must enter, into which they did not enter on account of unbelief. And therefore, since they did not enter, it remains therefore that some enter, to whom the promise was made, because those to whom it was announced before did not enter, that is, the Jews to whom the promise was made.

It remains therefore that some enter, the reason for which is, that if God created man unto eternal beatitude — since he created him unto his image and likeness — therefore he prepared rest for him. Although, therefore, someone may be excluded on account of the merit of his own fault, yet God does not will that this preparation be in vain. And therefore it remains that some enter, as is clear concerning those called to the wedding. Matth. XXII, 8: the wedding indeed is ready, but they that were invited were not worthy, et cetera. And therefore he limits, that is, determines for us, a seventh day, that is, the day of grace, saying in David: today, if you shall hear the voice, et cetera. And he repeats the authority, which has been expounded.

But it must be known that God prepared beatitude for man in place of rest, nor does he will this preparation to be in vain; but if one does not enter, another will enter, as is shown in that parable of the wedding. Matth. XXII, v. 2 ss.: hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown; as if to say: if thou dost not receive it, another will have it. Job XXXIV, 24: he shall break in pieces many, and those without number, and shall make others stand in their place.

Then, when he says for if Jesus, et cetera, he proves that it remains for others to enter, because if Jesus of Nun, that is, Joshua, had granted the final rest to the children of Israel, never of another, et cetera — that is, another rest would not press upon us, nor would the prophet David speak of any other after that day. Hence it is manifest that that rest was a sign of the spiritual rest.