93. Divine Justice and Mercy in God's Works
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Lecture Notes
Main Topics #
The Four Divine Attributes in Bestowing Perfections #
Thomas distinguishes four divine attributes, each accounting for the communication of perfections in different ways:
- Goodness (bonitas): The absolute communication of perfections considered simply
- Justice (iustitia): The distribution of perfections according to proportion and worth (distributive justice)
- Liberality (liberalitas): Giving perfections not on account of God’s usefulness, but solely on account of His goodness (what Avicenna says only God truly possesses)
- Mercy (misericordia): The removal of any defect in rational creatures
These are not synonyms, though in God they are identical; we attribute them differently to different modes of divine action.
Mercy and Justice as Complementary, Not Opposed #
Mercy does not relax or contradict justice but represents a fullness or perfection of justice. God acts mercifully not against His justice but above it—giving more than is owed, just as forgiving an offense is itself a form of giving (the word “forgive” comes from the meaning “to give completely”).
The Foundation Principle: Mercy Presupposes Justice; Justice Presupposes Mercy #
Crucially, Thomas argues that the work of divine justice always presupposes the work of mercy and is founded upon it. Nothing is owed to a creature except on account of something already existing in it or considered by God beforehand. This creates a chain: if something is owed to a creature, it is because of something prior; tracing this back necessarily arrives at what depends only on the divine will and goodness—pure mercy.
Mercy in the Strict and Extended Sense #
Mercy properly means the removal of misery (miserum cor, a miserable heart). However, Thomas extends the concept to mean the removal of any defect—not just misery in the strict sense (which only rational creatures can experience), but any privation or lack of perfection.
Key Arguments #
Article 4: Do Justice and Mercy Appear in Every Work of God? #
Objection 1: Some works are attributed to justice (damnation of the impious), others to mercy (justification of sinners). Therefore not all works contain both.
Response: Both appear in every work, though one may be more prominent. In damnation, mercy appears in the fact that God punishes less than deserved. In justification, justice appears when God remits guilt on account of love poured into the soul (as with Mary Magdalene: “Her many sins are forgiven because she loves much”).
Objection 2: Paul attributes the conversion of the Jews to justice and truth (owing to promises made to the fathers), but the conversion of the Gentiles to mercy (no such promise). Therefore not all works contain both.
Response: Both justice and mercy appear in both conversions, but there is an element of justice in the conversion of the Jews that does not appear in the Gentiles—the fulfilling of promises. This follows the Anaxagorean way of naming things: we call a thing by what it has most of, either absolutely or in comparison. The Jews’ conversion has more justice-character; the Gentiles’ has more mercy-character, yet both contain both attributes.
Objection 3: Many just persons are afflicted in this world. How is this just?
Response: In afflictions of the just, both justice and mercy appear: justice in rendering what is owed (purging lighter faults), and mercy in raising them up from earthly affection toward God (as Gregory says: “Bad things in this world press us, compelling us to go to God”).
Objection 4: Creation presupposes nothing in the nature of things—no creature exists to whom something could be owed, and no misery exists to relieve. Therefore neither justice nor mercy applies to creation.
Response: Although creation presupposes nothing in the nature of things (in rerum natura), it does presuppose something in the knowledge of God. Justice is preserved insofar as things are produced according to divine wisdom and goodness. Mercy is preserved insofar as a thing is changed from non-being to being—the supreme defect. God had “pity on non-being” in choosing to create.
Important Definitions #
Mercy (Misericordia) #
Etymologically: miserum cor, a miserable or compassionate heart. In God: the will to remove defects, especially in rational creatures. Extended sense: the removal of any defect whatsoever, enabling God’s mercy to extend even to inanimate creation (as when rain falls on crops that need it).
Justice (Iustitia) #
In creatures, there are commutative justice (exchange between parties) and distributive justice (proper ordering by a governor). In God: only distributive justice applies, giving to each according to their proportion and dignity, though not equally in absolute measure.
Distributive Justice (Iustitia Distributiva) #
The justice that governs proper ordering and giving to each according to their nature and worth. God does not give the dog and the human the same things because they have different proportions (ratio) and natures.
Examples & Illustrations #
The Good Samaritan Allegory #
Christ is the Good Samaritan healing the wounded human race. The man going to Jericho represents humanity, the robbers represent the devil. Through both justice and mercy, Christ heals: justice and mercy are not opposed but tempering severity with the oil of compassion—wine (justice) and oil (mercy) applied to the wound together.
Giving More Than Owed #
If someone owes you 100 denarii and you give 200, you do not act against justice; you act above it, either liberally or mercifully.
Forgiving as Giving #
The remission of an offense is itself a form of giving. Paul calls forgiveness a giving (Ephesians 5). The English word “forgive” and Germanic equivalents contain the sense of “give completely.”
The Anaxagorean Way of Naming Things #
Anaxagoras said everything is in everything (an infinity of small pieces of all things in all things). Yet we call things by what they are most of: we call this a dog, that a cat, even though each contains elements of all. Similarly, works of God that contain both justice and mercy are called by whichever attribute is most prominent: the Jews’ conversion is called justice-work because it emphasizes the fulfilling of promises; the Gentiles’ is called mercy-work because it is pure gift. Examples: a “market economy” has government interference, and a “planned economy” (like Soviet Gazplan) has markets, but we name them by what dominates.
The Hand and the Rational Soul #
To have a hand is owed to a human on account of his rational soul (the hand suits the infinity of the rational mind, unlike a hoof or claw). But to have a rational soul is owed to man on account of divine goodness alone—there is nothing prior that would create an obligation. This chain bottoms out in pure mercy.
Mercy Operative More Vehemently Than Justice #
Just as Michelangelo acts more vehemently upon marble than the hammer (both Michelangelo and hammer are causes, but Michelangelo is the principal cause), so divine mercy operates more powerfully in all things than secondary causes and more powerfully than justice, which it founds.
Notable Quotes #
“Mercy does not take away justice, but is a certain fullness of justice.” — Thomas Aquinas (via Berquist)
“The work of the divine justice always presupposes the work of mercy and is founded on it.” — Thomas Aquinas (via Berquist)
“All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth.” — Psalm 24 (cited to show the scriptural pairing of mercy and justice/truth)
“Mercy exalts judgment.” — James 2:13 (referenced through Portia’s argument in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice)
“We don’t want justice. We don’t want mercy.” — A principle Berquist emphasizes: in prayer, we appeal to God’s mercy, not justice, because if God rendered pure justice, no one would stand.
Questions Addressed #
How can both justice and mercy be in all of God’s works when some seem to exemplify only justice (damnation) or only mercy (justification)? #
Answer: Both attributes are present in every work, though one is more prominent. The apparent opposition dissolves when we understand that:
- Both justice and mercy are truly present in each work, just in different proportions
- Mercy is not the negation of justice but its foundation and perfection
- We name works by their most prominent attribute (following the Anaxagorean way)
How does mercy serve as the foundation of justice in God’s operations? #
Answer: Because nothing is owed to creatures except on account of something already existing in them or previously considered by God. This chain of dependencies must ultimately rest on pure divine will and goodness—which is mercy. Justice presupposes mercy because there would be nothing to render justice to without the prior merciful act of creation and sustenance.
Does creation involve both justice and mercy? #
Answer: Yes. Though creation presupposes nothing in the nature of things, it presupposes something in God’s knowledge. Justice is preserved in that creation proceeds according to divine wisdom and goodness. Mercy is preserved insofar as creatures are brought from non-being (the supreme defect) into being.