Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Apostle set down the conditions of the new testament from its promulgation; now he sets down three effects of it. The first is the perfect union of man to God; the second is the perfect knowledge of God, at the words and he shall not teach; the third is the remission of sins, at the words for I will be propitious. Concerning the first, it must be known that for man to be joined to God, the help of divine grace is required, because he cannot do this by his own power. Jer. 31:3: with an everlasting love have I loved you, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you. First, then, that union is touched upon on the part of God; second, on the part of man, at the words and they themselves shall be. He says, therefore, I will be to them a God. The name God signifies universal providence. He is then to us a God when he has care of us, and draws our hearts to himself, and this is especially with respect to the just. From this, then, that I will be to them a God, the second follows, namely that they themselves shall be to me a people, that is, they will show themselves to me as a people. For as Augustine says, II On the City of God, ch. 21: a people is an assembly of a multitude, united by agreement as to right and by community of interest. When, therefore, they agree in the right of the divine law, so that they are useful to one another and tend toward God, then it is the people of God. Apoc. 21:3: they themselves shall be his people, and God himself with them shall be their God.

Then, when he says and he shall not teach, etc., he sets down the second effect of the new testament. And concerning this he does two things. For first he sets down the sign of that effect; second, the effect itself, at the words for all, etc. The sign of perfect knowledge is when someone does not need to be taught, because teaching is the way to the acquisition of knowledge, and therefore, once knowledge is perfectly acquired, teaching ceases. But is it the case that in the new testament one man does not teach another? And it seems that he does not, according to this very text. But on the contrary, because the Apostle calls himself teacher of the nations, 1 Tim. 2:7, and Eph. 4:11: others pastors, and teachers; Rom. 12:7: or he who teaches, in teaching. I answer. It must be said that what is said here can be understood in two ways. In one way, of the present state, and thus it is not verified universally of all, but only of the first founders of the new testament, namely the apostles, who were immediately instructed by God, when he opened to them their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Lk., last chapter. The apostles, therefore, were made perfectly knowing, and were not instructed by others, but received infused wisdom at once from Christ. In another way, that it be referred to the future state of the homeland, into which we are led by the new testament, not by the old. And thus what is said here is universally true. But on the contrary: blessed men are equal to the Angels, not greater, but according to Dionysius one Angel teaches another by illuminating him; therefore a blessed man too will teach another. I answer. It must be said that there is a twofold knowledge in the blessed Angels. One which makes them blessed, namely the knowledge of the divinity, which alone makes them blessed; as Augustine says in the book of the Confessions: blessed is he who knows you, etc. The other is that which is of all the things that are other than God, of which sort are the effects of God, and this does not beatify. As to the first, then, one does not teach another, because one is not beatified through the mediation of another, but immediately by God. Ps. 35:9: in your light we shall see light. But as to the other, which is of certain mysteries, one teaches another. And this perhaps until the end of the world, for as long as the working out of the effects of God endures. And therefore he adds, saying: know the Lord, as if he were to say: he does not receive the knowledge of God. And he says his neighbor and his brother, because, although according to Augustine all men are to be loved out of charity, yet if you cannot benefit all, you ought especially to benefit those who are joined to you, either naturally, as blood-relations are, whom he here calls brothers, or by another kind of union, and such a one is a neighbor. For all shall know me, from the least even to the greatest of them. This is the reason why one will not teach another, because all will know the Lord. 1 Jn. 3:2: we shall see him as he is. In this vision, indeed, beatitude consists. Jn. 17:3: this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, etc. Jer. 9:24: in this let him glory who glories, to know and to understand me. And the blessed have this teaching not from anyone else, but from God alone. Is. 54:13: I will make all your children taught by the Lord.

But that which he says, from the least, can be understood in two ways. In one way, that the older saints are called the greater. And thus greater and lesser are said according to the order of time. All, then, will know, because each one will receive his own penny, Matt. 20:9 ff. Or he says this to show the difference of rewards, because although all will know, yet one will know more than another. Matt. 5:19: he who shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For reward corresponds to merit; and this is against those who say that punishments and all merits are equal, and consequently that rewards are equal. Against whom it is said, 1 Cor. 15:41: star differs from star in brightness.

Then, when he says for I will be propitious, etc., he sets down the third effect, which is the remission of guilt, which the old testament could not do. Below, 10:4: it is impossible that sins should be taken away by the blood of bulls and goats. He says, then, I will be propitious. Now iniquity and sin differ, because iniquity is opposed to justice, which indeed properly is always toward another. Therefore iniquity is said of that by which someone harms another. Job 35:8: your iniquity will harm a man who is like you. But sin is said of every defect of action, because it implies a disordering. And thus iniquity is properly toward one's neighbor, but sin is toward oneself; and this properly speaking, yet broadly, iniquity and sin are the same. And as to this he says, for I will be propitious to their iniquities, namely, by relaxing punishment in the present, and I will remember their sins no more, namely, by not punishing their sins in the future. Ez. 18:22: I will not remember all his iniquities that he has committed. Ps. 78:9: be propitious to our sins, etc., likewise v. 8: remember not our iniquities, etc. Rom. 11:29: for the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance, etc.; that is, God does not repent that he has here forgiven sins, as if by punishing again.

Then, when he says but in saying a new one, etc., having as it were laid down the authority, he argues from it, and forms this reasoning: a thing is not called new except in comparison to an old, but everything that is called old signifies, as it were, that it is near to its ceasing; therefore, in saying a new one, he made the former old, that is, he gave one to understand that the former is old. But that which becomes obsolete and grows old is near to its passing away. If, then, that is old, it must be cast away. Lev. ch. 26:10: when new things come upon you, you shall cast away the old. In saying new, then, he designates the ceasing of the old. But properly speaking, nothing becomes obsolete except what is subject to time, and what is subject to time ceases in time. It is necessary, then, that that old thing cease. He says, however, becomes obsolete on account of things inanimate, but grows old on account of things animate. It must be known, however, that where we have of sins, another text has of sin; and then it is referred to original sin, which is common to all.