Bless them who persecute you: bless, and curse not.
All Commentaries on Romans 12:14 Go To Romans 12
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
996. Above the Apostle showed that charity should be practiced toward the needy, now he shows how it should be practiced even toward enemies: first, he gives the admonition; secondly, he proves what he said [v. 19b; n. 1013]. With respect to the first it should be noted that three things pertain to charity: first, benevolence, which consists in willing good to another and not willing evil; secondly, concord, which consists in friends willing the same thing and rejecting the same thing; thirdly, beneficence, which consists in doing good and causing no injury to the one loved. First, therefore, he touches on matters pertaining to benevolence; 492 secondly, to concord [v. 15; n. 1003]; thirdly, to beneficence [v. 17; n. 1007]. 997. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he urges that benevolence be broad enough to include enemies when he says: Bless those who persecute you. Here it should be noted that to bless [bene-dicere] is to say something good. This can happen in three ways: first, by asserting a good, as when one person praises another’s good points: "The lips of many shall bless him that is liberal of his bread; and the testimony of his truth is faithful" (Sir 31:28). Secondly, by commanding: to bless in this way belongs to God by Whose command something good comes to creatu4es, or it belongs to His ministers who invoke the Lord’s name upon the people: "Thus shall you bless the sons of Israel and say to them: The Lord bless you and guard you. The Lord show His face to you and have mercy on you. The Lord turn His countenance toward you and give you peace" (Num 6:22-26); "They shall invoke my name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them" (Num 6:27). Thirdly, one blesses by desiring: "Nor did they who passed by say: "The blessing of the Lord be upon you.’" (Os 129:8). To bless in this way is to will someone’s good and, as it were, to pray for his good. This is the way it is taken here. 998. Hence, this directive, to bless those who persecute you, shows that we must have good will even toward enemies and persecutors by desiring their welfare and praying for them: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Mt 5:44). 493 This directive can be interpreted in one way as a precept and in another as a counsel. For we are commanded to love our enemies in such a way as not to exclude them from our general love of neighbor and from the prayer one makes for all believers. We are also obliged to show the effect of this love of one’s enemies in particular cases of critical need. Hence it says in Ex (23:4): "If you meet your enemy‘s ox or ass going astray, rescue it." But for anyone to give his enemies the benefit of his help beyond cases of manifest need or to say special prayers and indicate a feeling of love in a special way pertains to the perfection of the counsels, because it shows that a person’s love of God is so advanced that it triumphs over all human hatred. However, one who repents and seeks forgiveness should no longer be reckoned an enemy or persecutor; hence, there should be no difficulty in showing him marks of charity: "Forgive your neighbor if he has hurt you: and then your sins shall be forgiven when you pray" (Sir 28:2). 999. Secondly, he teaches that good-will should be pure, i.e., not mixed with its opposite. Hence he says: Bless and do not curse them, i.e., so bless that in no way do you curse. This is against those who bless with their mouth and curse in their heart: "They speak words of peace to their neighbor, but have evil in their hearts" (Ps 27:3). It is also against those who sometimes bless and sometimes curse, or bless some and curse others: "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so" (Jas 2:10); "Do not return reviling for reviling" (I Pt 3:9). 1000. But the fact that many curses are found in Sacred Scripture seems to be against this. For Dt (27:26) says: "Cursed be he that does not abide in the words of this law and does not fulfill them in work." 494 The answer is that to curse [male-dicere] is to say something evil [malum dicere]. As with blessing, this can happen in three ways, namely, by asserting, by commanding and by desiring; and in each of these ways something good can be done and something evil. For something materially evil can be called evil in any of these ways. If it is called evil but has a good aspect, this is blessing rather than cursing and is not illicit. For a thing is judged more according to its form than its matter. But if someone says evil under the aspect of evil, he is speaking evil formally; hence it is altogether illicit. Both of these cases occur when someone makes known an evil by asserting it. For sometimes a person asserts that something is evil, in order to make known a necessary truth. Hence, he asserts evil under the aspect of a necessary truth, which is something good; hence it is licit. This is the way Job (3:1) is said to have cured his day, when he asserted the evil of the present life, just as the Apostle did in Eph (5:17): "Making the most of the time, because the days are evil." But sometimes a person asserts someone’s evil under the aspect of evil, namely, to detract from his good name; and this is illicit. For it is stated in I Cor (6:10): "The evil-tongued shall not possess God’s kingdom." 1001. Similarly, when one says something evil by commanding it can happen that he says something materially evil but under a good aspect. For example, it is licit for a person in authority to command that someone undergo the evil of punishment, when it is just. In this way violators of the law are cursed, i.e., justly subjected to punishment. 495 But when someone commands another’s evil unjustly, for example from hatred and revenge, such a curse is illicit: "He that curses his father or mother shall die the death" (Ex 21:17). 1002. It is the same with regard to saying something evil by desiring. For if the evil is desired under the aspect of good, for example, that through adversity a person may make spiritual progress, it is licit: "I have seen a fool with a firm root: and at once I cursed his beauty" (Jb 5:3). But if this is done from hatred and revenge, it is altogether illicit: "The Philistine cursed David by his gods" (1 Sam 17:43). 1003. Then when he says: Rejoice with those that rejoice, He teaches about concord: first, he sets out nature of concord; secondly, the obstacles to it [v. 16b; n. 1006]. 1004. Concord can be considered in two ways [cf. n. 1005]. In one way, as regards the effect it produces in reacting to good and evil. In regard to good it makes one rejoice in the good of others; hence he says: Rejoice with those that rejoice: "I am glad and rejoice with you all" (Phil 2:17). But this refers to rejoicing with one who rejoices in the good. For there are some who take joy in evil: "Some are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in things most wicked" (Pr 2:17). In such cases one must not rejoice with others, for in I Cor (13:6) it is said of charity that "it does not rejoice over wickedness but rejoices in the truth." 496 In regard to evil the effect of concord is that it makes one grieve over another’s evil. Hence, he says: Weep with those who weep: "I wept for him who was afflicted" (Jb 30:25); "Comfort them that weep, and walk with them that mourn" (Si 7:38). For the compassion of a commiserating friend itself brings consolation in two ways: first, because it is convincing proof of friendship: "In a man’s adversity his friend is known" (Si 12:9), and that itself is a joy, namely, to know that one has a true friend. Secondly, because the condolence of a friend implies that he is offering to carry the burden which causes the sorrow, and it is easier when a burden is carried by two than by one person alone. 1005. Secondly, concord consists in unity of opinion. In regard to this he says: Live in harmony with one another, i.e., agree on the same matters: "That all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you" (I Cor 1:10); "Complete my joy by being of the same mind" (Phil 2:2). Yet it should be noted that there are two kinds of opinion: one pertains to the intellect’s judgment about speculative matters, such as are considered in geometry and astronomy. Disagreement here does not militate against friendship or love, because love exists in the will, whereas judgments about these matters do not arise from the will but from the necessity of reason. The other opinion pertains to reason’s judgment about actions. Disagreement in these is contrary to love, because such dissension involves contrariety of will. And because faith is not only speculative but also practical inasmuch as it functions through love, as is stated in Gal (5:6), dissent from correct faith is contrary to love. 497 1006. Then when he says, not minding high things, he removes the two obstacles to concord. The first is pride which inclines one to pursue his own excellence inordinately and to refuse subjection, as the same time desiring to subject someone else and impede his excellence. From this follows discord: "Among the proud there are always quarrels" (Pr 13:10). Hence to remove this obstacle he says: not minding high things, so that you seek inordinately your own excellence: Do not be proud, but stand in awe" (Rom 11:20). But consenting to the humble, i.e., accept humble things, i.e., when it is fitting, do not refuse what seems to be lowly: "I prefer to be one of no account in the house of my God" (Ps 83:11); "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God" (Pt 5:6). The second obstacle to concord is over-confidence in one’s wisdom or one’s prudence, so that the opinion of others is not believed. To remove this he says: Do not be prudent in your own conceits, so that you judge as prudent only what seems so according to you: "Woe to you that are wise in your own eyes and prudent in your own conceits" (Is 5:21); "Lest you be wise in your own conceits" (Rom 11:25). 1007. Then when he says, Repay, he teaches what pertains to beneficence by excluding its contrary: first, he teaches not to do evil to another for revenge; secondly, he teachings not to do evil for the sake of defense [v. 19; n. 1011]. 1008. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he forbids revenge when he says: Repay no one evil for evil: "If I have returned evil for evil" (Ps 7:5); "Do not repay evil with evil" (I Pt 3:9). 498 But this must be understood in a formal sense, as when we spoke above of evil. For we are forbidden to return evil for evil when it is inspired by hatred or envy, so that we take pleasure in another’s evil. But if in return for the evil of guilt which someone commits a judge pronounces an evil of punishment in a just way to compensate for malice, he does, indeed, return evil materially, but formally and in itself he returns a good. Hence, when a judge hangs a criminal for murder, he does not return evil for evil but good for evil. This is the way the Apostle handed over to Satan the man guilty of incest, "for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved" (I Cor 5:5). 1009. Secondly, he shows hat even good things must be provided for our neighbor, saying: Take thought for what is noble in the sight of all, so that you do things pleasing to men: "Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks, or to the church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do" (1 Cor 11:32). But this can be done properly and improperly. For if it is done for human approval, it is not proper conduct: "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them" (Mt 6:1). But it is proper, when it is done for the glory of God: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Mt 5:16). 1010. Thirdly, he gives the reason for this advice. For we should refrain from returning evil and should provide good things in the sight of all, in order that we might be at peace with men; therefore, he adds: Live peaceably with all. But he qualifies this when he says: if possible. For sometimes other people’s malice prevents us from having peace with them, namely, because no peace is possible 499 with them unless we consent to their malice. Such peace, of course, is illicit: "I came not to send peace but the sword" (Mt 10:34). Another qualifier is added when he says: so far as it depends on you, i.e., even if they act against peace, we should do all in our power to preserve peace with them: "I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war" (Ps 120:7). 1011. Then when he says, Never avenge, he shows that we should not do evil to our neighbor in vengeance. First, he presents the teaching: You should not avenge yourselves, dearly beloved, but as is said of Christ: "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard" (Is 50:6) and "Like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth" (Is 53:7). Hence, the Lord Himself commanded: "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Mt 5:39). But, as Augustine says, the things done by holy men in the New Testament are valid examples for understanding the commands given in Scripture. For the Lord Himself, when He was struck on the cheek, did not say: "Here is the other cheek," but "If I have spoken ill, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why do you strike me." This shows that one must be prepared in the heart to offer the other cheek. For the Lord was prepared not only to offer the other cheek for man’s salvation but His whole body to be crucified. 1012. Secondly, he assigns the reason when he says: but leave it to the wrath of God, i.e., to divine judgment. As if to say: Entrust yourself to God Who can defend and vindicate you by His judgment, as it says in I Pt (5:7): "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you." 500 But this applies to cases in which no opportunity is left to us to do otherwise according to justice. But because, as it says in Dt (1:17): "Judgment is the Lord’s, "when someone authorized by a judge seeks vengeance in order to repress malice and not because of hatred, or on the authority of his superior procures his own defense, he is understood to leave matters to the wrath of God, since magistrates are God’s ministers. Hence, even Paul obtained a bodyguard against the plots of the Jews (Ac 23:12ff). 1013. Then when he says, As it is written, he proves what he had said: first, by an authority; secondly, by reason [v. 21; n. 1015]. 1014. In regard to the first he does two things: first, he proves what he said about revenge being forbidden, saying: Leave it to the wrath of God, i.e., to divine judgment, for it is written: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." (Dt 32:35). Our text has this: "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay in due time"; "God the Lord of vengeance" (Ps 93:1); "The Lord is a jealous God, an avenger" (Nah 1:2). Secondly, he proves what he said about kindness to one’s enemies by an appeal an authority. First, he presents the scriptural teaching that we help enemies who are in danger of death, because this binds by a necessity of precept, as stated earlier. And this is what it says: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink: "Do good to those who hate you" (Mt 5:44). Secondly, he assigns the reason, saying: for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. This can be given a sinister interpretation, so that the sense would be: if you do good to him, your good will turn out evil for him, because from it he will 501 incur eternal fire by his ingratitude. But this sense is opposed to charity, against which a person would be acting, if he helped someone, so that the help would turn out evilly for him. Therefore, it must be given a good sense, namely, by doing so,, i.e., helping them in time of need, burning coals, i.e., the love of charity, of which Song 8(:6) says, "the lamps thereof are as lamps of fire and flame"; you shall heap, i.e., gather together, upon his head, i.e., on his mind. For, as Augustine says: "There is no greater incitement to love than to be the first to love. For the man is exceedingly hard who, though unwilling to bestow love, refuses to return love." 1015. Then when he says, do not be overcome by evil, he proves what he had said by reason. For it is natural to man that he wish to overcome his adversary and not be overcome by him. But that is overcome by another which is drawn to that other, as water is overcome by fire, when it is drawn to the heat of fire. Therefore, if a good man, on account of the evil done him by another, is drawn to do evil in return, the good man is overcome by the evil. If, on the other hand, on account of a favor which the good man does for his persecutor, he draws the latter to his love, the good man overcomes the evil.
