Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum peccatum Adae fuit gravius quam peccatum Evae Whether Adam’s sin was more grievous than Eve’s? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod peccatum Adae fuit gravius quam peccatum Evae. Dicitur enim I ad Tim. II, quod Adam non est seductus, mulier autem seducta in praevaricatione fuit, et sic videtur quod peccatum mulieris fuerit ex ignorantia, peccatum autem viri ex certa scientia. Sed huiusmodi peccatum est gravius, secundum illud Luc. XII, ille servus qui cognovit voluntatem domini sui et non fecit secundum voluntatem eius, vapulabit multis, qui autem non cognovit et fecit digna plagis, vapulabit paucis. Ergo Adam gravius peccavit quam Eva. Objection 1: It would seem that Adam’s sin was more grievous than Eve’s. For it is written (1 Tim 2:14): Adam was not seduced, but the woman being seduced was in the transgression: and so it would seem that the woman sinned through ignorance, but the man through assured knowledge. Now the latter is the graver sin, according to Luke 12:47, 48, That servant who knew the will of his lord . . . and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes: but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. Therefore Adam’s sin was more grievous than Eve’s. Praeterea, Augustinus dicit, in libro de decem chordis, si caput est vir, melius debet vivere, et praecedere in omnibus bonis factis uxorem suam, ut illa imitetur virum. Sed ille qui melius debet facere, si peccet, gravius peccat. Ergo Adam gravius peccavit quam Eva. Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Decem Chordis 3): If the man is the head, he should live better, and give an example of good deeds to his wife, that she may imitate him. Now he who ought to do better, sins more grievously, if he commit a sin. Therefore Adam sinned more grievously than Eve. Praeterea, peccatum in spiritum sanctum videtur esse gravissimum. Sed Adam videtur in spiritum sanctum peccasse, quia peccavit cogitans de divina misericordia, quod pertinet ad peccatum praesumptionis. Ergo videtur quod Adam gravius peccavit quam Eva. Obj. 3: Further, the sin against the Holy Spirit would seem to be the most grievous. Now Adam, apparently, sinned against the Holy Spirit, because while sinning he relied on God’s mercy, and this pertains to the sin of presumption. Therefore it seems that Adam sinned more grievously than Eve. Sed contra est quod poena respondet culpae. Sed mulier gravius est punita quam vir, ut patet Gen. III. Ergo gravius peccavit quam vir. On the contrary, Punishment corresponds to guilt. Now the woman was more grievously punished than the man, as appears from Gen. 3. Therefore she sinned more grievously than the man. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut dictum est, gravitas peccati principalius attenditur secundum peccati speciem quam secundum personae circumstantiam. Dicendum est ergo quod, si consideremus conditionem personae utriusque, scilicet mulieris et viri, peccatum viri est gravius, quia erat perfectior muliere. I answer that, As stated (A. 3), the gravity of a sin depends on the species rather than on a circumstance of that sin. Accordingly we must assert that, if we consider the condition attaching to these persons, the man’s sin is the more grievous, because he was more perfect than the woman. Sed quantum ad ipsum genus peccati, utriusque peccatum aequale dicitur, quia utriusque peccatum fuit superbia. Unde Augustinus dicit, XI super Gen. ad Litt., quod mulier excusavit peccatum suum in impari sexu, sed pari fastu. As regards the genus itself of the sin, the sin of each is considered to be equal, for each sinned by pride. Hence Augustine says (Gen ad lit. xi, 35): Eve in excusing herself betrays disparity of sex, though parity of pride. Sed quantum ad speciem superbiae, gravius peccavit mulier, triplici ratione. Primo quidem, quia maior elatio fuit mulieris quam viri. Mulier enim credidit verum esse quod serpens suasit, scilicet quod Deus prohibuit ligni esum ne ad eius similitudinem pervenirent, et ita, dum per esum ligni vetiti Dei similitudinem consequi voluit, superbia eius ad hoc se erexit quod contra Dei voluntatem aliquid voluit obtinere. Sed vir non credidit hoc esse verum. Unde non voluit consequi divinam similitudinem contra Dei voluntatem, sed in hoc superbivit, quod voluit eam consequi per seipsum. Secundo, quia mulier non solum ipsa peccavit, sed etiam viro peccatum suggessit. Unde peccavit et in Deum et in proximum. Tertio, in hoc quod peccatum viri diminutum est ex hoc quod in peccatum consensit amicabili quadam benevolentia, qua plerumque fit ut offendatur Deus ne homo ex amico fiat inimicus, quod eum facere non debuisse divinae sententiae exitus indicavit, ut Augustinus dicit, XI Sup. Gen. ad litteram. But as regards the species of pride, the woman sinned more grievously, for three reasons. First, because she was more puffed up than the man. For the woman believed in the serpent’s persuasive words, namely that God had forbidden them to eat of the tree, lest they should become like to Him; so that in wishing to attain to God’s likeness by eating of the forbidden fruit, her pride rose to the height of desiring to obtain something against God’s will. On the other hand, the man did not believe this to be true; wherefore he did not wish to attain to God’s likeness against God’s will: but his pride consisted in wishing to attain thereto by his own power. Second, the woman not only herself sinned, but suggested sin to the man; wherefore she sinned against both God and her neighbor. Third, the man’s sin was diminished by the fact that, as Augustine says (Gen ad lit. xi, 42), he consented to the sin out of a certain friendly good-will, on account of which a man sometimes will offend God rather than make an enemy of his friend. That he ought not to have done so is shown by the just issue of the Divine sentence. Et sic patet quod peccatum mulieris fuit gravius quam peccatum viri. It is therefore evident that the woman’s sin was more grievous than the man’s. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod illa seductio mulieris ex praecedenti elevatione subsecuta est. Et ideo talis ignorantia non excusat, sed aggravat peccatum, inquantum scilicet ignorando in maiorem elationem erecta est. Reply Obj. 1: The woman was deceived because she was first of all puffed up with pride. Wherefore her ignorance did not excuse, but aggravated her sin, insofar as it was the cause of her being puffed up with still greater pride. Ad secundum dicendum quod ratio illa procedit ex circumstantia conditionis personae, ex qua peccatum viri fuit gravius secundum quid. Reply Obj. 2: This argument considers the circumstance of personal condition, on account of which the man’s sin was more grievous than the woman’s. Ad tertium dicendum quod vir non cogitavit de divina misericordia usque ad contemptum divinae iustitiae, quod facit peccatum in spiritum sanctum, sed quia, ut Augustinus dicit, XI super Gen. ad Litt., inexpertus divinae severitatis, credidit illud peccatum esse veniale, id est de facili remissibile. Reply Obj. 3: The man’s reliance on God’s mercy did not reach to contempt of God’s justice, wherein consists the sin against the Holy Spirit, but as Augustine says (Gen ad lit. xi), it was due to the fact that, having had no experience of God’s severity, he thought the sin to be venial, i.e., easily forgiven. Quaestio 164 Question 164 De poena primi peccati The Punishments of the First Man’s Sin Deinde considerandum est de poena primi peccati. Et circa hoc quaeruntur duo. Primo, de morte, quae est poena communis. Secundo, de aliis particularibus poenis quae in Genesi assignantur. We must now consider the punishments of the first sin; and under this head there are two points of inquiry: (1) Death, which is the common punishment; (2) the other particular punishments mentioned in Genesis. Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum mors sit poena peccati primorum parentum Whether death is the punishment of our first parents’ sin? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod mors non sit poena peccati primorum parentum. Illud enim quod est homini naturale, non potest dici poena peccati, quia peccatum non perficit naturam, sed vitiat. Mors autem est homini naturalis, quod patet ex hoc quod corpus eius ex contrariis componitur; et ex hoc etiam quod mortale ponitur in definitione hominis. Ergo mors non est poena peccati primorum parentum. Objection 1: It would seem that death is not the punishment of our first parents’ sin. For that which is natural to man cannot be called a punishment of sin, because sin does not perfect nature but vitiates it. Now death is natural to man: and this is evident both from the fact that his body is composed of contraries, and because mortal is included in the definition of man. Therefore death is not a punishment of our first parents’ sin. Praeterea, mors et alii corporales defectus similiter inveniuntur in homine sicut et in aliis animalibus, secundum illud Eccle. III, unus interitus est hominis et iumentorum, et aequa utriusque conditio. Sed in animalibus brutis mors non est poena peccati. Ergo etiam neque in hominibus. Obj. 2: Further, death and other bodily defects are similarly found in man as well as in other animals, according to Eccles. 3:19, The death of man and of beasts is one, and the condition of them both equal. But in dumb animals death is not a punishment of sin. Therefore neither is it so in men. Praeterea, peccatum primorum parentum fuit specialium personarum. Sed mors consequitur totam humanam naturam. Ergo non videtur esse poena peccati primorum parentum. Obj. 3: Further, the sin of our first parents was the sin of particular individuals: whereas death affects the entire human nature. Therefore it would seem that it is not a punishment of our first parents’ sin. Praeterea, omnes aequaliter derivantur a primis parentibus. Si igitur mors esset poena peccati primorum parentum, sequeretur quod omnes homines aequaliter mortem paterentur. Quod patet esse falsum, quia quidam citius aliis, et gravius moriuntur. Ergo mors non est poena primi peccati. Obj. 4: Further, all are equally descended from our first parents. Therefore if death were the punishment of our first parents’ sin, it would follow that all men would suffer death in equal measure. But this is clearly untrue, since some die sooner, and some more painfully, than others. Therefore death is not the punishment of the first sin. Praeterea, malum poenae est a Deo, ut supra habitum est. Sed mors non videtur esse a Deo, dicitur enim Sap. I, quod Deus mortem non fecit. Ergo mors non est poena primi peccati. Obj. 5: Further, the evil of punishment is from God, as stated above (I, Q. 48, A. 6; Q. 49, A. 2). But death, apparently, is not from God: for it is written (Wis 1:13): God made not death. Therefore death is not the punishment of the first sin. Praeterea, poenae non videntur esse meritoriae, nam meritum continetur sub bono, poena autem sub malo. Sed mors quandoque est meritoria, sicut patet de morte martyrum. Ergo videtur quod mors non sit poena. Obj. 6: Further, seemingly, punishments are not meritorious, since merit is comprised under good, and punishment under evil. Now death is sometimes meritorious, as in the case of a martyr’s death. Therefore it would seem that death is not a punishment. Praeterea, poena videtur esse afflictiva. Sed mors non potest esse afflictiva, ut videtur, quia quando mors est, homo non sentit; quando autem non est, sentiri non potest. Ergo mors non est poena peccati. Obj. 7: Further, punishment would seem to be painful. But death apparently cannot be painful, since man does not feel it when he is dead, and he cannot feel it when he is not dying. Therefore death is not a punishment of sin. Praeterea, si mors esset poena peccati, statim fuisset ad peccatum consecuta. Sed hoc non est verum, nam primi parentes post peccatum diu vixerunt, ut patet Gen. IV. Ergo mors non videtur esse poena peccati. Obj. 8: Further, if death were a punishment of sin, it would have followed sin immediately. But this is not true, for our first parents lived a long time after their sin (Gen 5:5). Therefore, seemingly, death is not a punishment of sin. Sed contra est quod apostolus dicit, Rom. V, per unum hominem peccatum in hunc mundum intravit, et per peccatum mors. On the contrary, The Apostle says (Rom 5:12): By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death. Respondeo dicendum quod, si aliquis propter culpam suam privetur aliquo beneficio sibi dato, carentia illius beneficii est poena culpae illius. Sicut autem in primo dictum est, homini in prima sui institutione hoc beneficium fuit collatum divinitus, ut quandiu mens eius esset Deo subiecta, inferiores vires animae subiicerentur rationali menti, et corpus animae subiiceretur. Sed quia mens hominis per peccatum a divina subiectione recessit, consecutum est ut nec inferiores vires totaliter rationi subiicerentur, unde tanta est rebellio carnalis appetitus ad rationem; nec etiam corpus totaliter subiiceretur animae, unde consequitur mors, et alii corporales defectus. Vita enim et incolumitas corporis consistit in hoc quod subiiciatur animae, sicut perfectibile suae perfectioni, unde, per oppositum, mors et aegritudo, et quilibet corporalis defectus, pertinet ad defectum subiectionis corporis ad animam. I answer that, If any one, on account of his fault, be deprived of a favor bestowed on him the privation of that favor is a punishment of that fault. Now as we stated in the First Part (Q. 95, A. 1; Q. 97, A. 1), God bestowed this favor on man, in his primitive state, that as long as his mind was subject to God, the lower powers of his soul would be subject to his rational mind, and his body to his soul. But inasmuch as through sin man’s mind withdrew from subjection to God, the result was that neither were his lower powers wholly subject to his reason, whence there followed so great a rebellion of the carnal appetite against the reason: nor was the body wholly subject to the soul; whence arose death and other bodily defects. For life and soundness of body depend on the body being subject to the soul, as the perfectible is subject to its perfection. Consequently, on the other hand, death, sickness, and all defects of the body are due to the lack of the body’s subjection to the soul. Unde patet quod, sicut rebellio carnalis appetitus ad spiritum est poena peccati primorum parentum, ita etiam et mors et omnes corporales defectus. It is therefore evident that as the rebellion of the carnal appetite against the spirit is a punishment of our first parents’ sin, so also are death and all defects of the body. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod naturale dicitur quod ex principiis naturae causatur. Naturae autem per se principia sunt forma et materia. Forma autem hominis est anima rationalis, quae de se est immortalis. Et ideo mors non est naturalis homini ex parte suae formae. Materia autem hominis est corpus tale quod est ex contrariis compositum, ad quod sequitur ex necessitate corruptibilitas. Et quantum ad hoc, mors est homini naturalis. Haec tamen conditio in materia humani corporis est consequens ex necessitate materiae, quia oportebat corpus humanum esse organum tactus, et per consequens medium inter tangibilia; et hoc non poterat esse nisi esset ex contrariis compositum, ut patet per philosophum, in II de anima. Non autem est conditio secundum quam materia adaptetur formae, quia, si esset possibile, cum forma sit incorruptibilis, potius oporteret materiam incorruptibilem esse. Sicut quod serra sit ferrea, competit formae et actioni ipsius, ut per duritiem sit apta ad secandum, sed quod sit potens rubiginem contrahere, consequitur ex necessitate talis materiae, et non secundum electionem agentis; nam si artifex posset, faceret ex ferro serram quae rubiginem non posset contrahere. Deus autem, qui est conditor hominis, omnipotens est. Unde ademit suo beneficio ab homine primitus instituto necessitatem moriendi ex tali materia consequentem. Quod tamen beneficium subtractum est per peccatum primorum parentum. Et sic mors et est naturalis, propter conditionem materiae, et est poenalis, propter amissionem divini beneficii praeservantis a morte. Reply Obj. 1: A thing is said to be natural if it proceeds from the principles of nature. Now the essential principles of nature are form and matter. The form of man is his rational soul, which is, of itself, immortal: wherefore death is not natural to man on the part of his form. The matter of man is a body such as is composed of contraries, of which corruptibility is a necessary consequence, and in this respect death is natural to man. Now this condition attached to the nature of the human body results from a natural necessity, since it was necessary for the human body to be the organ of touch, and consequently a mean between objects of touch: and this was impossible, were it not composed of contraries, as the Philosopher states (De Anima ii, 11). On the other hand, this condition is not attached to the adaptability of matter to form because, if it were possible, since the form is incorruptible, its matter should rather be incorruptible. In the same way a saw needs to be of iron, this being suitable to its form and action, so that its hardness may make it fit for cutting. But that it be liable to rust is a necessary result of such a matter and is not according to the agent’s choice; for, if the craftsman were able, of the iron he would make a saw that would not rust. Now God Who is the author of man is all-powerful, wherefore when He first made man, He conferred on him the favor of being exempt from the necessity resulting from such a matter: which favor, however, was withdrawn through the sin of our first parents. Accordingly death is both natural on account of a condition attaching to matter, and penal on account of the loss of the Divine favor preserving man from death. Ad secundum dicendum quod similitudo illa hominis ad alia animalia attenditur quantum ad conditionem materiae, idest quantum ad corpus ex contrariis compositum, non autem quantum ad formam. Nam anima hominis est immortalis, brutorum vero animalium animae sunt mortales. Reply Obj. 2: This likeness of man to other animals regards a condition attaching to matter, namely the body being composed of contraries. But it does not regard the form, for man’s soul is immortal, whereas the souls of dumb animals are mortal. Ad tertium dicendum quod primi parentes fuerunt instituti a Deo non solum sicut quaedam personae singulares, sed sicut quaedam principia totius humanae naturae ab eis in posteros derivandae simul cum beneficio divino praeservante a morte. Et ideo per eorum peccatum tota humana natura in posteris tali beneficio destituta, mortem incurrit. Reply Obj. 3: Our first parents were made by God not only as particular individuals, but also as principles of the whole human nature to be transmitted by them to their posterity, together with the Divine favor preserving them from death. Hence through their sin the entire human nature, being deprived of that favor in their posterity, incurred death. Ad quartum dicendum quod aliquis defectus ex peccato consequitur dupliciter. Uno modo, per modum poenae taxatae a iudice. Et talis defectus aequalis debet esse in his ad quos aequaliter pertinet peccatum. Alius autem defectus est qui ex huiusmodi poena per accidens consequitur, sicut quod aliquis pro sua culpa excaecatus, cadat in via. Et talis defectus culpae non proportionatur, nec ab homine iudice pensatur, qui non potest fortuitos eventus praecognoscere. Sic igitur poena taxata pro primo peccato, proportionaliter ei respondens, fuit subtractio divini beneficii quo rectitudo et integritas humanae naturae conservabatur. Defectus autem consequentes subtractionem huius beneficii, sunt mors et aliae poenalitates praesentis vitae. Et ideo non oportet huiusmodi poenas aequales esse in his ad quos aequaliter pertinet primum peccatum. Verum quia Deus praescius est omnium futurorum eventuum, ex dispensatione divinae providentiae huiusmodi poenalitates diversimode in diversis inveniuntur, non quidem propter aliqua merita praecedentia hanc vitam, ut Origenes posuit (hoc enim est contra id quod dicitur Rom. IX, cum nondum aliquid boni aut mali egissent; est etiam contra hoc quod in primo ostensum est, quod anima non est creata ante corpus); sed vel in poenam paternorum peccatorum, inquantum filius est quaedam res patris, unde frequenter parentes puniuntur in prole; vel etiam propter remedium salutis eius qui huiusmodi poenalitatibus subditur, ut scilicet per hoc a peccatis arceatur, vel etiam de virtutibus non superbiat, et per patientiam coronetur. Reply Obj. 4: A twofold defect arises from sin. One is by way of a punishment appointed by a judge: and such a defect should be equal in those to whom the sin pertains equally. The other defect is that which results accidentally from this punishment; for instance, that one who has been deprived of his sight for a sin he has committed, should fall down in the road. Such a defect is not proportionate to the sin, nor does a human judge take it into account, since he cannot foresee chance happenings. Accordingly, the punishment appointed for the first sin and proportionately corresponding thereto, was the withdrawal of the Divine favor whereby the rectitude and integrity of human nature was maintained. But the defects resulting from this withdrawal are death and other penalties of the present life. Wherefore these punishments need not be equal in those to whom the first sin equally appertains. Nevertheless, since God foreknows all future events, Divine providence has so disposed that these penalties are apportioned in different ways to various people. This is not on account of any merits or demerits previous to this life, as Origen held: for this is contrary to the words of Rom. 9:11, When they . . . had not done any good or evil; and also contrary to statements made in the First Part (Q. 90, A. 4; Q. 118, A. 3), namely that the soul is not created before the body: but either in punishment of their parents’ sins, inasmuch as the child is something belonging to the father, wherefore parents are often punished in their children; or again it is for a remedy intended for the spiritual welfare of the person who suffers these penalties, to wit that he may thus be turned away from his sins, or lest he take pride in his virtues, and that he may be crowned for his patience. Ad quintum dicendum quod mors dupliciter potest considerari. Uno modo, secundum quod est quoddam malum humanae naturae. Et sic non est ex Deo, sed est defectus quidam incidens ex culpa humana. Alio modo potest considerari secundum quod habet quandam rationem boni, prout scilicet est quaedam iusta poena. Et sic est a Deo. Unde Augustinus dicit, in libro Retractat., quod Deus non est auctor mortis, nisi inquantum est poena. Reply Obj. 5: Death may be considered in two ways. First, as an evil of human nature, and thus it is not of God, but is a defect befalling man through his fault. Second, as having an aspect of good, namely as being a just punishment, and thus it is from God. Wherefore Augustine says (Retract. i, 21) that God is not the author of death, except insofar as it is a punishment. Ad sextum dicendum quod, sicut Augustinus dicit, XIII de Civ. Dei, quemadmodum iniusti male utuntur non tantum malis, verum etiam bonis; ita iusti bene utuntur non tantum bonis, sed etiam malis. Hinc fit ut et mali male lege utantur, quamvis sit lex bonum, et boni bene moriantur, quamvis sit mors malum. Inquantum igitur sancti bene morte utuntur, fit eis mors meritoria. Reply Obj. 6: As Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xiii, 5), just as the wicked abuse not only evil but also good things, so do the righteous make good use not only of good but also of evil things. Hence it is that both evil men make evil use of the law, though the law is good, while good men die well, although death is an evil. Wherefore inasmuch as holy men make good use of death, their death is to them meritorious. Ad septimum dicendum quod mors dupliciter accipi potest. Uno modo, pro ipsa privatione vitae. Et sic mors sentiri non potest, cum sit privatio sensus et vitae. Et sic non est poena sensus, sed poena damni. Alio modo, secundum quod nominat ipsam corruptionem quae terminatur ad privationem praedictam. De corruptione autem, sicut et de generatione, dupliciter loqui possumus. Uno modo, secundum quod est terminus alterationis. Et sic in ipso instanti in quo primo privatur vita, dicitur inesse mors. Et secundum hoc etiam, mors non est poena sensus. Alio modo corruptio potest accipi cum alteratione praecedente, prout dicitur aliquis mori dum movetur in mortem; sicut dicitur aliquid generari dum movetur in generatum esse. Et sic mors potest esse afflictiva. Reply Obj. 7: Death may be considered in two ways. First, as the privation of life, and thus death cannot be felt, since it is the privation of sense and life. In this way it involves not pain of sense but pain of loss. Second, it may be considered as denoting the corruption which ends in the aforesaid privation. Now we may speak of corruption even as of generation in two ways: in one way as being the term of alteration, and thus in the first instant in which life departs, death is said to be present. In this way also death has no pain of sense. In another way corruption may be taken as including the previous alteration: thus a person is said to die, when he is in motion towards death; just as a thing is said to be engendered, while in motion towards the state of having been engendered: and thus death may be painful.