Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 2:6-12
Thomas Aquinas Commentary
Romans 2:6-12
Thomas Aquinas Commentary
Romans 2:6-12
SCRIPTURE
"who will render to every man according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [shall be] wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;" — Romans 2:6-12 (ASV)
After suggesting that God’s judgment is true and refuting the contrary opinion, the Apostle here explains the truth of God’s judgment.
First, he presents his intention.
Second, he explains it, beginning with the phrase to those indeed who, according to patience.
First, he states facts about God’s judgment regarding two things: persons and their works.
Regarding works, God does not repay according to one’s works in the present life, for sometimes He gives grace to evildoers, as He did to the apostle Paul, who obtained mercy after being a blasphemer and persecutor. But this will not be so on the day of judgment, when the time comes to judge according to justice: at the set time which I appoint, I will judge with equity (Psalms 75:2). Hence, another passage says: requite them according to their works (Psalms 28:4).
Regarding persons, equality of retribution will be observed toward all: we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).
However, it seems that retribution will not be made according to one’s works, because an eternal punishment will be paid for a temporal sin.
The answer, as Augustine says in The City of God, Book 21, is that when justice repays, the equality in duration between the sin and the punishment is not the main consideration. Even in human judgment, the death penalty is inflicted for a sin of adultery committed in a short time. Here, the legislator is not concerned with the duration of the crime, but rather that the adulterer’s death will forever separate him from the society of the living. In this way, man also punishes a temporal sin with an eternal punishment.
Consequently, it is not strange if sins committed against charity, through which a society between God and men is formed, are punished eternally by divine judgment.
The justice of this is clear on three counts. First, on account of the infinite dignity of God who is sinned against. For a sin is more serious the greater the dignity of the person sinned against, just as it is a greater crime to strike a prince than to strike a private citizen. Consequently, since the guilt of mortal sin is in a sense infinite, an infinite punishment should balance it. Therefore, since it cannot be infinite in intensity, it must be infinite in duration.
Second, on account of the will of the sinner.
For whoever sins mortally turns from the unchangeable good and fixes his end in a changeable good, such as a fornicator in the pleasure of the flesh or a covetous person in money. Because the end is sought for itself, whoever seeks an end is drawn toward it and wills to possess it always, unless something external hinders him. Hence, one who sins mortally has the will to remain in sin forever, unless he is changed by an outside factor, as when he fears punishment. Consequently, it is fitting that if a man through his will seeks sin to be enjoyed forever, he should be punished for it eternally. For God, who sees the heart, directs His special attention to the will of the sinner.
Third, on account of the effect of sin, namely, the withdrawal of grace, from which it follows that a man left to himself would remain forever in sin, from which he cannot be freed except by the help of grace. But it is not fitting that the penalty should cease while the sin remains; consequently, the penalty lasts forever.
The statement to render to every man according to his works does not mean according to an equality of works, because the reward exceeds the merit, but according to proportion, because He will render good to the good and better to the better. The same applies to evil.
Then when he says to those indeed who, according to patience, he clarifies his statement:
First, in regard to works.
Second, in regard to persons, at upon every soul.
In regard to works he shows the truth of God’s judgment:
First, to the good.
Second, to the wicked, at but to those who are contentious.
In regard to the first, there are two things to consider: merit and reward.
Three things combine in merit. First is patience, which can mean God’s patience as referred to above: do you despise the riches of his goodness and patience? Then those who have patience in good work would be those who make good use of God’s patience by doing good.
Or it can mean man’s patience, and this in two ways. In one way, patience implies tolerating adversity with composure. For it is necessary that one not give up good works on account of the evils he suffers, and this is what he says: according to patience in good work. Patience has a perfect work (James 1:4); by your patience you will gain your lives (Luke 21:19). In another way, patience can be taken for long-suffering or for perseverance, which keeps a person from abandoning a good work on account of weariness: you also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand (James 5:8); you have need of patience (Hebrews 10:36).
The second feature of merit is the goodness of a work, which is good if it is directed to its proper end and if it conforms to its proper rule, which is God’s law and human reason: let us not grow weary in well-doing (Galatians 6:9).
The third feature is a right intention, that is, to seek eternal life, so that in the evils a man suffers or in the good he does he is not seeking something temporal, but eternal: seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
In regard to the reward, he touches on three things. The first is glory, which signifies the splendor of the saints: either intrinsic glory, with which the mind will be filled: the Lord will fill your soul with brightness (Isaiah 58:11), or external glory, with which their body will shine: the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father (Matthew 13:43); let the faithful exult in glory (Psalms 149:5).
The second is honor, through which is signified the dignity of the saints and the reverence paid to them by every creature. For they will be kings and priests: you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God (Revelation 5:10) and will be numbered among the sons of God: why has he been numbered among the sons of God? ; your friends are made exceedingly honorable, O God (Psalms 139:17).
The third is incorruption, because that glory and honor will not pass away, as they do in this world: they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable (1 Corinthians 9:25).
Then when he says but to those who are contentious, he shows the truth of God’s judgment on the wicked and touches on sin and punishment.
In regard to sin, three things are mentioned. The first is the obstinacy of the factious, which can be understood of man toward God calling him to Himself by His blessings, against which a man seems to struggle by resisting them: behold, while I am yet alive with you, you have always been rebellious against the Lord (Deuteronomy 31:27). Second, it is understood of man’s struggle against faith: avoid disputing with words (2 Timothy 2:14). Third, it can be understood of men struggling with one another, which is contrary to charity, the mother of the virtues: where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice (James 3:16).
The second is the hardness of those who obey not the truth. This can be understood in one way of the truth of faith: if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? (John 8:46); in another way, of the truth of God’s justice, to which they do not submit, not believing the truth of His justice: you say: the way of the Lord is not just (Ezekiel 18:29). In a third way, it can be understood of the truth of life, in which they do not acquiesce who live perversely: he who does what is true comes to the light (John 3:21).
The third is malice; hence, he says: but give credit to iniquity, either because they consent to those who urge wickedness: an evil-doer listens to wicked lips (Proverbs 17:4); or because they believe that sins will not be punished, which would make God wicked: do not say: I have sinned and what happened to me? ; or they give credit to iniquity, that is, unbelief, namely, teachings against the faith: so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unjustice (2 Thessalonians 2:12).
In regard to punishment, four things are mentioned, which can be distinguished in two ways.
In one way, so that wrath, that is, punishment and corporal vengeance, is understood to come after the judgment: a day of wrath is that day (Zephaniah 1:15); indignation during the judgment, when the wicked will be angry at themselves for the sins they committed: it was we who strayed from the way of truth . Tribulation and anguish pertain to the soul separated from the body before the resurrection: when distress and anguish come upon you (Proverbs 1:27).
Or they can be distinguished in another way, so that the first two are taken on the part of God, whose wrath is His disposition to punish, which is horrible for the wicked: they will call to the mountains and rocks: fall on us (Revelation 6:16). His indignation refers to the fact that He will consider sinners unworthy of eternal life: I swore in my anger that they should not enter into my rest (Psalms 95:11).
But the other two are taken on the part of man. The word tribulation comes from tribulus, a prickly plant; hence, anything that causes pain can pertain to tribulation: the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man meets tribulation there (Zephaniah 1:14). But anguish is so called from the fact that a man’s spirit is in anguish, being unable to find a remedy against the evils he fears or already suffers: I am hemmed in on every side and know not what to choose (Daniel 13:22); will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? (Job 27:9).
Then when he says upon every soul, he shows the truth of God’s judgment in regard to persons.
First, he proposes its equity.
Second, he assigns the reason for this, at for there is no respect of persons.
Third, he explains the reason, at for whosoever has sinned.
The truth of the divine judgment in regard to persons is shown, first, as it affects the wicked, when he says, upon every soul of man who works evil, that is, against every soul, because just as the glory of the saints passes from the soul to the body, so the punishment of the wicked is first and chiefly in the soul and second in the body which, on account of defect or sin, will rise capable of suffering: the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4).
But he says of the Jew first, and also of the Greek, because a greater punishment was due the Jews for knowing God’s will through the law: that servant who knew his master’s will but did not do it . . . shall receive a severe beating (Luke 12:47). Similarly, Christians are punished more severely than unbelievers for the same sin, for example, adultery or theft: how much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God and profaned the blood of the covenant in which he was sanctified? (Hebrews 10:29).
But as to total punishment, that of unbelievers is more severe on account of the sin of unbelief, which is the gravest. Hence, it is said that God’s wrath rests upon unbelievers (John 3:36).
Second, he shows this in regard to the good. First, he repeats the two things mentioned above, namely, glory and honor, but the third, namely, peace, he mentions instead of immortality, which includes peace among many other things.
For a man’s peace cannot be complete as long as he fears he might lose the good things he has. Rather, one has true peace of heart when he has everything he desires and no fear of losing them: my people will abide in a peaceful habitation (Isaiah 32:18).
In these things, too, he gives primacy to the Jews, because they were first promised to them, and the Gentiles entered into their promises: others have labored and you have entered into their labors (John 4:38).
Then when he says for there is no respect of persons, he assigns the reason for his statement, namely, because there is no partiality with God: truly I perceive that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34).
Showing partiality is opposed to distributive justice, through which one distributes to each according to the person’s worth. Therefore, there is partiality when more or less is given without regard to worth. This happens when the person, rather than his qualifications, is accepted as the reason for an action. In this case, there is a reason, that is, a rule of action, but the person is taken as the reason for doing something.
Thus, if one gives a larger inheritance to another on account of a blood relationship, it is not partiality, because this relationship is a fitting reason why he should receive such benefits. But if a prelate gives more ecclesiastical goods to someone on account of a blood relationship, it would be partiality, if some other qualification were not present. For blood relationship is not a suitable reason for receiving spiritual goods.
Therefore, because God does everything for the best of reasons, partiality does not enter into His actions: wisdom orders all things well .
Yet He seems to show partiality, because He abandons some sinners and calls others to Himself.
The answer is that showing partiality is opposed to justice; hence, it finds its sphere in the payment of debts, with which justice is concerned. But God calls sinners to repentance not from debt but as a favor: and if by grace, it is not now by works (Romans 11:6); not because of deeds done by us in justice, but in virtue of his own mercy he saved us (Titus 3:5).
In such gifts not only God, but man too, is free to give to whom he will: am I not allowed to give what I choose with what belongs to me? (Matthew 20:15).
Then when he says, for whosoever, he explains the reason.
For if all who sinned are punished, it is clear that there is no partiality with God. Hence, he speaks first of those who have not received the law, saying that for whosoever has sinned without the law received from God by Moses, will perish without the law, that is, will be condemned, but not for transgression of the law: because no one understands, they will perish forever (Job 4:20).
Second, he speaks of those who received the written law, and he says that whosoever has sinned in the law, that is, after the written law, will be judged by the law, that is, precisely for having transgressed a precept of the law: the word which I have spoken will be his judge on the last day (John 12:48).
The Apostle’s manner of speaking here has been taken as an occasion of error by some. Because the Apostle does not say that all who sinned under the law will perish by the law, as he had said of those who are without the law that they will perish without the law, some believed that those who sin after receiving the law will be judged by some means, that is, in the present, but will not perish.
But as the Gloss says: what Christian would say that the Jew will not perish for not believing in Christ, when the Lord says that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for them? (Matthew 10:15). Hence it says: I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner (Ezekiel 18:32).
But the Apostle uses these different expressions because, as Gregory says on Job 36:6: he gives judgment to the poor, some will perish in the future judgment without being judged, that is, the wicked who are without faith and the law: the wicked will not stand in the judgment (Psalms 1:5), namely, because there is no basis for discussion with one entirely estranged from God: he who does not believe is condemned (John 3:18).
But others who sin in spite of having received the law and faith will perish in such a way as also to be judged through a discussion held with them. Hence, it is said: I judge between sheep and sheep, rams and he-goats (Ezekiel 34:17), just as a king condemns enemies without a hearing, but citizens with a careful examination, as Gregory says.