Aquinas and Sola Scriptura

[GeorgeSword]

Apparently St. Thomas Aquinas wrote the following in the Commentary on John:

…That is what he means when he says ‘we know his witness is true.’ Galatians 1:9, “If anyone preach a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema!” The reason is that only canonical Scripture is a measure of faith…

Sadly, all I could find was this small quote and I don’t know the context it was stated in. Does anyone here, who knows Aquinas a bit better than I, know exactly in context Aquinas said this and what he meant?

 

[promethius]

Apparently St. Thomas Aquinas wrote the following in the Commentary on John:

…That is what he means when he says ‘we know his witness is true.’ Galatians 1:9, “If anyone preach a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema!” The reason is that only canonical Scripture is a measure of faith…

Sadly, all I could find was this small quote and I don’t know the context it was stated in. Does anyone here, who knows Aquinas a bit better than I, know exactly in context Aquinas said this and what he meant?

I don’t think we really need the context here. If Thomas was talking about sola scriptura, he would have simply said “only scripture is a measure of faith.” But he didn’t… he clarified with an adjective: canonical.

The books of the bible are by no means an exhaustive list of every “scripture” that had been written in the early church. In fact, there are many apocryphal books the church did not accept. When we consider that context, and the tendency of people to hark to new “fad” historical writings it becomes clear: this is Thomas’ admonition to avoid texts like the gospel of thomas, or the book of judas. It is not an assertion that ONLY scripture is allowed, but rather saying that between canonical scripture and non-canonical scripture, only the former is allowed.

 

[promethius]

Ah, found a little more to the quote:

“It should be noted that though many might write concerning Catholic truth, there is this difference that those who wrote the canonical Scripture, the Evangelists and Apostles, and the like, so constantly assert it that they leave no room for doubt. That is what he means when he says ‘we know his witness is true.’ Galatians 1:9, “If anyone preach a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema!” The reason is that only canonical Scripture is a measure of faith. Others however so wrote of the truth that they should not be believed save insofar as they say true things." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Gospel of John 21)”
There we go, I added the red/bold/italics to highlight the fact that this quote is obviously talking about those apocryphal (or bad) “scriptures” which only contain truths only to seduce others into following their beleifs.

There’s no support of sola scriptura here.

 

[NHInsider]

Aquinas’ point, as I understand it, is essentially the same as the Church’s teaching - nothing can be spiritually True and contrary to Scripture. The context was a discussion of the wisdom to be found in non-Christian philosophies (eg Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, etc).

He is agreeing with Augustine in saying that there may be truth contained in other sources (including Christian writings which are not included in the canon) but that only those writings the Church recognizes as canon can be trusted to be without error.

Which is a far cry from saying that Scripture is the only source of Truth - and ignores the circular argument that says that rejects Tradition without acknowledging that without Tradition we would not have a canon of Scripture!

Here is the quote in longer context, along with a parallel quote from the Summa (ironically, I’ve copied this from a site which hold to the sola scriptura premise - but if you read the quote Aquinas, it’s not what he says):

Aquinas:
“It should be noted that though many might write concerning Catholic truth, there is this difference that those who wrote the canonical Scripture, the Evangelists and Apostles, and the like, so constantly assert it that they leave no room for doubt. That is what he means when he says ‘we know his witness is true.’ Galatians 1:9, “If anyone preach a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema!” The reason is that only canonical Scripture (Latin “quia sola canonica scriptura est regula fidei”) is a measure of faith. Others however so wrote of the truth that they should not be believed save insofar as they say true things.” (Commentary on the Gospel of John 21)

And Aquinas states likewise on the authority of Scripture in doctrine (Summa Theologica Part 1; Question 1; Article 8; Reply 2):
…the Apostle says: “Bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Hence sacred doctrine makes use also of the authority of philosophers in those questions in which they were able to know the truth by natural reason, as Paul quotes a saying of Aratus: “As some also of your own poets said: For we are also His offspring” (Acts 17:28). Nevertheless, sacred doctrine makes use of these authorities as extrinsic and probable arguments; but properly uses the authority of the canonical Scriptures as an incontrovertible proof, and the authority of the doctors of the Church as one that may properly be used, yet merely as probable. For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors. Hence Augustine says (Epis. ad Hieron. xix, 1): “Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them. But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true, merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning.” newadvent.org/summa/1001.htm

 

[VociMike]

First off you’d have to define “a measure of faith”. That is a highly ambiguous phrase that could mean almost anything.

 

[PhilVaz]

I wrote a little article on the Aquinas quote.

St. Thomas Aquinas and Sola Scriptura

Aquinas appealed both to sacred tradition and the infallible teaching authority of the Church as a rule of faith. What he means by the quote in context is comparing other non-canonical “written” sources to the Bible. Only the Bible is “inspired” or “God-breathed.” However, Aquinas doesn’t discount tradition and the Church as equally authoritative rules of faith. Tradition and Church authority interpret the Bible correctly in an orthodox way as all the Fathers and medieval Doctors believed.

Phil P