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*H He that keepeth the law, multiplieth offerings.
Ver. 1. Offerings. He cannot otherwise observe the law. H. — Virtue is the most acceptable sacrifice. C. — The sacrifices of penance, of justice, and of praise, are to be preferred before all external ones. W.
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1_Kings
15:22
And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat or rams.
*H It is a wholesome sacrifice to take heed to the commandments, and to depart from all iniquity.
Ver. 2. And to. Gr. (4.) "He," &c. H. — The peace-offering and that for sin, as well as the oblation of fine flour and of praise, (which is the most perfect of all) are noticed. C. — External sacrifice must not be neglected. W.
*H He shall return thanks, that offereth fine flour: and he that doth mercy, offereth sacrifice.
Ver. 4. Sacrifice. Gr. adds, "of praise." H. — This was the true spirit of the law. C.
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Jeremias
7:3
Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Make your ways and your doings good: and I will dwell with you in this place.
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Jeremias
26:13
Now therefore amend your ways, and your doings, and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God: and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath spoken against you.
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Exodus
23:15
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month of new corn, when thou didst come forth out of Egypt: thou shalt not appear empty before me.
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Exodus
34:20
The firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep: but if thou wilt not give a price for it, it shall be slain. The firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem: neither shalt thou appear before me empty.
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Deuteronomy
16:16
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. No one shall appear with his hands empty before the Lord:
*H Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord.
Ver. 6. Lord. The poor, who present a virtuous heart, are more acceptable than the rich, who are buried in sin, though the latter may offer the most splendid sacrifices. H. — God requires that all should do according to their abilities. If they have nothing, they must fulfil the commandments, and he will be satisfied. Some have inferred from Ex. xxiii. 16. that the poor were rejected. But the meaning of the law is here explained. C.
*H Give glory to God with a good heart: and diminish not the firstfruits of thy hands.
Ver. 10. Heart. Lit. "mind." Gr. "eye," (H.) free from avarice. 2 Cor. ix. 7.
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2_Corinthians
9:7
Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
*H In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy tithes with joy.
Ver. 11. Sanctify: "set apart" for the use of the ministers, and of the temple. C. — God will reward thee much more. W.
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Leviticus
22:21
The man that offereth a victim of peace offerings to the Lord, either paying his vows, or offering of his own accord, whether of beeves or of sheep, shall offer it without blemish, that it may be acceptable. There shall be no blemish in it.
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Deuteronomy
15:21
But if it have a blemish, or be lame, or blind, or in any part disfigured or feeble, it shall not be sacrificed to the Lord thy God.
*H Do not offer wicked gifts, for such he will not receive.
Ver. 14. Wicked; defective. Lev. xxii. 21. Mal. i. 7. Gr. "curtailed, or ill-acquired," (C.) or "do not bribe" God; ( δοροκοπει. Grot.) as the word is used 2 Mac. God will not regard our gifts, to let our offences escape punishment. Is. xlii. 1. C.
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Deuteronomy
10:17
Because the Lord your God he is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, a great God and mighty and terrible, who accepteth no person nor taketh bribes.
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2_Paralipomenon
19:7
Let the fear of the Lord be with you, and do all things with diligence: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor desire of gifts.
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Job
34:19
Who accepteth not the persons of princes: nor hath regarded the tyrant, when he contended against the poor man: for all are the work of his hands.
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Wisdom
6:8
For God will not except any man's person, neither will he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all.
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Romans
2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.
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Galatians
2:6
But of them who seemed to be some thing, (what they were some time it is nothing to me, God accepteth not the person of man): for to me they that seemed to be some thing added nothing.
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Colossians
3:25
For he that doth wrong shall receive for that which he hath done wrongfully. And there is no respect of persons with God.
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Acts
10:34
And Peter opening his mouth, said: in very deed I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons.
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1_Peter
1:17
And if you invoke as Father him who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to every one's work: converse in fear during the time of your sojourning here.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 65, Article 4
[II-II, Q. 65, Art. 4]
Whether the Sin Is Aggravated by the Fact That the Aforesaid Injuries Are Perpetrated on Those Who Are Connected with Others?
Objection 1: It would seem that the sin is not aggravated by the fact that the aforesaid injuries are perpetrated on those who are connected with others. Such like injuries take their sinful character from inflicting an injury on another against his will. Now the evil inflicted on a man's own person is more against his will than that which is inflicted on a person connected with him. Therefore an injury inflicted on a person connected with another is less grievous.
Obj. 2: Further, Holy Writ reproves those especially who do injuries to orphans and widows: hence it is written (Ecclus. 35:17): "He will not despise the prayers of the fatherless, nor the widow when she poureth out her complaint." Now the widow and the orphan are not connected with other persons. Therefore the sin is not aggravated through an injury being inflicted on one who is connected with others.
Obj. 3: Further, the person who is connected has a will of his own just as the principal person has, so that something may be voluntary for him and yet against the will of the principal person, as in the case of adultery which pleases the woman but not the husband. Now these injuries are sinful in so far as they consist in an involuntary commutation. Therefore such like injuries are of a less sinful nature.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 28:32) as though indicating an aggravating circumstance: "Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given to another people, thy eyes looking on [*Vulg.: 'May thy sons and thy daughters be given,' etc.]."
_I answer that,_ Other things being equal, an injury is a more grievous sin according as it affects more persons; and hence it is that it is a more grievous sin to strike or injure a person in authority than a private individual, because it conduces to the injury of the whole community, as stated above (I-II, Q. 73, A. 9). Now when an injury is inflicted on one who is connected in any way with another, that injury affects two persons, so that, other things being equal, the sin is aggravated by this very fact. It may happen, however, that in view of certain circumstances, a sin committed against one who is not connected with any other person, is more grievous, on account of either the dignity of the person, or the greatness of the injury.
Reply Obj. 1: An injury inflicted on a person connected with others is less harmful to the persons with whom he is connected, than if it were perpetrated immediately on them, and from this point of view it is a less grievous sin. But all that belongs to the injury of the person with whom he is connected, is added to the sin of which a man is guilty through injuring the other one in himself.
Reply Obj. 2: Injuries done to widows and orphans are more insisted upon both through being more opposed to mercy, and because the same injury done to such persons is more grievous to them since they have no one to turn to for relief.
Reply Obj. 3: The fact that the wife voluntarily consents to the adultery, lessens the sin and injury, so far as the woman is concerned, for it would be more grievous, if the adulterer oppressed her by violence. But this does not remove the injury as affecting her husband, since "the wife hath not power of her own body; but the husband" (1 Cor. 7:4). The same applies to similar cases. Of adultery, however, as it is opposed not only to justice but also to chastity, we shall speak in the treatise on Temperance (Q. 154, A. 8). _______________________
*H For from the cheek they go up even to heaven, and the Lord that heareth will not be delighted with them.
Ver. 19. For, &c. is not in Greek. God will protect the defenceless. H.
*H The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds: and till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart till the most High behold.
Ver. 21. He, or "it." C. — Prayer is personified, and presents itself before God.
*H And the Lord will not be slack, but will judge for the just, and will do judgment: and the Almighty will not have patience with them, that he may crush their back:
Ver. 22. Them, the Gentiles, &c. v. 23. Gr. "will not delay to punish them, till he crush the loins of the unmerciful. And," &c. H.
*H And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, till he have taken away the multitude of the proud, and broken the sceptres of the unjust,
Ver. 23. Unjust Egyptians, Syrians, and Greeks, who then oppressed the Jews.
*H Till he have rendered to men according to their deeds: and according to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption,
Ver. 24. Adam, who was not spared. C. — Gr. "of men and their desires." H. — Our version seems to be taken from the Heb. D. — Adam sometimes denotes any man. M.
*H The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of affliction, as a cloud of rain in the time of drought.
Ver. 26. The. Gr. "mercy is beautiful," &c. Ps. ix. 10. H.