St. Thomas Aquinas on Sola Scriptura

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I realize Luther was after Aquinas …

I saw this quote from St. Thomas Aquinas.

“Sacred doctrine uses the canonical Scriptures as the proper authority from which it is bound to argue.”

There was no source given. Does anyone know the source and the context?
 
garysibio said:
I realize Luther was after Aquinas …

I saw this quote from St. Thomas Aquinas.

“Sacred doctrine uses the canonical Scriptures as the proper authority from which it is bound to argue.”

There was no source given. Does anyone know the source and the context?
Click to expand...
It’s from the Summa, I, Q.1, Article 8. It’s part of a broader discussion of a question whether doctrine is proceeds from authority or from reason.
 
Thomas here taught a sort of Material Sufficiency: that everything needful for salvation is at least hinted at in the Scriptures. This is in contrast to Formal Sufficiency, which says that everything needful for salvation is explicitly and openly taught in the Scriptures. It is impossible to imagine that this man, living in the middle of the High Medieval era, could have conceived of authority vested primarily in the Bible rather than in the Church. I’m not saying that he was right or wrong, just that it’s nearly inconceivable. Wycliffe hadn’t even come around yet.

Remember that even if Thomas did teach any of this, he is a mere man, a theologian, and a priest - however holy or wise. He is not the Magisterium.
 
There’s another less well-known quote from Aquinas that is pretty obvious on first reading:

*Commentary on John 21 – Lecture 6, Section 2656: dhspriory.org/thomas/John21.htm
Code: 
"We should note that although many have written about Catholic truth, there is a difference among them: those who wrote the canonical scriptures, such as the evangelists and apostles and the like, so constantly and firmly affirm this truth that it cannot be doubted. Thus John says, we know that his testimony is true: "If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed" (Gal 1:9). The reason for this is that only the canonical scriptures are the standard of faith. The others have set forth this truth but in such a way that they do not want to be believed except in those things in which they say what is true."

[Notandum autem, quod cum multi scriberent de catholica veritate, haec est differentia, quia illi, qui scripserunt canonicam Scripturam, sicut Evangelistic et Apostoli, et alii huiusmodi, ita constanter eam asserunt quod nihil dubitandum relinquunt. Et ideo dicit Et scimus quia verum est testimonium eius; Gal. I, 9: Si quis vobis evangelizaverit praeter id quod accepistis, anathema sit. Cuius ratio est, quia sola canonica scriptura est regula fidei. Alii autem sic edisserunt de veritate, quod nolunt sibi credi nisi in his quae ver dicunt.]*
 
garysibio said:
I realize Luther was after Aquinas …

I saw this quote from St. Thomas Aquinas.

“Sacred doctrine uses the canonical Scriptures as the proper authority from which it is bound to argue.”

There was no source given. Does anyone know the source and the context?
Click to expand...
St Thomas Aquinas was a theologian and the soul of sacred theology is Holy Scripture (CCC). Aquinas may be contrasting the canonical scriptures from apocryphal writings in your above quote.

Take a look at this text from the Summa Theologica:

"Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently whoever does not adhere, as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy Writ, has not the habit of faith…Now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, as to an infallible rule, assents to whatever the Church teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adheres to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will… Faith adheres to all the articles of faith by reason of one mean, viz. on account of the First Truth proposed to us in Scriptures, according to the teaching of the Church who has the right understanding of them. Hence whoever abandons this mean is altogether lacking in faith. (Pt. II-II, Question 5, Art. 3).

The difference between St Thomas Aquinas and Martin Luther is like the difference between night and day.
 
garysibio said:
I realize Luther was after Aquinas …

I saw this quote from St. Thomas Aquinas.

“Sacred doctrine uses the canonical Scriptures as the proper authority from which it is bound to argue.”

There was no source given. Does anyone know the source and the context?
Click to expand...
It’s a pathetic, cheesy attempt by some Evangelicals to make St. Thomas Protestant on this issue. The text usually cited is this:

Now John states that his Gospel is true, and he speaks in the person of the entire Church which received it: “My mouth will utter truth.” (Prv 8:7) We should note that although many have written about Catholic truth, there is a difference among them: those who wrote the canonical scriptures, such as the evangelists and apostles and the like, so constantly and firmly affirm this truth that it cannot be doubted. Thus John says, we know that his testimony is true: “If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.” (Gal 1:9) The reason for this is that only the canonical scriptures are the standard of faith quia sola canonica scriptura est regula fidei]. The others have set forth this truth but in such a way that they do not want to be believed except in those things in which they say what is true.
[St. Thomas Aquinas, *Commentary on the Gospel of John, II, 21, Lecture 6, 2656]

You’ll note he says canonical scriptures . . . i.e., as opposed to apocryphal.

Several texts from St. Thomas make it clear he holds that the Catholic Faith comes to us through Scripture and Tradition in the Church.

On the contrary, The universal Church cannot err, since she is governed by the Holy Ghost, Who is the Spirit of truth: for such was Our Lord’s promise to His disciples (John 16:13): “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will teach you all truth.” Now the symbol is published by the authority of the universal Church. Therefore it contains nothing defective.
[St. Thomas Aquinas, *Summa Theologica, II-II, 1, 9]

The Apostles, led by the inward instinct of the Holy Ghost, handed down to the churches certain instructions which they did not put in writing, but which have been ordained, in accordance with the observance of the Church as practiced by the faithful as time went on. Wherefore the Apostle says (2 Thessalonians 2:14): “Stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word”–that is by word of mouth–”or by our epistle”–that is by word put into writing. Among these traditions is the worship of Christ’s image. Wherefore it is said that Blessed Luke painted the image of Christ, which is in Rome.
[St. Thomas Aquinas, *Summa Theologica, III, 25, 3 ad 4]

Human institutions observed in the sacraments are not essential to the sacrament; but belong to the solemnity which is added to the sacraments in order to arouse devotion and reverence in the recipients. But those things that are essential to the sacrament, are instituted by Christ Himself, Who is God and man. And though they are not all handed down by the Scriptures, yet the Church holds them from the intimate tradition of the apostles, according to the saying of the Apostle (1 Corinthians 11:34): “The rest I will set in order when I come.”
[St. Thomas Aquinas, *Summa Theologica, III, 64, 2 ad 1]
 
Thanks, everyone. I figured the quote was taken out of context but I had no idea where it came from to check.
 
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