Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Apostle warned the faithful against those who lead astray; here he instructs them against perversity of morals. And first he sets forth the general teaching; second, the specific teaching, at the words wives, subject. Concerning the first he does two things: first he instructs them about having a right intention of the end; second, about the rightness of human action, at the word mortify. Again the first is divided into two parts: first he sets down the manner of the instruction; second he assigns the reason, at the words for dead.

Concerning the first, first he sets down the benefit received; second from this he draws the lesson of the instruction, at the words the things that are above. The benefit is that we have risen with Christ, he rising; but this in two ways: in one way through the hope of bodily resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:12: But if Christ is preached that he rose from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? Likewise, with him rising, we are restored to the life of righteousness. Rom. 4:25: He was handed over on account of our sins, and rose again on account of our justification. As if to say: if with Christ rising, you too have risen. 2 Cor. 4:14: He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus.

Then when he says the things that are above, etc., he draws the lesson owed to the end. And first by comparison to the end, namely that one should principally intend the end; second, that one should judge other things according to the end. He says therefore: if you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above. Matt. 6:33: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, etc. For this is the end. Ps. 26:4: One thing have I asked of the Lord, etc. And therefore seek this, where Christ sits at the right hand. Mark, last chapter: The Lord Jesus indeed, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God. Ps. 109:1: Sit at my right hand.

And the right hand is to be understood not as some bodily part, but by way of likeness. For the right hand is the stronger part of man. Christ therefore sits at the right hand because, insofar as he is man, he is in the greater goods of the Father, but insofar as he is God, he is in equality with him. And so let the order be in you: that just as Christ died, and rose, and thus was taken up to the right hand of God, so also you should die to sin, that afterward you may live the life of righteousness, and thus be taken up to glory. Or: we have risen through Christ; but he himself sits there, therefore our desire ought to be toward him. Matt. 24:28: Wherever the body shall be, there also will the eagles be gathered together, etc. Matt. 6:21: Where your treasure is, there also is your heart.

Likewise we ought to judge other things according to him. And therefore he says mind the things that are above, etc. He asserts one thing, and denies the other. Now he minds the things that are above who orders his life according to the reasons of things above, and judges all things according to it. James 3:15: This is wisdom descending from above. But he minds the things that are upon the earth who orders and judges all things according to earthly goods, judging them to be the highest goods. Phil. 3:19: and glory in the shame of those who mind earthly things.

Then when he says for dead, etc., he sets down the reason for the admonition. And first he recalls a certain death; second he hints at the hiddenness of a certain life, at the words and life; third he teaches the manifestation of this life, at the words but when Christ. For before he forbade one thing, and asserted the other, and now he returns to these two. First thus: do not mind the things that are earthly, because you are dead to an earthly way of life. For one who is dead to this life does not mind the things that belong to this world; so also you, if you are dead with Christ, are dead to the elements of this world. Rom. 6:11: Reckon yourselves indeed to be dead to sin, but living to God. Is. 26:14: Let the dying not live, let the giants not rise again, etc.

But when he said reckon, etc., he adds: living. And therefore there is another, hidden life; hence here too he says and your life, etc. And we acquire this life for ourselves through Christ. 1 Pet. 3:18: Christ died for our sins, the just for the unjust, etc. But because this life is through Christ, and Christ is hidden from us, because he is in the glory of God the Father, likewise the life which is given to us through him is hidden, namely where Christ is, in the glory of God the Father. Prov. 3:16: Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. Ps. 30:20: How great is the multitude of your sweetness, which you have hidden for those who fear you, etc. Apoc. 2:17: To him who overcomes I will give the hidden manna, etc.

Therefore when he says but when Christ, etc., he shows how it is manifested, namely just as Christ also is, because it is said in Ps. 49:3: God shall come manifestly. And therefore he says but when Christ shall appear, your life, because he himself is the author of your life, and because your life consists in love and knowledge of him. Gal. 2:20: I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me. Then you also shall appear. 1 John 3:2: When he shall appear, we shall be like him, namely in glory. Hab. 3:3: He shall come from the south, and the Holy One from mount Pharan, etc.

Then when he says mortify therefore, he orders human action. First through the restraint of sins; second through the instruction of good morals, at the words put on. Concerning the first he does two things: first he sets forth the admonition; second he explains its reason, at the words stripping yourselves. Again the first into two: first he forbids the carnal vices, second he assigns the reason, at the words on account of which. Concerning the first he does two things: first he sets down the general prohibition; second he explains it specifically, at the words which are.

He says therefore: You ought not to mind the things that are upon the earth, but mortify whatever is earthly, and especially the members which are, etc. This can be explained by way of likeness, because our way of life contains many acts, just as the body contains many members; and in a good way of life, prudence is like a directing eye, while fortitude is like a carrying foot. But in a bad way of life, cunning is like the eye, and obstinacy like the foot. These members, therefore, are to be mortified.

Or otherwise: concerning the carnal members of the body he said: you are dead, etc., namely to an earthly way of life. How? And answering, he says mortify, etc. To the extent, therefore, that we die to fault, to that extent we are brought to life through grace. For the life of grace restores us as to the mind, not wholly as to the body, on account of the tinder. Rom. 7:25: I myself with the mind serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin. And a little before: I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, etc. You therefore who are dead as to the mind, mortify the concupiscence in the members, which are upon the earth, insofar as they are upon the earth, and earthly bodies. 1 Cor. 6: I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, etc., that is, by not permitting it to be drawn to carnal things.

And therefore he sets down the sins specifically. And first the purely carnal ones; second the intermediate ones, at the words and greed. Among carnal things, concupiscence especially inclines toward lust, where there is a shameful act. And this either according to the nature of the animal — I will not say of reason, because every sin is contrary to reason — and therefore he says fornication. Tob. 4:13: Keep yourself from all fornication, etc. Or against nature, and thus he says uncleanness. Likewise the delight is unclean, hence he says lust. Likewise depraved desire, hence he says evil desire.

Second he sets down the intermediate sins; and first greed, whose object is bodily, namely money, and which is completed in a spiritual delight, namely dominion over such things. And therefore it shares something in common with the carnal sins. And he adds which is the service of idols. Eph. 5:5: or covetous, which is the service of idols. But is greed, by its very kind, a species of idolatry, and does the greedy man sin as an idolater? I answer. It must be said: not according to species, but according to likeness, because the greedy man places his life in money. One is an idolater when he shows to some image the honor owed to God. But the greedy man shows to money the honor owed to God, because his whole life is occupied with this. But because the greedy man does not intend to relate himself to money as to God, as the idolater does, therefore it is a lesser sin.

Then when he says on account of which the wrath of God comes, he shows the reason why these sins are to be avoided, and it is twofold. One which moves all, and another which moves these in particular. The first is the vengeance of God, because on account of carnal things the wrath comes, that is the vengeance of God, upon the sons of unbelief, that is, the sinners who distrust God, because lust is the daughter of despair, since many out of despair of spiritual things give themselves totally to carnal things. Or unbelief, because as far as it is in itself, it is not to be trusted that they will be corrected, and therefore the wrath of God comes, as in Gen. 6:17 and 7, in the flood, and 18:26 and 19:24, concerning the Sodomites.

The other reason is that they themselves were once such. Hence he says in which you also once walked, namely from bad to worse. And he sets down this reason on account of two things: namely, on account of what Peter says in 1 Pet. 4:3: the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles, who walked in lusts, etc.; and because you have found by experience that in these there is no benefit, but confusion. Rom. 6:21: What fruit therefore did you have then in those things of which you are now ashamed?