First Question: On the Old Law According to Itself

St. Thomas, I-II, q. 98.

302. The old law is good, both because it has God as author, and because Christ, teaching by words and deeds and observing it, said that it is good (Mt. V, 17), and because it is consonant with reason while it represses concupiscence (Exod. XX, 17) and prohibits sins (ibid.). Whence it is called by the Apostle in Rom. VII, 12: a holy law, a holy commandment (cf. Ps. XVIII, 8-11; Mt. V, 17; I Tim. I, 8). Yet it is not simply perfect, because of itself it was not sufficient for leading to the end which is eternal life, toward which it only aided fallen man, but did not heal him completely nor render him fit: for this happens through grace, which was not given by the old law (Gal. IV, 9; Heb. VII, 19; X, 1). But it was perfect according to the time for which it was given and according to the condition of those to whom it was given.

"But how far the Mosaic law excels foreign laws is clear to one who attends a little: a) for it clearly and explicitly inculcates monotheism, and strictly prohibits the worship of idols which flourished among other peoples: I am the Lord... (Exod. XX, 2-4). b) Moreover slavery, although tolerated, is much milder than among neighboring nations (Exod. XXI, 1-11). c) The sum of the law is love of God and neighbor: You shall love... (Deut. VI, 5; Lev. XIX, 18). d) It prohibits not only external sins, as most laws do, but also internal sins: You shall not covet (Exod. XX, 17; Deut. VI, 5; Lev. XVI, 18). e) Not only negative holiness is commanded, but also positive holiness, which consists in a certain imitation of divine holiness: Be holy because I am holy, the Lord your God (Lev. XIX, 2)."

1. Tanquerey, op. cit., n. 337.

303. The old law was given

1. by God the Father, because it disposed men to the future Christ, His Son, in two ways: both by giving testimony about Him (Luke XXIV, 44; John V, 46), and by withdrawing men from idolatry and placing them under the worship of the one God by whom the human race was to be saved (Gal. III, 23-24; Rom. X, 4);

2. by the ministry of angels, because it was imperfect, while the new and perfect law had to be given through Christ Himself (Gal. III, 19; Acts VII, 53);

3. to the Jewish people alone, whom God chose so that Christ might be born from it; whence it was fitting that it be eminent by a special sanctification (Deut. IV, 8; Ps. CXLVII, 8; Rom. III, 2). Hence although, as to the precepts of natural right which it contained and manifested, it obligated all, nevertheless as to its own precepts superadded to natural law, per se it obligated only the Jews, and per accidens gentiles who were enrolled into the Jewish people by circumcision (Exod. XII, 48).

304. Observations. - 1) Therefore the end of the old law is: a) immediate and proximate, to instruct the people in order to honesty, worship of God, and justice, and thus to procure temporal happiness; b) mediate and ultimate, supernatural beatitude (Luke X, 25); c) extrinsically joined to the aforesaid, Christ as to be honored and glorified (Rom. X, 4).

2. Concerning the time in which the old law was to be given, St. Thomas teaches, q. 98, a. 6: "The old law was most fittingly given in the time of Moses. The reason for this can be taken from two things, according as any law is imposed on two kinds of men: the hard and proud, who are restrained and tamed by law; and the good, who, instructed by law, are aided to fulfilling what they intend. 1) Therefore it was fitting that the old law be given at such a time for convicting the pride of men. For man was proud about two things, namely, about knowledge and about power. a) About knowledge indeed, as though natural reason could suffice him for salvation; and therefore, that his pride about this might be convicted, man was permitted to the rule of his own reason without the help of a written law; and by experience man could learn that he suffered a defect of reason, by the fact that men had fallen even into idolatry and most shameful vices around the times of Abraham. And therefore after these times it was necessary that a written law be given as a remedy of human ignorance, because through law is the knowledge of sin... b) But after man had been instructed by the law, his pride about his infirmity was convicted, while he could not fulfill what he knew. 2) But on the part of the good, the law was given as a help; and this indeed was especially necessary to the people when natural law was beginning to be obscured on account of the overflowing of sins."