The Academic Sermons (The Fathers of the Church, Mediaeval Continuation, Volume 11): Mediaeval Continuation, Volume 11)

Sermon 14: Attendite a Falsis

195 SERMON 14 ATTENDITE A FALSIS Sermon on the Third Sunday after the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul1 Matthew 7.15–16: Beware of the false prophets who come to you in clothes of sheep; inside they are grasping wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Part 1: Prothema HE APOSTLE demonstrates in the following words that there are two things that are contrary to one another. “The spirit,” he says, “desires (concupisco) against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit” [Gal 5.17]. And yet it happens that sin comes forth from both; sometimes sin comes forth from the weakness of the flesh, sometimes from the ignorance of the spirit.2 Thus the Apostle says in 2 Cor 7.1: “Let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and of the spirit.” And just as the sin of the flesh comes forth from the weakness of the flesh—as it is said in Mt 26.41: “the spirit is willing indeed, yet the flesh is weak”—so the sin of the spirit comes forth from ignorance of the spirit, namely, when the spirit is deceived .3 And therefore we are strengthened in this Sunday reading against both sins. We are strengthened against the sin that 1. Or the 7th Sunday after the Feast of the Trinity, as the Nürnberg text says. This sermon was given on the 14th of July 1269. 2. ST I–II 77,1–3, and I–II 76,1, respectively. In this sermon the focus is on the latter, as Thomas indicates in this Prothema. 3. Other internal causes are our passions and our misery (ST I–II 77–78). In I–II 79–81 Thomas examines the external causes: the roles of God, of the devil, and of human beings themselves. 196 THOMAS AQUINAS occurs by reason of the weakness of the flesh by the Apostle in the Epistle reading that says: “We are indebted to the flesh not to live according to the flesh” [Rom 8.12]. We are strengthened against the sin that occurs by reason of the deception of the spirit, where it says in the Gospel reading: “Beware of the false prophets, (who come to you in clothes of sheep; inside they are grasping wolves. You will know them by their fruits).” Let us ask the Savior, who wanted us to be careful of both sins, that he may grant that I say something that is to his praise, et cetera. Part 2: Sermo “Beware” [Mt 7.15], et cetera. It belongs to the task of a good commander that he advises his soldiers to be careful of ambushes [cf. 2 Kgs 6.8–10]. It is true that we have a cunning and wily enemy. Hence we read in Sir 11.29: “Many are the ambushes of a wily man.” The Psalmist says: “He sits in ambushes with the rich” [Ps 10.8], that is: with the proud. The Apostle explains what these ambushes are, when he says that “Satan transfigures himself into the Angel of light, and his servants (transfigure themselves ) into the servants of righteousness” [cf. 2 Cor 11.14–15]. Against Satan’s servants the Lord advises us in the words mentioned above to be careful. In these words he teaches us four things: [Sermo] (1) First, he teaches of what kind the enemies are, where he says: “Beware of the false prophets.” [Collatio in sero] (2) Second, he teaches what ambushes they make, where he says: “They come to you in clothes of sheep. (3) The third thing is that it threatens to damage us, where he says: “Inside they are grasping wolves.” (4) Fourth, he teaches how to recognize them, where he says: “You will know them by their fruits.” These enemies are false prophets, and they are very dangerous , and therefore we must watch out for them, for they are as dangerous for us as good angels are necessary and useful for us. Hence we read in Prv 29.18: “When prophecy ceases, the population will be scattered.”4 About the false prophets it says 4. They can enlighten, guide, and protect us; cf. ST I 111 and 113. In ST II– II 172,1,4 Thomas argues, referring to this verse, that prophecy is necessary for SERMON 14 197 in Jer 23.15: “From the prophets of Jerusalem defilement has spread over the...