Have You Been Taught, Delighted, and Changed by Sacred Scripture?

THIS IS the book of the commandments of God, and the law that is forever. All that keep it shall come to life; but they that have forsaken it, to death.” ~ Baruch 4:1

According to Augustine in On Christian Doctrine 4.12, one skilled in speech should so speak as to teach, to delight, and to change the lazy. The speech of Sacred Scripture does these three things in the fullest manner. For it firmly teaches with its eternal truth. Psalm 118.89: “Thy word, O Lord, stands firm for ever as heaven.” And it sweetly delights with its pleasantness. Psalm 118.103: “How sweet are Thy words to my mouth!” And it efficaciously changes with its authority. Jeremiah 23.29: “Are not my words as a fire, saith the Lord?”

Therefore in the text above Sacred Scripture is commended for three things. First, for the authority with which it changes: “This is the book of the commandments of God.” Second, for the eternal truth with which it instructs, when it says, “and the law that is forever.” Third, for the usefulness with which it entices, when it says, “All that keep it shall come to life.”

The authority of this Scripture is shown in three things. First, its origin, because God is its origin. Hence it says, “the commandments of God.” Baruch 3:37: “He found out all the way of knowledge.” Hebrews 2:3: “For it was first announced by the Lord and was confirmed unto us.” Such an author is infallibly to be believed, both on account of the condition of His nature, because He is truth; John 14:4: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” And on account of His fullness of knowledge; Romans 11:33: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!” And also on account of the power of the words; Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and efficient and keener than any two-edged sword.”

Second, it is shown to be efficacious by the necessity with which it is imposed. Mark 16:16: “He who does not believe shall be condemned.” The truth of Sacred Scripture is proposed in the manner of a precept, hence the text says, “the commandments of God.” These commandments direct the intellect through faith: “You believe in God, believe also in me,” John 14:1; inform the affections with love: “This is my commandment, that you love one another,” John 15:12; and induce to action: “Do this and you shall live,” Luke 10:28.

Third, it is shown to be efficacious by the uniformity of its sayings, because all who teach the sacred doctrine teach the same thing. 1 Corinthians 15:11: “Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.” And this is necessary because they all had one teacher. Matthew 23:8: “Your teacher is one.” And they had one spirit, “Have we not walked in the same spirit?” and one love from above, “Now the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32). Therefore, as a sign of the uniformity of doctrine, it says significantly, “This is the book.”

The truth of this teaching of Scripture is immutable and eternal, hence the words, “and the law that is for ever.” Luke 21:33: “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words shall not pass away.” This law will endure for ever because of three things: First, because of the power of the lawgiver. Isaiah 14:27: “For the Lord of hosts hath decreed, and who can disannul it.” Second, on account of His immutability. Malachi 3:6: “For I am the Lord and I change not”; Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that He should lie; nor like the son of man, that He should be changed.” Third, because of the truth of the law. Psalm 118:86: “All Thy commandments are faithful.” Proverbs 12:19: “The lip of truth shall be steadfast forever.” 3 Ezra 4:38: “Truth remains and gathers strength eternally.”

The usefulness of this Scripture is the greatest: “I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things.” Hence our text continues: “All that keep it shall come to life.” Which indeed is threefold: First it is the life of grace, to which Sacred Scripture disposes. John 6:64: “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” For through this life the spirit lives in God. Galatians 2:20: “It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me.” Second is the life of justice consisting in works, to which Sacred Scripture directs. Psalm 118:93: “Thy decrees I will never forget, for by them thou hast given me life.” Third is the life of glory which Sacred Scripture promises and to which it leads. John 6:69: “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast words of everlasting life.” John 20:31: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

~St. Thomas Aquinas, “Commendation of and Division of Sacred Scripture”

Anno Domini 2019, October 23
Feast of St. James the Apostle, Brother of Our Lord