Greco-Christian stream·Opera Omnia Sancti Thomae (Complete Works of Thomas Aquinas)·Summa Theologiae·Prima Pars·Q114. The assaults of the demons
Source context
- Theme
- demonic assault upon rational and spiritual life — angelic guardianship as counter-force
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Zoroastrian demonology (Angra Mainyu / daēvas)Zoroastrian teaching distinguishes a hierarchy of destructive spirit-beings (daēvas) whose assaults on human faculties require angelic counter-forces — a structural parallel to Aquinas's treatment of demonic temptation opposed by guardian-angel protection.
- Jewish Kabbalistic tradition (sitra achra)Kabbalistic sources frame the sitra achra (the 'other side') as an organised realm of adversarial spiritual beings whose influence on human beings is countered by angelic mediation — a cross-tradition congruence with Aquinas's formal taxonomy of demonic attack and its limits.
Q114. The assaults of the demons
Article 1
[I.q.114.a.1.arg.1] It would seem that men are not assailed by the demons. For angels are sent by God to guard man. But demons are not sent by God: for the demons' intention is the loss of souls; whereas God's is the salvation of souls. Therefore demons are not deputed to assail man.
[I.q.114.a.1.arg.1] Ad primum sic proceditur. 1. Videtur quod homines non impugnentur a dæmonibus. Angeli enim deputantur ad hominum custodiam missi a Deo. Sed dæmones non mittuntur a Deo, cum dæmonum intentio sit perdere animas, Dei autem salvare. Ergo dæmones non deputantur ad hominum impugnationem.
[I.q.114.a.1.arg.2] Further, it is not a fair fight, for the weak to be set against the strong, and the ignorant against the astute. But men are weak and ignorant, whereas the demons are strong and astute. It is not therefore to be permitted by God, the author of all justice, that men should be assailed by demons.
[I.q.114.a.1.arg.2] 2. Præterea, non est æqua conditio pugnæ, ut infirmus contra fortem, ignarus contra astutum exponatur ad bellum. Sed homines sunt infirmi et ignari; dæmones autem potentes et astuti. Non est ergo permittendum a Deo, qui est omnis justitiæ auctor, ut homines a dæmonibus impugnentur.
[I.q.114.a.1.arg.3] Further, the assaults of the flesh and the world are enough for man's exercise. But God permits His elect to be assailed that they may be exercised. Therefore there is no need for them to be assailed by the demons.
[I.q.114.a.1.arg.3] 3. Præterea, ad exercitium hominum sufficit impugnatio carnis et mundi. Sed Deus permittit electos suos impugnari propter eorum exercitium. Ergo non videtur necessarium quod a dæmonibus impugnentur.
[I.q.114.a.1.sc] The Apostle says (Ephesians 6:12): "Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against Principalities and Powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places."
[I.q.114.a.1.sc] Sed contra est quod Apostolus dicit ad Eph., vi, 12, quod non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritualia nequitiæ in cælestibus.
[I.q.114.a.1.co] Two things may be considered in the assault of the demons--the assault itself, and the ordering thereof. The assault itself is due to the malice of the demons, who through envy endeavor to hinder man's progress; and through pride usurp a semblance of Divine power, by deputing certain ministers to assail man, as the angels of God in their various offices minister to man's salvation. But the ordering of the assault is from God, Who knows how to make orderly use of evil by ordering it to good. On the other hand, in regard to the angels, both their guardianship and the ordering thereof are to be referred to God as their first author.
[I.q.114.a.1.co] Respondeo dicendum, quod circa impugnationem dæmonum duo est considerare: scilicet ipsam impugnationem, et impugnationis ordinem. Impugnatio quidem ipsa ex dæmonum malitia procedit; qui propter invidiam profectum hominum impedire nituntur, et propter superbiam divinæ potestatis similitudinem usurpant, deputando sibi ministros determinatos ad hominum impugnationem, sicut et angeli Deo ministrant in determinatis officiis ad hominum salutem. Sed ordo impugnationis ipsius est a Deo, qui ordinate novit malis uti, ad bonum ea ordinando. Sed ex parte angelorum tam ipsa custodia quam ordo custodiæ reducitur ad Deum sicut ad primum auctorem.
[I.q.114.a.1.ad.1] The wicked angels assail men in two ways.
Firstly by instigating them to sin; and thus they are not sent by God to assail us, but are sometimes permitted to do so according to God's just judgments. But sometimes their assault is a punishment to man: and thus they are sent by God; as the lying spirit was sent to punish Achab, King of Israel, as is related in 1 Kings 22:20. For punishment is referred to God as its first author. Nevertheless the demons who are sent to punish, do so with an intention other than that for which they are sent; for they punish from hatred or envy; whereas they are sent by God on account of His justice.
[I.q.114.a.1.ad.1] Ad primum ergo dicendum, quod mali angeli impugnant homines dupliciter. Uno modo, instigando ad peccatum: et sic non mittuntur a Deo ad impugnandum, sed ali-quando permittuntur secundum Dei justa Ita plures codd. cum Alcan. et editi fere omnes; judicia. Aliquando autem impugnant homines puniendo: et sic mittuntur a Deo, sicut missus est spiritus mendax ad puniendum Achab regem Israel, ut dicitur III Reg., ult. Pœna enim refertur in Deum sicut in primum auctorem; et tamen dæmones ad puniendum missi alia intentione puniunt quam mittuntur; nam ipsi puniunt ex odio vel invidia; mittuntur autem a Deo propter ejus justi-tiam.
[I.q.114.a.1.ad.2] In order that the conditions of the fight be not unequal, there is as regards man the promised recompense, to be gained principally through the grace of God, secondarily through the guardianship of the angels. Wherefore (2 Kings 6:16), Eliseus said to his servant: "Fear not, for there are more with us than with them."
[I.q.114.a.1.ad.2] Ad secundum dicendum, quod ad hoc quod non sit inæqualis pugnæ conditio, fit ex parte hominis recompensatio principaliter quidem per auxilium divinæ gratiae, secundario autem per custodiam augelorum. Unde IV Reg., vi, 46, Elisaeus dixit ad ministrum suum: Noli timere; plures enim nobiscum sunt quam cum illis.
[I.q.114.a.1.ad.3] The assault of the flesh and the world would suffice for the exercise of human weakness: but it does not suffice for the demon's malice, which makes use of both the above in assailing men. But by the Divine ordinance this tends to the glory of the elect.
[I.q.114.a.1.ad.3] Ad tertium dicendum, quod infirmitati humanæ sufficeret ad exercitium impugna-tio quæ est a carne et mundo; sed malitiæ dæmonum non sufficit, quæ utroque utitur ad hominum impugnationem; sed tamen ex divina ordinatione hoc provenit in gloriam electorum.
Article 5
[I.q.114.a.5.arg.1] It would seem that a demon who is overcome by a man, is not for that reason hindered from any further assault. For Christ overcame the tempter most effectively. Yet afterwards the demon assailed Him by instigating the Jews to kill Him. Therefore it is not true that the devil when conquered ceases his assaults.
[I.q.114.a.5.arg.1] Ad quintum sic proceditur. 1. Videtur quod dæmon qui superatur ab aliquo, non propter hoc ab impugnatione arceatur. Christus enim efficacissime suum tentatorem vicit: sed tamen postea eum impugnavit, ad ocisionem ejus Judæos incitando. Ergo non est verum quod diabolus victus ab impugnatione cesset. Plenius et mutatis aliquot verbis in textu D. Augustini. Opus imperfectum in Matth. falso D. Chrysostomo tribuitur. Omnes doctores communiter concedunt dæmonem semel victum aliquo modo cessare, sed 2. Præterea, infligere pœnam ei qui in pugna succumbit, est incitare ad acrius impugnandum. Hoc autem non pertinet ad Dei misericordiam. Ergo dæmones superati non arcentur.
[I.q.114.a.5.arg.2] Further, to inflict punishment on one who has been worsted in a fight, is to incite him to a sharper attack. But this is not befitting God's mercy. Therefore the conquered demons are not prevented from further assaults.
[I.q.114.a.5.sc] It is written (Matthew 4:11): "Then the devil left Him," i.e. Christ Who overcame.
[I.q.114.a.5.sc] Sed contra est quod dicitur Matth., iv, 14: Tunc reliquit eum diabolus, scilicet Christum superantem.
[I.q.114.a.5.co] Some say that when once a demon has been overcome he can no more tempt any man at all, neither to the same nor to any other sin. And others say that he can tempt others, but not the same man. This seems more probable as long as we understand it to be so for a certain definite time: wherefore (Luke 4:13) it is written: "All temptation being ended, the devil departed from Him for a time." There are two reasons for this. One is on the part of God's clemency; for as Chrysostom says (Super Matt. Hom. v) [In the Opus Imperfectum, among his supposititious works], "the devil does not tempt man for just as long as he likes, but for as long as God allows; for although He allows him to tempt for a short time, He orders him off on account of our weakness." The other reason is taken from the astuteness of the devil. As to this, Ambrose says on Luke 4:13: "The devil is afraid of persisting, because he shrinks from frequent defeat." That the devil does nevertheless sometimes return to the assault, is apparent from Matthew 12:44: "I will return into my house from whence I came out."
From what has been said, the objections can easily be solved.
The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas AquinasSecond and Revised Edition, 1920Literally translated by Fathers of the English Dominican ProvinceOnline Edition Copyright © 2009 by Kevin Knight Nihil Obstat. F. Innocentius Apap, O.P., S.T.M., Censor. Theol.Imprimatur. Edus. Canonicus Surmont, Vicarius Generalis. Westmonasterii.APPROBATIO ORDINISNihil Obstat. F. Raphael Moss, O.P., S.T.L. and F. Leo Moore, O.P., S.T.L.Imprimatur. F. Beda Jarrett, O.P., S.T.L., A.M., Prior Provincialis AngliæMARIÆ IMMACULATÆ - SEDI SAPIENTIÆ
[I.q.114.a.5.co] Respondeo dicendum, quod quidam dicunt quod dæmon superatus nullum hominem potest de cætero tentare nec de eodem nec de alio peccato. Quidam autem dicunt quod potest alios tentare, sed non eumdem. Et hoc probabilius dicitur, si tamen intelligatur usque ad aliquod tempus. Unde et Luc. iv dicitur quod, consummata omni tentatione, diabolus recessit a Christo usque ad tempus. Et hujus ratio est duplex. Una est ex parte divinæ clementiæ; quia, ut Chrysostomus dicit super Matth., in Op. imperf., hom. v, in illud: Vade retro, Satana: « Non tamdiu homines diabolus tentat quamdiu vult, sed quamdiu Deus permittit; quia etsi permittat paulisper tentare, tamen repellit propter infirmam naturam. » Alia ratio sumitur ex astutia diaboli. Unde Ambrosius dicit super Lucam, lib. IV, § 36, col. 1707, t. 2, super illud: Diabolus recessit ab illo, quod « diabolus instare formidat: quia frequentius refugit triumphari. » Quod tamen aliquando diabolus redeat ad eum quem dimisit, patet per illud quod dicitur Matth., xii, 44: Revertar in domum meam unde exivi. Et per hoc patet solutio ad objecta.
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