For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
All Commentaries on Romans 1:26 Go To Romans 1
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
146. Having set forth the sin of ungodliness [n. 141], according to which they have sinned against the divine nature, he now sets forth the punishment whereby they have been reduced to sinning against their own nature. First, he mentions the punishment; secondly, he explains it, there [26b; n. 148] at For their women; thirdly, its fittingness, there [27b; n. 151] at the recompense. 147. Therefore, he says, for this reason, i.e., because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie, God gave them up not, of course, by impelling them to evil but by abandoning them, to dishonorable passions, i.e., sins against nature, which are called passions in the sense that a passion implies that a thing is drawn outside the order of its own nature, as when water becomes hot or when a man becomes sick. Hence, because man departs from the natural order, when he commits such sins, they are fittingly called passions, as in Rom (7:5): "The passions of sins." They are called dishonorable passions, because their acts are not worthy of man: "It is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret" (Eph 5:12). For if sins of the flesh are shameful, because through them man is lowered to what is bestial in him, much more so are sins against nature, through which man sinks below the bestial: "I will change his glory into shame" (Hos 4:7). 148. Then when he says For their women (v.26b) he explains his statement. First, in regard to women; 80 secondly, in regard to men, there [v. 27; n. 150] at And, in like manner, the men also. 149. He says therefore first: the reason why I say that they have been given up to dishonorable passions is that their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural: "Does not nature itself teach you?" (1 Cor 11:14); "They have transgressed the laws, broken the everlasting covenant," i.e., the natural law (Is 24:5). It should be noted that something is against man’s nature in two ways: in one way, against the nature of what constitutes man, i.e., rationality. In this way, every sin is said to be against man’s nature, inasmuch as it is against right reason. Hence, Damascene says that an angel in sinning was turned from what is according to nature into what is contrary to nature. In another way, something is said to be against man’s nature by reason of his general class, which is animal. Now it is obvious that according to the intent of nature, sexual union in animals is ordained to the act of generation; hence, every form of union from which generation cannot follow is against the nature of animal as animal. In line with this it is stated in a 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. 150. Then when he says, And, in like manner, the men also, he explains in regard to males, who gave up natural relations with women and were consumed, i.e., lusted for something beyond the intent of nature: "They blazed like a fire of thorns" (Ps 118:12); and this in their desires, i.e., carnal desires, men committing shameful acts with men: "I will uncover your shame before them and they will see all your baseness" (Ez 16:37). 81 151. Then he shows that this punishment suited their guilt, when he says, and receiving in their own person, i.e., in the deformation of their nature, the due reward of their error, i.e., the error of exchanging the truth of God for a lie; the due reward, i.e., the retribution they deserved to receive according to the order of justice which required that those who insulted God’s nature by attributing to creatures what is his alone, should be affronts to their own nature. Although "reward" seems to imply something good, it is taken here for any retribution, even evil: "Wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23); "All their wages shall be burned with fire" (Mic 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, because they seem to have begun as idolatry, namely, at the time of Abraham, when idolatry is believed to have begun. That seems to be the reason why they are first recorded to have been punished among the people of Sodom (Gen 19). Furthermore, as idolatry became more widespread, these vices grew. Hence it is written in 2 Macc (4:12) that Jason "founded a gymnasium right under the citadel, and he induced the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek hat," i.e., put them in brothel houses. Now this was not the beginning, but an increase and progression of the heathenish and foreign manners. 152. Then when he says And as they did not see fit (v. 28) he shows that they fell under a penalty of justice. First, he shows that previous sin brought them to these sins; secondly, he enumerates the differences among these sins, there [n. 156] at Filled with all iniquity. 82 153. He mentions the preceding sin when he says, and since they did not see first to acknowledge God. This can be interpreted in two ways: in one way, that although they could have had true knowledge about God by the light of reason considering visible things, nevertheless, to sin more freely, they did not acknowledge God, i.e., they did not approve having God in their knowledge: "They said to God: ‘Depart from us. We do not desire knowledge of your ways.’" (Jb 21:14). In another way it can mean that they did not acknowledge that God knows about human behavior: "The Lord does not see: the God of Jacob does not perceive" (Ps 94:7). According to this interpretation the punishment is shown to fit this sin, when he says, God gave them up to a base mind [sense]. 154. "Sense" here does not mean man’s external sense, by which sense-perceptible things are known, but the interior sense, according to which he judges his behavior: "To fix one thoughts on her," i.e., wisdom, "is to have perfect understanding [sense]" (Wis 6:12). It is called a base sense, because it reached discommendable judgments about behavior: "Men of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith" (2 Tim 3:8); "Refuse silver they are called" (Jer 6:30). 155. Therefore, he continues: and to improper conduct, i.e., behavior not in accord with right reason: "Their works are useless" (Wis 3:11). Yet it is fitting that those who sinned against knowing God either by refusing to acknowledge Him or by thinking that they do not know Him, should be given up to a perverse sense. That is why it is written in Wis (14:31): "A just penalty always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous." 83 156. Then when he says, they were filled with all manner of wickedness, he enumerates these unbecoming actions. First, he describes their general state, saying that they were filled with all manner of wickedness, because, as stated in 1 Jn (3:4): "All sin is wickedness." For just as every virtue, inasmuch as it carries out a precept of the Law qualifies as righteousness, so every sin, inasmuch as it is at variance with the rule of the divine law, qualifies as wickedness. And so sins are particularly reprehended 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" (Ps 13:3). Secondly, 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" (Wis 14:27). 157. Then when he says, evil, he enumerates their sins in detail. First, their transgressions which disobey negative precepts; secondly, their omission, which disregard affirmative precepts, there [v. 30b; n. 163] at proud. Regarding the first he does two things: first, he mentions the sins by which a person deteriorates within himself; secondly, those by which he becomes harmful to his neighbor, there [n. 159] at wickedness. 158. In regard to the first he describes the source of deterioration in general terms, when he says, evil, i.e., malice, which is a habit of vice opposed to virtue. Hence it is that 84 18 The Latin has nequitia derived from nequire, meaning "to be unable." a person who sins from habit is said to sin from malice: "Why do you boast of malice?" (Ps 51:1). Getting down to particulars, he mentions first the sin by which a person is disarranged in regard to the desire for bodily pleasures, when he says, fornication. For although fornication, strictly speaking, is with prostitutes who offered themselves publicly near the "fornices," i.e., the triumphal arches, yet here it is taken for any unlawful concubinage: "Beware, my son, of all immorality" (Tb 4:12). Secondly, the vice through which a person is misaligned in his desire for external things, when he says, covetousness, which is the untamed desire for possessing: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have" (Heb 13:5). 159. Then the sins which tend to harm one’s neighbor are mentioned: first, malice, i.e. villainy, which inclines a person to attempt what he cannot accomplish.18 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" (Ps 7:9). Secondly, 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" (Wis 2:24). 160. Then are mentioned the wrongs: first, 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" (Hos 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 Jn 3:15), i.e., who hates him to kill him. 85 Secondly, the obvious ones that are words, when he says, strife [contention], which is an attack on the truth launched with the self-assurance of shouting: "It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife" (Pr 20:3). 161. Then he mentions the covert injuries: first, one that is general, when he says, deceit, i.e., 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" (Jer 9:8). After these 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" (Ps 28:3); "The Lord abhors deceitful men" (Ps 5:6). 162. Then he mentions the covert wrongs that are perpetrated by words, when he says, gossips [whisperers], i.e., those who secretly whisper in men’s ears to sow discord among them: "Curse the whisperer and deceiver, for he has destroyed many who were at peace" (Si 28:15); slanderers, i.e., persons who detract from another’s reputation secretly, i.e., saying evil things about another without his knowing it: "If a serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage in a charmer" (Ec 10:11). But lest these sins be regarded as trivial, because they are committed only by words, he adds, hateful to God; for they mainly attack something that God loves in men, namely, mutual love: "This is my commandment, that you love one another" (Jn 15:12); hence it is stated in Pr (6:16): "There are six things which the Lord hates, and a seventh is an abomination to him, namely, a person who sows discord among brothers." 86 He adds, insolent, namely, those who insult another to his face: "Though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him" (1 Tim 1:13). Thus he mentioned three vices that agree on one point, namely, they say something evil about one’s neighbor. But they differ in their aim, for the whisperer intends discord, the slanderer ill repute, and the insolent injury. 163. Then he mentions the sins that involve omission: first, the root of these sins, when he says, haughty. They are called haughty, as though moving on a higher plane than they ought. On account of an unregulated desire for excellence, they wish to be first, refuse any rule outside themselves and, therefore, ignore commands: "The beginning of all sin is pride" (Si 10:13), which is true, insofar as sin is a turning from God, but not insofar as sin is a turning to a perishable good. For it is stated in 1 Tim (6:10): "The love of money is the root of all evils." 164. Secondly, he describes the progress of pride. First, from it is born in the heart a boastful attitude, so that a person esteems himself above others: "I am not like other men" (Lk 18:11). Against those who over esteem themselves Ps 131 (v.1) says: "My eyes are not raised too high." Secondly, from pride arises presumption to be new and different in behavior, to which he alludes, when he says, inventors of evil. For since good things have already been established by God and men, the result is that they devise new evils: "Their devising are against the Lord" (Is 3:8). 87 165. Then the omissions are mentioned: first, in regard to authority; hence, in regard to parents he says, disobedient to parents, contrary to what is commanded in Eph (6:1): "Children, obey your parents in the Lord." 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" (Jb 28:28). Secondly, he mentions a sin of omission relating to oneself, when he says, faithless [slovenly] in appearance and in gait: "A man’s attire and open-mouthed laughter and a man’s manner of walking show what he is" (Si 19:30). Some fall under this indictment, when their manner conflicts with the common customs of the people among whom they live. Thirdly, he mentions omission touching one’s equals, toward whom we ought to have, first of all, affection in the heart; hence, he says, heartless: "The heart of the wicked is cruel" (Pr 12:10); "Men will be lovers of self" and not of others (2 Tim 3:2). Secondly, a man should live in social life 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 … and there was no deliverer, … because they had no dealings with anyone" (Jg 18:27); "Woe to him that is alone when he falls and has no one to lift him up" (Ec 4:10). Fourthly, he mentions an omission affecting one’s inferiors, when he says, ruthless [without mercy], which we ought to show to the desolate: "Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy" (Jas 2:13). 166. Then (v. 32) he shows that they are deserving of God’s anger or vengeance. In this regard there are three points to consider [n. 167ff.]. 88 First, their naturalistic 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 well, and will not do ill’" (Zeph 1:12). This is why he says, although they knew God’s decree, they do these things. 167. Secondly, the punishment due to their sins, when he says, they deserve to die: "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). For it is fitting 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" (Ps 34:22); "Over such the second death has no power" (Rev 20:6). 168. Thirdly, he considers those who deserve this punishment: first, those who do these things, i.e., the above mentioned sins: "Thou hatest all evildoers. Thou destroyest those who speak lies" (Ps 5:5-6).
