Thomas Aquinas

Above he commended the state of the faithful, which is the state of grace, and its author, namely Christ; here he protects them against things contrary to this state, and first against corrupting doctrine; second against perverse morals, in chapter III, at the words "if then you have risen together." Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows his solicitude for their state; second he guards them against bad doctrine, at the words "but this I say." Again the first part is divided into three particles. For first he sets down his solicitude; second the persons for whom he is solicitous, at the words "for you"; third that about which he is solicitous, at the words "that they may be comforted."

He says therefore, "for I want you to know what solicitude I have," namely a great one. And this pertains to a good prelate. Rom. 12:8: "he who presides, in solicitude." Luke 2:8: "there were shepherds in the same region, keeping watch and guarding the watches of the night over their flock." And not only for those converted by him and present to him, but also for others. Hence he says "for you," namely whom I have not seen in the body, but in the mind, and not only for these, but also for those who have not seen, etc. For indeed he was solicitous for the whole world. Wis. 8:24: "in the ankle-length robe of Aaron the whole world was," etc. So too in the mind of the apostle. 2 Cor. 11:28: "besides those things that are without, my daily pressure: the solicitude for all the churches," etc. But for whom is he more solicitous? I answer, for those not seen, as to a certain point, because he did not know what was happening concerning them, but not simply.

Then when he says "that they may be comforted," he shows what he is solicitous about, namely their comfort. And first he sets this down; second, how this can be had, at the words "instructed." He says therefore "that they may be comforted," that is, that through me they may have spiritual comfort, of which comfort the good is productive. For it is productive of joy, so that one who is saddened about one thing may be comforted about another equally good thing. Now there are two things that comfort us, namely the meditation of wisdom, Wis. 8:9: "it will be the discourse of my thought and of my weariness." The other is prayer. James 5:13: "Is any man sad among you? Let him pray. Is he cheerful in mind? Let him sing."

Consequently, when he says "instructed," etc., he sets down in particular the instruction of wisdom. There is a twofold reading here, namely the one that has been given, and the one that is found in the Gloss thus: "that the hearts of those instructed may be comforted," etc., "unto knowing," etc. And it is the same sense. The instruction of wisdom therefore comforts against temporal evils. But one must here be instructed concerning the way, and therefore he says "in charity," which namely is the way to God. 1 Cor. 12:31: "I show you yet a more excellent way, if with tongues," etc. Instructed therefore in the charity by which God loves us, and by which we love him. For each of these comforts us, namely both because the Lord loves us — Gal. 2:20: "I live," etc.; and afterward: "who loved me and delivered himself up for me," etc.; Eph. 2:4: "rich in mercy, on account of his exceeding great charity, with which he loved us," etc. — and likewise because we love God, we are comforted, because it is the comfort of a friend, if for him one endures evils. Ecclus. 22:31: "and if evils should befall me, I will bear them for his sake."

And he adds "and unto all riches," that is, in every capacity. For our intellect is in potency to knowing something; but the intellect of an Angel, in its creation, was filled with the knowledge of intelligible things. And therefore it is necessary that knowledge come upon our human intellect either through instruction — but this is insufficient, because nothing so great can ever be known in this way as to fill its capacity — or through divine revelation and the gift of God, and this is sufficient. Ecclus. 15:5: "the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding," etc. And therefore he says "of the fullness of understanding," that is, in abundance. Wis. 8:5: "what is richer than wisdom?" Is. 33:6: "the riches of salvation are wisdom and knowledge." Instructed therefore in the abundance of divine wisdom, which abundance fills the understanding. And this we shall have by knowing God. And therefore he says "unto the knowledge of the mystery," etc., that is, unto knowing the truth of this hidden sacrament, namely that God is the father of Jesus Christ. Or the mystery of God the Father, which is Christ. Therefore it is said in Matt. 11:25 concerning the apostles: "you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to little ones." Or in the knowledge of the eternal generation and incarnation of Christ. Wis. 6:16: "to think, then, upon her is a perfected understanding." Augustine: "blessed is he who knows you, unhappy is he who does not know you." Through the knowledge of God man has every fullness. John 17:3: "this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God," etc.

But is the understanding filled through the knowledge of Christ? I answer, yes, because "in him are all the treasures," etc. God has the knowledge of all things, and this knowledge is compared to a treasure. Wis. 7:14: "for it is an infinite treasure unto men," etc. A treasure is riches gathered together, but things poured out abroad are not called a treasure, but only those that are in one place. For God has scattered his wisdom over all his works, Ecclus. 1:10. And according to this it does not have the character of a treasure, but according as reasons of this kind are united in one, namely the divine wisdom, and all treasures of this kind are in Christ. For wisdom is the knowledge of divine things, but science is the knowledge of creatures. But whatever can be known about God pertaining to wisdom, all of it God knows abundantly in himself. Likewise, whatever can be known about creatures, he knows in himself in a supereminent way. But whatever is in the wisdom of God is in his one Word, because by one simple act of understanding he knows all things, since in him there is no knowledge in potency nor in habit. And therefore in this Word are all the treasures, etc.

But he adds "hidden," because that something is hidden from me happens in two ways, namely either on account of the weakness of my intellect, or on account of an opposing veil, just as someone does not see a candle either because he is blind, or because it is veiled. So in the Word of God are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, but hidden from us who do not have clear eyes, but bleary ones — John 12:35: "yet a little while is the light in you" — and because it is veiled with a double veil: namely that of the creature, because our intellect now cannot attain to that knowledge except through the likeness of creatures. Rom. 1:20: "the invisible things of God are perceived, being understood through the things that have been made," etc. Second, it is veiled in the flesh, John 1:14: "and the Word was made flesh." And if we see something of God, nevertheless not the whole. Is. 45:15: "truly you are hidden." Num. 20:6: "open to them your treasure." Let us suppose that someone has a veiled candle: he would not seek light from elsewhere, but rather that what is possessed by him be unveiled, and therefore one need not seek wisdom except in Christ. 1 Cor. 2:2: "I did not think that I knew anything, except Christ Jesus," etc. And 1 John 3:2: "when he shall appear," that is, shall be revealed, "we shall be like him," namely knowing all things; just as one who had a book in which was all knowledge would seek nothing except to know that book, so too we need not seek anything further except Christ.

Then when he says "but this I say," etc., he instructs and warns them against corrupting doctrine. Now they were being seduced by certain philosophers, against the faith, and by heretics who taught the observances of the legal precepts. Therefore he first instructs them against the philosophers, second against those judaizing, at the words "in whom also you are circumcised." Now in worldly knowledge two things are contained, for there is a certain knowledge of speaking, and a certain knowledge of things, and therefore they can deceive in two ways. Therefore he first fortifies them against the philosophers who deceive them through the knowledge of speaking; second against those who deceive them through the knowledge of things, at the words "see that no one." First he makes plain the deception; second he assigns the reason, at the words "for though in the body." He says therefore: I say that in Christ is all knowledge. And I say this, lest, seeking knowledge elsewhere, you be deceived. And he says "let no one," that is, neither Demosthenes nor Tully, deceive you "in loftiness of speech." Is. 33:19: "you shall not see an imprudent people, a people of deep speech," etc. But is it a sin to use lofty speech? I answer: No, because even holy men speak more elegantly than even the rhetoricians of the world, as Ambrose, Jerome, and Pope Leo. For if it is lawful to use ornate speech to persuade unto evil, much more so unto good.