A. 7 - From Thence He Shall Come to Judge the Living and the Dead

From Thence He Shall Come to Judge the Living and the Dead

It is of the office of a king and lord to pronounce judgment: the king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his look (Prov 20:8). (Parallel texts: ST III.59.1, 2; In IV Sent. 47.1.2, qa. 3; In IV Sent. 48.1.1, ad 4; SCG IV.96; Compendium theologiae, ch. 241, Quodlibet X, q. 1, a. 2; Commentary on Matthew, ch. 25; Commentary on John, ch. 5, lect. 4–5.) Since Christ, therefore, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God as Lord of all, it is clear that his is the office of judge. For this reason, we say in the rule of Catholic faith that he shall come to judge the living and the dead. Indeed, the angels have said: this Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven shall come again as you have seen him going into heaven (Acts 1:11).

We will consider three facts about the judgment.

First, the form of the judgment;

second, the fear of the judgment;

third, our preparation for the judgment.

Now, concerning the form of the judgment there is a threefold question. Who is the judge, who are to be judged, and upon what will they be judged?

Christ is the judge: it is he who is appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the dead (Acts 10:42). We may here interpret the dead to mean sinners and the living to mean the just; or the living refers to those who at that time were living and the dead means those who had died. Christ is, indeed, the judge, not only in that he is God, but also in that he is man. This is for three reasons.

The first reason is because it is necessary for them who are to be judged to see the judge. But the Godhead is so wholly delightful that no one could behold it without great enjoyment; and hence the damned are not permitted to see the judge, nor in consequence to enjoy anything. Christ, therefore, of necessity will appear in the form of man so that he may be seen by all: and he has given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man (John 5:27).

Again, Christ deserved this office as man, for as man he was unjustly judged, and therefore God constituted him judge of the entire world: your cause has been judged as that of the wicked: cause and judgment you shall recover (Job 36:17).

And, lastly, if God alone should judge men, they, being terrified, would despair; but this despair disappears from men if they are to be judged by a man: and then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud (Luke 11:27).

All are to be judged: those who are, who were, and who will be: we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil (2 Cor 5:10). There are, says Gregory, four different classes of people to be judged. The chief difference is between the good and the wicked.

Of the wicked, some will be condemned but not judged. These are the infidels whose works are not to be discussed because, as John says: he who does not believe is already judged (John 3:18). Others will be both condemned and judged. These are those possessing the faith who departed this life in mortal sin: for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). They will not be excluded from the judgment because of the faith which they possessed.

Of the good also, some will be saved and will not be judged. These are the poor in spirit for God’s sake who rather will judge others: you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28). Now, this is not to be understood only of the disciples, but of all those who are poor in spirit. For otherwise Paul, who labored more than others, would not be among this number. These words, therefore, must refer also to all the followers of the apostles and to all apostolic men: know you not that we shall judge angels? (1 Cor 6:3). The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and its princes (Isa 3:14).

Others will both be saved and judged, that is, they who die in a state of righteousness. For although they departed this life in justice, nevertheless they fell somewhat amiss in the business of temporal matters, and hence will be judged but saved. The judgment will be upon all their deeds, both good and bad: walk in the ways of your heart . . . and know that for all these God will bring you into judgment (Eccl 11:9). And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, whether it be good or evil (Eccl 12:14). Even idle words will be judged: but I say to you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment (Matt 12:36). And thoughts also: for inquisition shall be made into the thought of the ungodly (Wis 1:9). Thus, the form of the judgment is clear.

The judgment should indeed be feared, and this for four reasons.

The first is because of the wisdom of the judge. God knows all things, our thoughts, words and deeds, and all things are naked and open to his eyes (Heb 4:13). All the ways of men are open to his eyes (Prov 16:2). He knows our words: the ear of jealousy hears all things (Wis 1:10); and our thoughts: the heart is perverse above all things and unsearchable: who can know it? I am the Lord, who search the heart and prove the reins; who gives to every one according to his way and according to the fruit of his devices (Jer 17:9–10). There will be infallible witnesses, which are men’s own consciences: who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them; and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men (Rom 2:15–16).

The second is because of the power of the judge, who is almighty in himself: behold, the Lord God will come with strength (Isa 40:10). He is also almighty in others: the whole world shall fight with him against the unwise (Wis 5:21). Hence, Job says: whereas there is no man that can deliver out of your hand (Job 10:7). *If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I descend into the underworld, you are present (*Ps 139 [138]:8).

The third is because of the inflexible justice of the judge. The present is the time for mercy, but the future is the time solely for justice. And so, the present is our time, but the future is God’s time: when I shall take time, I shall judge justices (Ps 75:2 [74:3]). The jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge; nor will he yield to any man’s prayers; nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts (Prov 6:34–35).

The fourth is because of the anger of the judge. He will appear in different ways to the just and to the wicked. To the just, he will be pleasant and gracious: they will behold the king of beauty (Isa 33:17). To the wicked he will be angry and pitiless, so that they may say to the mountains: fall upon us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb (Rev 6:16). But this anger of God does not bespeak in him any perturbation of soul, but rather the effect of his anger which is the eternal punishment inflicted upon sinners.

Now, against this fear of the judgment we ought to have four remedies.

The first is good works: will you then not be afraid of the power? Do what is good, and you shall have praise from the same (Rom 13:3).

The second is confession and repentance for sins committed; and this ought to include sorrow in thinking of them, feelings of shame in confessing them, and all severity in making satisfaction for them. These will take away the eternal punishment.

The third is giving of alms, which makes all things clean: make friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings (Luke 16:9).

The fourth is charity, namely the love of God and our neighbor, for charity covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet 4:8; see Prov 10).