Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 1:26-32

"For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them." — Romans 1:26-32 (ASV)

1. Having set forth the sin of ungodliness, by which they sinned against the divine nature, the Apostle now sets forth the punishment by which they were led to sin against their own nature.

He addresses this in three parts:

1. First, he mentions the punishment.
2. Second, he explains it, beginning with for their women.
3. Third, he discusses its suitability, beginning with and receiving in themselves.

2. He says for this cause—that is, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie—God delivered them up. This was not, of course, by compelling them to do evil, but by abandoning them to shameful affections, which are sins against nature. They are called passions in the sense that a passion implies something is drawn outside the order of its own nature, as when water becomes hot or a person becomes sick. Therefore, because a person departs from the natural order when committing such sins, they are appropriately called passions, as in Romans: the passions of sins (Romans 7:5).

They are called shameful affections because their acts are not worthy of human beings: it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret (Ephesians 5:12). For if sins of the flesh are shameful because through them a person is lowered to what is bestial, much more so are sins against nature, through which a person sinks below the level of beasts: I will change his glory into shame (Hosea 4:7).

3. Then, when he says for their women, he explains his statement.

1. First, in regard to women.
2. Second, in regard to men, at and, in like manner, the men also.

4. He says, therefore, first: the reason I say that they have been given up to dishonorable passions is that their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. Does not nature itself teach you? (1 Corinthians 11:14); they have transgressed the laws, broken the everlasting covenant—that is, the natural law (Isaiah 24:5).

It should be noted that something is against human nature in two ways. First, it can be against the nature of what constitutes a person, namely, rationality. In this way, every sin is said to be against human nature, insofar as it is against right reason. Hence, Damascene says that an angel, in sinning, turned from what is according to nature to what is contrary to nature.

Second, something can be against human nature by reason of our general class, which is animal. It is obvious that, according to the intent of nature, sexual union in animals is ordered toward the act of generation. Therefore, every form of union from which generation cannot follow is against the nature of an animal as an animal. In line with this, it is stated in the Gloss that the natural use is that a man and a woman come together in one copulation, but it is against nature that a man pollute a man and a woman a woman. The same is true of every act of intercourse from which generation cannot follow.

5. Then, when he says and, in like manner, he explains this in regard to males, who, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned—that is, lusted for something beyond the intent of nature: they blazed like a fire of thorns (Psalms 118:12). And this they did in their lusts, i.e., carnal desires, men with men, working that which is filthy: I will uncover your shame before them and they will see all your baseness (Ezekiel 16:37).

6. Next, he shows that this recompense suited their guilt when he says, and receiving in themselves—that is, in the deformation of their own nature—the recompense which was due to their error. This error was exchanging the truth of God for a lie. The recompense which was due was the retribution they deserved according to the order of justice, which required that those who insulted God’s nature by attributing to creatures what is His alone should suffer affronts to their own nature.

Although recompense seems to imply something good, it is used here for any retribution, even an evil one: the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); all their wages shall be burned with fire (Micah 1:7).

It should be noted that the Apostle very reasonably considers vices against nature, which are the worst carnal sins, as punishments for idolatry. This is because they seem to have begun with idolatry, namely, at the time of Abraham, when idolatry is believed to have started. That seems to be the reason they are first recorded as being punished among the people of Sodom (Genesis 19). Furthermore, as idolatry became more widespread, these vices grew. Hence it is written that Jason founded a gymnasium right under the citadel, and he induced the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek hat , meaning he put them in brothels. Now this was not the beginning, but an increase and progression of pagan and foreign customs.

7. Then, when he says and as they liked not, he shows that they fell under a penalty of justice.

1. First, he shows that a previous sin brought them to these sins.
2. Second, he enumerates the different kinds of these sins, at being filled with all iniquity.

8. He mentions the preceding sin when he says, and as they did not like to have God in their knowledge. This can be interpreted in two ways. One way is that although they could have had true knowledge about God through the light of reason by considering visible things, they nevertheless, in order to sin more freely, did not like to have God in their knowledge. That is, they did not approve of keeping God in their knowledge: they said to God: depart from us. We do not desire knowledge of your ways (Job 21:14).

Another way it can be interpreted is that they did not acknowledge that God knows about human behavior: the Lord does not see: the God of Jacob does not perceive (Psalms 94:7). According to this interpretation, the punishment is shown to fit this sin, when he says God delivered them up to a reprobate sense.

9. Sense here does not mean a person’s external senses, by which perceptible things are known, but the interior sense, according to which one judges behavior: to fix one’s thoughts on her, i.e., wisdom, is to have perfect sense .

It is called a base or reprobate sense because it reached reprehensible judgments about behavior: men of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith (2 Timothy 3:8); refuse silver they are called (Jeremiah 6:30).

10. Therefore, he continues: to do those things which are not fitting, that is, behavior not in accord with right reason: their works are useless .

Yet it is appropriate that those who sinned against knowing God, either by refusing to acknowledge Him or by thinking that He does not know them, should be given up to a perverse sense. That is why it is written: a just penalty always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous .

11. Then, when he says being filled, he enumerates these unbecoming actions. First, he describes their general state, saying being filled with all iniquity, because, as it is said: all sin is wickedness (1 John 3:4).

For just as every virtue, insofar as it carries out a command of the law, qualifies as justice, so every sin, insofar as it is at variance with the rule of the divine law, qualifies as wickedness. And so sins are particularly rebuked in the Sacred Scripture.

He stresses their guilt in two ways. First, in its enormity, when he says filled. For that person seems to be filled with wickedness whose affections are totally dedicated to sinning: their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness (Psalms 13:3). Second, in its extent, because they sin not in one matter only but in all: the worship of idols is the beginning and cause and end of every evil .

12. Then, when he says malice, he enumerates their sins in detail.

1. First, their transgressions that disobey negative commands.
2. Second, their sins of omission, which disregard affirmative commands, at proud.

Regarding the first, he does two things:

1. First, he mentions the sins by which a person deteriorates within himself.
2. Second, those by which he becomes harmful to his neighbor, at wickedness.

13. In regard to the first, he describes the source of deterioration in general terms when he says malice, which is a habit of vice opposed to virtue. Hence, a person who sins from habit is said to sin from malice: why do you boast of malice? (Psalms 51:1).

In regard to particulars, he first mentions the sin by which a person is disordered in the desire for bodily pleasures, when he says fornication. For although fornication, strictly speaking, is with prostitutes who offered themselves publicly near the arcades (Latin: fornices), i.e., the triumphal arches, here it is taken for any unlawful sexual union: beware, my son, of all fornication .

Second, he mentions the vice through which a person is disordered in his desire for external things, when he says, avarice, which is the untamed desire for possessing: keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5).

14. Then the sins that tend to harm one’s neighbor are mentioned. First is wickedness, i.e., villainy, which inclines a person to attempt what he cannot accomplish. This happens especially in regard to harming one’s neighbor, whom one does not always succeed in harming as planned: let the evils of the wicked come to an end (Psalms 7:9).

Second, he mentions the root of these sins when he says full of envy, which consists in being grieved at another’s good. As a result, one is incited to harm the other: through the devil’s envy death entered the world .

15. Then the wrongs are mentioned. First are the obvious ones that are deeds, when he says murders, which are the chief wrongs: there is swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and committing of adultery (Hosea 4:2). He says murders in the plural because murder is present not only in the action but also in the will: anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15), that is, who hates him enough to kill him.

Second are the obvious wrongs that are words, when he says contention, which is an attack on the truth launched with the self-assurance of shouting: it is an honor for a man to keep away from strife (Proverbs 20:3).

16. Then he mentions the secret injuries. First is a general one, when he says deceit, which is when one thing is pretended and something else is done: their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peaceably to his neighbor, but in his heart he plans an ambush for him (Jeremiah 9:8).

After this, he mentions the inner root of these harmful deeds when he says malignity, which implies an evil fire, i.e., ill will in the heart: they speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts (Psalms 28:3); the Lord abhors deceitful men (Psalms 5:6).

17. Then he mentions the secret wrongs that are committed by words when he says whisperers, i.e., those who secretly whisper in people’s ears to sow discord among them: curse the whisperer and deceiver, for he has destroyed many who were at peace ; and detractors, i.e., persons who detract from another’s reputation secretly by saying evil things about another without his knowing it: if a serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage in a charmer (Ecclesiastes 10:11).

So that these sins are not regarded as trivial because they are committed only with words, he adds hateful to God. For they mainly attack something that God loves in people, namely, mutual love: this is my commandment, that you love one another (John 15:12). Hence it is said: there are six things which the Lord hates, and a seventh is an abomination to him (Proverbs 6:16), namely, a person who sows discord among brothers.

He adds insolent, namely, those who insult another to his face: though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him (1 Timothy 1:13).

Thus he mentioned three vices that agree on one point: they all involve saying something evil about one’s neighbor. But they differ in their aim, for the whisperer intends discord, the slanderer a bad reputation, and the insolent person injury.

18. Then he mentions the sins that involve omission. First is the root of these sins, when he says proud.

They are called haughty, as though moving on a higher plane than they should. On account of a disordered desire for excellence, they wish to be first, refuse any rule outside themselves, and, therefore, ignore commands. The beginning of all sin is pride , which is true insofar as sin is a turning away from God, but not insofar as sin is a turning toward a perishable good. For it is stated: the love of money is the root of all evils (1 Timothy 6:10).

19. Second, he describes the progression of pride. From it is born in the heart a boastful attitude, so that a person esteems himself above others: I am not like other men (Luke 18:11). Against those who over-esteem themselves it is said: my eyes are not raised too high (Psalms 131:1).

From pride also arises the presumption to be new and different in behavior, to which he alludes when he says inventors of evil things. For since good things have already been established by God and humanity, the result is that they devise new evils: their schemes are against the Lord (Isaiah 3:8).

20. Then the sins of omission are mentioned. First, in regard to authority, he says disobedient to parents, contrary to what is commanded in Ephesians: children, obey your parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1). In regard to God’s authority, he says foolish, i.e., acting contrary to God’s wisdom: the fear of the Lord is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (Job 28:28).

Second, he mentions a sin of omission relating to oneself, when he says dissolute in appearance and in gait: a man’s attire and open-mouthed laughter and a man’s manner of walking show what he is . Some fall under this indictment when their manner conflicts with the common customs of the people among whom they live.

Third, he mentions an omission concerning one’s equals, toward whom we should have, first of all, affection in the heart; hence, he says without affection: the heart of the wicked is cruel (Proverbs 12:10); men will be lovers of self and not of others (2 Timothy 3:2). Next, a person should live in community with his equals, in contrast to which he says without fidelity. Consequently, they do not live in society with others: they smote them with the edge of the sword (Judges 18:27 and following); woe to him that is alone when he falls and has no one to lift him up (Ecclesiastes 4:10).

Fourth, he mentions an omission affecting one’s inferiors, when he says without mercy, which we should show to the desolate: judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy (James 2:13).

21. Then, when he says who, having known the justice of God, he shows that they are deserving of God’s anger or vengeance. In this regard, there are three points to consider. First is their worldly attitude, because although they knew that God is just and possessed of all other perfections, they did not believe that He would punish their sins: they say in their hearts: the Lord will not do evil (Zephaniah 1:12). This is why he says, who, having known the justice of God, did not understand.

22. Second is the punishment due to their sins, when he says they are worthy of death. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

For it is appropriate that the soul which deserts God should be deserted by its own body through bodily death and, in the end, be deserted by God through eternal death: the death of the wicked is very evil (Psalms 34:22); over such the second death has no power (Revelation 20:6).

23. Third, he considers those who deserve this punishment. First are they who do such things, i.e., the previously mentioned sins: you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies (Psalms 5:5–6).

But it is not only they who do them, but they also who consent to those who do them. This happens in two ways. One way is directly, by applauding sin: the wicked is praised in the desires of his heart (Psalms 10:3), or even by offering advice and help: should you help the wicked (2 Chronicles 19:2). Another way is indirectly, by not objecting or opposing in any way, especially when one is obligated by their position to do so. Thus, the sins of his sons were imputed to Eli (1 Samuel 3:13). In particular, this is directed against those Gentile wise men who, even though they did not worship idols, did nothing to oppose those who did.