Know you not that we shall judge angels? how much more things of this world?

“"Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things which pertain to this life?" Some say that here the priests are hinted at, but away with this. His speech is about demons. For had he been speaking about corrupt priests, he would have meant them above when he said, "the world is judged in you:" (for the Scripture is wont to call evil men also "The world:") and he would not have said the same thing twice, nor would he, as if he was saying something of greater consequence, have put it down afterwards. But he speaks concerning those angels about whom Christ saith, "Depart ye into the fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels." And Paul, "his angels fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness." For when the very incorporeal powers shall be found inferior to us who are clothed with flesh, they shall suffer heavier punishment. But if some should still contend that he speaks of priests, "What sort of priests?" let us ask. Those whose walk in life has been worldly, of course. In what sense then does he say, "We shall judge angels, much more things that relate to this life?" He mentions the angels, in contradistinction to "things relating to this life": likely enough; for they are removed from the need of these things, because of the superior excellence of their nature.”

“Above, the Apostle had rebuked the Corinthians for negligence of judgment; here he rebukes in them certain other sins concerning judgments. And first, as to the judges before whom they litigated; second, as to the judgments themselves, there: *now indeed altogether*. Concerning the first he does three things. First he argues against them concerning disorder; second he assigns the reason for the rebuke, there: *do you not know*; third he applies a remedy, there: *secular judgments therefore*. He says therefore first: thus you are negligent in judging your own, but nevertheless you are presumptuous in undergoing the judgments of unbelievers, and this is what he says: *does* someone *dare*, that is, presume, *any of you having a matter*, namely a secular one, *against another, to be judged before the unjust*, that is, to undergo the judgment of unbelievers, *and not before the saints*, that is, before the faithful, who are sanctified by the sacraments of the faith. For this is disordered in many ways. First indeed, because by this the authority of the faithful is derogated; second, because the dignity of the faithful is derogated as to this, that they undergo the judgments of unbelievers; third, because by this occasion is given to unbelieving judges to despise the faithful, whom they see disagreeing among themselves; fourth, because by this occasion is given to unbelieving judges to slander and oppress the faithful, whom they hold in hatred on account of the faith and the diversity of rite. And therefore it is said in Deut. 1:15f: *I took from your tribes wise and noble men, and I commanded them, saying: hear them, and judge what is just*. And in the same book, 17:15: *you shall not be able to make king a man of another nation, who is not your brother*. But this seems to be against what is said in 1 Peter 2:13: *be subject to every human creature for God's sake, whether to the king as excelling, or to governors as sent by him*: for it pertains to the authority of the prince to judge concerning his subjects. It is therefore against divine law to prohibit that one stand by his judgment, if he be an unbeliever. But it must be said that the Apostle does not prohibit that the faithful, established under unbelieving princes, appear before their judgment, if they are summoned, for this would be against the subjection which is owed to princes; but he forbids that the faithful should not voluntarily choose the judgment of unbelievers. Then, when he says *do you not know*, etc., he assigns the reason against that which they were doing, taken from this, that they were derogating from the authority of the saints. And first as to the authority which they have over worldly things; second as to the authority which they have with regard to super-worldly things, that is, over the Angels, there: *do you not know that we shall judge Angels?* He says therefore first: judgment before unbelievers is disordered, because the faithful have the authority of judging: *do you not know that the saints shall judge this world*, that is, concerning the worldly men of this world? This indeed is fulfilled in three ways. First indeed according to comparison, namely according as not only the good shall judge the wicked, and the saints the worldly; but also according as the good shall be judged by the better, and the wicked shall judge the worse, according to that saying of Matt. 12:41: *the men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it*. Second, they shall judge by approving the sentence of the judge, namely Christ, and this will properly belong to the just, according to that saying of the Psalm: *the just man shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge*. Hence it is said in Wisdom 3:8: *the saints shall judge nations*. In a third way, through the pronouncing of the sentence. And this will belong to the apostles and those like them, who, having despised the things of the world, clung to spiritual things alone. For the spiritual man judges all things, as was said above, 2:15. Hence also it is said in Matt. 19:28: *you who have followed me, shall sit upon seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel*. And in Ps. 149:6f it is said: *two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the nations*. This pronouncing of the sentence, however, is understood not as vocal, but as spiritual, insofar as through the higher saints the lower, or even sinners, will be illuminated by a certain spiritual illumination, as to what punishments and what rewards are owed to them: just as even now men are illuminated by Angels, or even the lower Angels by the higher. Second, from this that has been said, he argues to his purpose, saying: *and if the world shall be judged in you*, that is, through you, that is, worldly men, *are you unworthy* to judge concerning *the smallest* matters, namely concerning secular affairs? Luke 16:10: *he who is unjust in that which is little, shall be unjust also in that which is greater*. Then, when he says *do you not know*, etc., he argues to the same point from the authority of the saints over the Angels. And first he states it, saying: *do you not know that we*, namely the faithful of Christ, *shall judge Angels?* This indeed can be understood of the evil Angels, who will be condemned by the saints, by whose power they have been conquered. Hence the Lord, Luke 10:19, says: *behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents, and upon all the power of the enemy*. And in Ps. 90:13: *you shall walk upon the asp and the basilisk*. This can also be understood of the good Angels, very many of whom will be found, in a certain comparison, inferior to Paul and those like him. Hence significantly he does not say: *you shall judge*, but *we shall judge*. Although it can also be said that, as a consequence, if the saints shall judge men good and evil, there will be judgment concerning the good Angels also, whose accidental reward is increased from the reward of the saints who are illuminated through the Angels, and also concerning the evil Angels, whose punishment is increased from the punishment of the men seduced by them. Second, he argues to his purpose, saying: *how much more shall we be fit to judge secular matters*, namely judgments: for he who is fit for greater things, is much more fit for lesser things. Hence also the lord, to whom he had entrusted five talents, afterward entrusted one, as is found in Matt. 25:28. Then, when he says *secular judgments therefore*, he applies a remedy against their fault. And first he sets forth the remedy; second he explains it, there: *I say this to your shame*. He says therefore first: therefore, since the saints shall judge this world, if you have secular judgments among you, which nevertheless you ought not to have, *appoint those who are contemptible in the Church* to judge, rather, namely, than that you be judged before unbelievers. Hence also it is said in Ps. 140:5: *the just man shall correct me in mercy, and shall reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner fatten my head*. And it is said in Ecclesiastes 9:4: *better is a living dog than a dead lion*. Then, when he says *I say this to your shame*, he explains in what sense he said the foregoing. For someone might believe that, according to the letter, the more contemptible were to be chosen for judging; but he excludes this, saying *I say this to your shame*. As if he were to say: I did not say this that it should be done so, but that I might make you ashamed, namely by that confusion which brings grace and glory, as is said in Ecclesiasticus 4:25. For the contemptible in the Church would have to be chosen for judging, if wise men were not found among you, which would be shameful for you. Hence he adds: *is it so that there is not among you any wise man, who can judge between brother and brother, but brother contends with brother in judgment, and this before unbelievers?* Rather, however, than that you should do this, you ought to appoint the contemptible, who are in the Church, to judge and to supply the defect of the wise, which nevertheless does not exist among you, according to that which he had said above in chapter one: *you were made rich in him, in every word and in every knowledge*. Or otherwise, from that place *secular*, etc. For he had said that the saints are fit to judge secular matters, and therefore he wishes to show through whom secular judgments ought to be exercised, namely through the contemptible who are in the Church. He calls contemptible, however, those who are wise in worldly matters, by comparison to those who are wise in divine matters, to whom reverence is to be shown, who are not occupied in temporal matters, so that they may be free for spiritual things alone. And this is what is added: *I say this to your shame*; according to another reading: *to your reverence*. Hence also the apostles said, Acts 6:2: *it is not right that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables*. Afterward, however, he returns to that which he had rebuked above, namely that the Corinthians were litigating under unbelieving judges, saying: *is it so that there is not among you any wise man*, namely in temporal matters, whom above he called contemptible. Hence the rest are not changed from the first exposition, which nevertheless seems to be more literal.”

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels ? Some think that angels here means priests, and they refer to Malachi ii. 7, u For he is the angel of the Lord of hosts,” spoken of the priest But this is foreign to the mind of S. Paul, and therefore the Fathers unanimously take it literally. Digitized by v^,ooQle 106 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE Observe that, as Chrysostom, Theodoret, Ambrose, and Anselm say, it is the day of general judgment that is here spoken of. Hence it follows (i.) that at that day not only men but angels, both good and bad, are to be judged. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Theodoret, Anselm understand this passage to refer to evil angels ; for there is one Church of angels and men, and one Head and Judge, even Christ Such a judgment tends to display publicly the Divine righteousness, and the honour due to the angels. It follows (2.) that this judgment is not such an one as is spoken of in S. Matt xii. 41, where it is said that the Queen of the South and the Ninevites should rise up in the judgment and condemn that generation of Jews, but judgment in the proper sense of the word, inasmuch as it is set side by side with that by which the Corinthians judged their worldly matters. S. Paul says then that Christ and the Saints, by their power and authority, shall judge the angels as well as men : the good by a judgment of approbation, of praise and glory, and the evil by a judgment of condemnation and reprobation. They shall be judges because, when they were frail men in the body, they devoted themselves to the worship of God and perfect purity. The others shall be judged because they refused to do God’s will, though they were incorporeal and pure spirits. So Theophylact and Theodoret. Again, because the Saints were victorious over the devil in this life, they for their reward shall, before the whole world, pass judgment on his malice, pride, and foolishness, and shall exult over him as conquered, mean, and contemptible, cast away by God, and condemned to everlasting punishment So Christ is said to do in Col. ii. 1 5. And this will be to the exquisite pride of the devils a most bitter punishment, as Francis Suarez says beautifully (pt. iii. qu. 69, disp. 57, sect 8). Add to this that the Apostles and Apostolic men, who left all and followed Christ most closely, will be nearest to the Judge, as the leaders of His kingdom and assessors of their King. And so their sentence will be Christ’s ; and as Cardinals are associated with the Pope, so they with Christ shall judge all others. How much more things that pertain to this life? We are comDigitized by v^,ooQle THE CHRISTIAN AS JUDGE 107 petent and worthy to judge things that belong to man’s ordinary life, if only the office of judging is intrusted to us by the litigating parties, or if we are appointed to it by the Church or by the State. For if we are able to judge angels* why not matters of this world ? For angels as far surpass worldly things as heaven is higher than earth”

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels,.... Meaning not the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, called "angels", Rev 1:20 whose doctrines are examined, tried, and judged by the saints, according to the word of God; nor the good angels, who, were it possible that they could, or should publish a Gospel contrary to what has been preached by the apostle, would be contradicted, condemned, and accursed by him, see Gal 1:8 but the evil angels, the devil and his angels: and this is to be understood not of their future final judgment and condemnation at the last day, when saints will subscribe unto, and approve of the sentence pronounced upon them, and will triumph over them in their destruction; but of the judgment of them, and of their ejection out of the Gentile world, out of their oracles, idols, and idol temples, to which Christ refers, Joh 12:31 and calls the judgment of this world, and the casting out of the prince of it by the ministry of his apostles; and which was now already begun, and ere long would be fully accomplished: accordingly the Syriac version renders it, "know ye not , that we are about to judge angels?" and the Arabic, "know ye not that we judge angels?" from whence the apostle infers very justly, how much more things that pertain to this life? this animal life; to the trade and business of life; to pecuniary matters, to estates and possessions in this world, about which differences may arise between one saint and another.”

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels? - Dr. Lightfoot observes that "the apostle does not say here, as he said before, the saints shall judge the angels, but We shall judge them. By angels, all confess that demons are intended; but certainly all saints, according to the latitude with which that word is understood, i.e. all who profess Christianity, shall not judge angels. Nor is this judging of angels to be understood of the last day; but the apostle speaks of the ministers of the Gospel, himself and others, who, by the preaching of the Gospel, through the power of Christ, should spoil the devils of their oracles and their idols, should deprive them of their worship, should drive them out of their seats, and strip them of their dominion. Thus would God subdue the whole world under the Christian power, so that Christian magistrates should judge men, and Christian ministers judge devils."”

“judge angels--namely, bad angels. We who are now "a spectacle to angels" shall then "judge angels." The saints shall join in approving the final sentence of the Judge on them (Jde 1:6). Believers shall, as administrators of the kingdom under Jesus, put down all rule that is hostile to God. Perhaps, too, good angels shall then receive from the Judge, with the approval of the saints, higher honors.”