Lecture 9 — Theft and speech

^4:28^ He that stole, let him now steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him who suffers need. [n. 254]

^4:29^ Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth: but that which is good, to the edification of faith: that it may administer grace to the hearers. [n. 258]

253. Having banned the oldness of man in regard to his rational and irascible powers, here he proscribes it in regard to the concupiscible appetite when it desires temporal goods inordinately.

Concerning this he does two things:

first, he prohibits the old ways of the concupiscible appetite;

second, he encourages a renewal of it, at rather let him labor.

254. Stealing pertains to the concupiscible appetite’s old ways; it arises from a corrupted and inordinate desire for a temporal object. Therefore he says he that stole, let him now steal no more, as if to say: whoever has an old and corrupted concupiscible appetite due to a contaminating desire for transitory goods, let him not steal any more if he wants to renew it. For confusion is upon a thief (Sir 5:17), so that it is written: you shall not steal (Exod 20:15).

255. Since someone might excuse himself by reason of his poverty, he says rather let him labor, working with his hands. The Apostle himself practiced this: for such things as were needful for me and them that are with me, these hands have furnished (Acts 20:34). For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we were not disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing, but in labor and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you (2 Thess 3:7–8).

256. Notice that three motives for manual labor are given. Primarily, it is to obtain necessary food: in the sweat of your face shall you eat bread (Gen 3:19). Therefore, anyone who does not lawfully have the where-with-all to live is bound to work with his hands. If any man will not work, neither let him eat, (2 Thess 3:10) seems to affirm: just as he who does not eat when necessity demands it sins, so likewise he who does not work when necessary. This is put here to exclude stealing.

Sometimes, however, work is urged in order to dispel idleness since idleness has taught much evil (Sir 33:29). Hence, those who lead an idle life are bound to work with their hands: for we have heard there are some among you who walk disorderly; working not at all, but curiously meddling. Now we charge them that are such and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ that, working with silence, they would eat their own bread (2 Thess 3:11–12).

At other times work is recommended to discipline and subdue the flesh. In this sense it is included among the acts of continence: in labors, in watchings, in fastings (2 Cor 6:5).

Three reasons exist, therefore, for engaging in physical labor. The first is necessary for everyone, and is so by a necessity of precept, while idleness can be avoided in other ways and the immoral tendencies of the flesh can be controlled and checked by other means. It is sufficient if these latter are accomplished in some way.

257. Which is good follows and can be understood in two ways. If it has the accusative force it could be rendered: rather let him labor, working with his hands, not at what is unlawful, but at whatever is good. And in doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not failing (Gal 6:9). Cease to do perversely. Learn to do well (Isa 1:16–17).

Or it can be taken with a nominative force: rather let him labor, working with his hands, which is good. This is the reason why they should work, as though he said: not only is it necessary to work, it is even good to work that he who does can live and **that he may have something to give to him who suffers need. Lend to your neighbor in the time of his need (Sir 29:2).

258. When he states let no evil speech proceed from your mouth, he begins to discuss what the old man does in relation to other men. He makes two points:

first, he prohibits the old and encourages the new;

second, he provides an example for imitation at the beginning of chapter five, at **be therefore followers **(Eph 5:1).

A person may be wrongly disposed toward his neighbor in two ways. In one way, he may hurt him through evil words; in another, he may harm him through bad example. First he forbids the former; second the latter, at **do not grieve **(Eph 4:30).

The first of these also has two sections:

first, he bans the old;

second, he urges them toward the new, at but only that which is good.

259. Thus he says let no evil speech proceed from your mouth. A word from the mouth exteriorizes or expresses whatever is on the mind since spoken words are signs of what occurs in the soul. A good word is one which indicates good interior dispositions, while an evil word externalizes evil dispositions.

Man should possess a threefold inner relationship; namely, to himself, that all his powers are subject to reason; to God, so that his reason submits to him; and to his fellow man when he loves him as himself. Hence a word is evil when it shows that a man is not properly related within himself. This is the false word by which he means one thing and says another; futile and vain talk also belong to this category. Again, there are wicked words which indicate that a man is not related properly to God, such as perjury, blasphemy and the like. Finally, there is also evil talk which is against one’s neighbor, such as injurious, deceitful, and fraudulent words. Therefore does he say let no evil speech proceed from your mouth. No is equivalent to none. Keep yourselves therefore from murmuring which profits nothing, and refrain your tongue from detraction: for an obscure speech shall not go for naught (Wis 1:11). For it is certainly true of God that no thought escapes him and no word can hide itself from him (Sir 42:20). But now put away also any anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, or filthy speech out of your mouth (Col 3:8).

260. With that which is good he encourages them on toward newness because a good word, spoken at the right time and place, is blessed. A word in due time is best (Prov 15:23). If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God (1 Pet 4:11).

261. And what for? He adds to the edification of faith in order, that is, for faith to be strengthened in the hearts of the weak: let all things be done to edification (1 Cor 14:26).

If it may administer grace to the hearers such a word is proven good and it is profitable. For frequently a man repents and is disposed for grace from hearing a good sermon and through the power it conveys. While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word (Acts 10:44). Our Lord spoke in this fashion: they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth (Luke 4:22). The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace (Eccl 10:12).