Thomas Aquinas, on 1Tim 4:3

“Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth.”

“Then he identifies the false doctrine and touches on the Manichean heresy, which condemns marriage in opposition to Matthew: what God has joined together, let no man put asunder (Matt 19:6); a woman sins not, if she marry (1 Cor 7:36). Likewise, the Manicheans forbid the use of foods, i.e., they command abstinence from foods. Now abstaining from foods can be lawful, when it is for the purpose of taming the flesh, as Timothy abstained from wine; or to avoid scandal, as the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians: if meat scandalize my brother, I will never eat flesh, lest I should scandalize my brother (1 Cor 8:13). And it can be unlawful: first of all, when it involves obeying false laws, as though the observances of the old law were still in vogue contrary to the Apostle in Galatians (Gal 2:15); second, when it accords with the heresy of the Manicheans, not because it is commanded by the law (which they reject), but because they say that in flesh, eggs, wine, and so on, i.e., in certain particles of these foods the divine nature is an ingredient. But the Apostle does not seem to be referring here to the foods interdicted the by the old law, but to those forbidden by the Manicheans, because he says: in the last times. And he calls those Manicheans devils, because they give more honor to the Devil than other heresies do, inasmuch as they regard him as a principle equal to the good God, since they regard him as the principle of visible things. But the Apostle disproves this error in two ways: first, by reason of God's intention in creating food; and second, from the condition of the creature, at every creature. He says, therefore, that they command abstinence even against God's intention, who created these things to be received with thanksgiving: and every thing that moves and lives shall be meat for you: even as the green herbs have I delivered them all to you (Gen 9:3). But you say: do plants exist for animals and animals for men? The answer is yes; even according to the Philosopher in the Politics I, which states that the imperfect is for the sake of the more perfect. Hence, just as there are degrees of perfection in the production of things: first, the production of plants; then of animals, and finally of men; so also in the use of things: And thus, they are to be received, but with thanksgiving: in all things give thanks (2 Thess 5:18), because all have been granted to you by God: the poor shall eat and be filled (Ps 21:27). And he says, with thanksgiving by the faithful, because they who receive with thanksgiving are faithful. For no one can thank God for that which is unlawful. For he is a fool who thanks God for fornication, because God is not the source of evil. Therefore, he thanks God who recognizes that the use of foods is lawful. And this is made known by faith alone; that is why he says, by the faithful. Then when he says, and by those who have known the truth, for every creature of God is good, he disproves this error by arguing from the condition of the creature: first, he describes the condition of the creature, namely, that every creature is good in itself; second, the use of the creature.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.