Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that covetousness is not aa sin. For covetousness denotes a certain greed for gold , because, to wit, it consists in a desire for money, under which all external goods may be comprised. [*The Latin for covetousness "avaritia" is derived from "aveo" to desire; but the Greek {philargyria} signifies literally "love of money": and it is to this that St. Thomas is alluding (cf. Article 2, Objection 2)]. Now it is not a sin to desire external goods: since man desires them naturally, both because they are naturally subject to man, and because by their means man's life is sustained (for which reason they are spoken of as his substance). Therefore covetousness is not a sin.

Objection 2: Further, every sin is against either God, or one's neighbor, or oneself, as stated above (1.2, Question 72, Article 4). But covetousness is not, properly speaking, a sin against God: since it is opposed neither to religion nor to the theological virtues, by which man is directed to God. Nor again is it a sin against oneself, for this pertains properly to gluttony and lust, of which the Apostle says (1 Cor. 6:18): "He that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." In like manner neither is it apparently a sin against one's neighbor, since a man harms no one by keeping what is his own. Therefore covetousness is not a sin.

Objection 3: Further, things that occur naturally are not sins. Now covetousness comes naturally to old age and every kind of defect, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. iv, 1). Therefore covetousness is not a sin.

On the contrary, It is written (Heb. 13:5): "Let your manners be without covetousness, contented with such things as you have."

I answer that, In whatever things good consists in a due measure, evil must of necessity ensue through excess or deficiency of that measure. Now in all things that are for an end, the good consists in a certain measure: since whatever is directed to an end must needs be commensurate with the end, as, for instance, medicine is commensurate with health, as the Philosopher observes (Polit. i, 6). External goods come under the head of things useful for an end, as stated above (Question 117, Article 3; 1.2, Question 2, Article 1). Hence it must needs be that man's good in their respect consists in a certain measure, in other words, that man seeks, according to a certain measure, to have external riches, in so far as they are necessary for him to live in keeping with his condition of life. Wherefore it will be a sin for him to exceed this measure, by wishing to acquire or keep them immoderately. This is what is meant by covetousness, which is defined as "immoderate love of possessing." It is therefore evident that covetousness is a sin.

Reply to Objection 1: It is natural to man to desire external things as means to an end: wherefore this desire is devoid of sin, in so far as it is held in check by the rule taken from the nature of the end. But covetousness exceeds this rule, and therefore is a sin.

Reply to Objection 2: Covetousness may signify immoderation about external things in two ways. First, so as to regard immediately the acquisition and keeping of such things, when, to wit, a man acquires or keeps them more than is due. In this way it is a sin directly against one's neighbor, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them, for temporal goods cannot be possessed by many at the same time. Secondly, it may signify immoderation in the internal affection which a man has for riches when, for instance, a man loves them, desires them, or delights in them, immoderately. In this way by covetousness a man sins against himself, because it causes disorder in his affections, though not in his body as do the sins of the flesh.

As a consequence, however, it is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man contemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.

Reply to Objection 3: Natural inclinations should be regulated according to reason, which is the governing power in human nature. Hence though old people seek more greedily the aid of external things, just as everyone that is in need seeks to have his need supplied, they are not excused from sin if they exceed this due measure of reason with regard to riches.

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod avaritia non sit peccatum.

Dicitur enim avaritia quasi aeris aviditas, quia scilicet in appetitu pecuniae consistit, per quam omnia exteriora bona intelligi possunt. Sed appetere exteriora bona non est peccatum.

Naturaliter enim homo ea appetit, tum quia naturaliter subiecta sunt homini; tum quia per ea vita hominis conservatur, unde et substantia hominis dicuntur.

Ergo avaritia non est peccatum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, omne peccatum aut est in deum, aut in proximum, aut est in seipsum, sicut supra habitum est.

Sed avaritia non est proprie peccatum contra deum, non enim opponitur neque religioni neque virtutibus theologicis, quibus homo ordinatur in deum. Neque etiam est peccatum in seipsum, hoc enim proprie pertinet ad gulam et luxuriam, de qua apostolus dicit, I ad Cor. VI, quod qui fornicatur in corpus suum peccat.

Similiter etiam non videtur peccatum esse in proximum, quia per hoc quod homo retinet sua, nulli facit iniuriam.

Ergo avaritia non est peccatum.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, ea quae naturaliter adveniunt non sunt peccata. Sed avaritia naturaliter consequitur senectutem et quemlibet defectum, ut philosophus dicit, in IV ethic..

Ergo avaritia non est peccatum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur Heb. Ult., sint mores sine avaritia, contenti praesentibus.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod in quibuscumque bonum consistit in debita mensura, necesse est quod per excessum vel diminutionem illius mensurae malum proveniat. In omnibus autem quae sunt propter finem, bonum consistit in quadam mensura, nam ea quae sunt ad finem necesse est commensurari fini, sicut medicina sanitati; ut patet per philosophum, in I polit..

Bona autem exteriora habent rationem utilium ad finem, sicut dictum est.

Unde necesse est quod bonum hominis circa ea consistat in quadam mensura, dum scilicet homo secundum aliquam mensuram quaerit habere exteriores divitias prout sunt necessaria ad vitam eius secundum suam conditionem.

Et ideo in excessu huius mensurae consistit peccatum, dum scilicet aliquis supra debitum modum vult eas vel acquirere vel retinere. Quod pertinet ad rationem avaritiae, quae definitur esse immoderatus amor habendi.

Unde patet quod avaritia est peccatum.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod appetitus rerum exteriorum est homini naturalis ut eorum quae sunt propter finem. Et ideo intantum vitio caret inquantum continetur sub regula sumpta ex ratione finis. Avaritia autem hanc regulam excedit.

Et ideo est peccatum.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod avaritia potest importare immoderantiam circa res exteriores dupliciter. Uno modo, immediate, quantum ad acceptionem vel conservationem ipsarum, ut scilicet homo plus debito eas acquirat vel conservet. Et secundum hoc, est directe peccatum in proximum, quia in exterioribus divitiis non potest unus homo superabundare nisi alter deficiat, quia bona temporalia non possunt simul possideri a multis.

Alio modo, potest importare immoderantiam circa interiores affectiones quas quis ad divitias habet, puta quod immoderate aliquis divitias amet aut desideret, aut delectetur in eis.

Et sic avaritia est peccatum hominis in seipsum, quia per hoc deordinatur eius affectus; licet non deordinetur corpus, sicut per vitia carnalia. Ex consequenti autem est peccatum in deum, sicut et omnia peccata mortalia, inquantum homo propter bonum temporale contemnit aeternum.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod inclinationes naturales sunt regulandae secundum rationem, quae principatum tenet in natura humana. Et ideo quamvis senes, propter naturae defectum, avidius exteriorum rerum inquirant subsidia, sicut et omnis indigens quaerit suae indigentiae supplementum; non tamen a peccato excusantur, si debitam rationis mensuram circa divitias excedant.