Voices and influences
Thomas Aquinas
He wrote the most careful theology of the Middle Ages, then saw something of God and called all of it straw.
Summary
This site quotes Thomas Aquinas 295 times across 17 books, and lists 0 works.
- Lived died 1274.
- Quoted here most in Isaiah: 111 of 295.
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Thomas Aquinas
- Lived
- died 1274
- Tradition
- Patristic
5 of 295 quotations
Own words
Quoted at 50 words or fewer, because Thomas Aquinas's works are in copyright.
Next he sets forth the manner; hence he says, "Their fatness." Fatness in Scripture is sometimes taken in a good sense, sometimes in a bad sense. In a good sense, insofar as it signifies devotion of mind: Ps. 62: "Let my soul be filled as …
Psalms 17:10 They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance. BSB
"They surrounded me." Here the necessity of deliverance is set forth. And first he shows the magnitude of deliverance. Second, the prayer he pours forth to God in tribulation. Third, he sets forth the hearing of his prayer, "he heard." Note that these three -- …
Psalms 18:4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. BSB
Next he applies the remedy, namely of divine help. Where first he proposes the remedy. Second he explains it. He says therefore, "Within myself." Another reading has, "From myself my soul was disturbed." The first is better; as if to say: what is the reason, …
Psalms 42:6 O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon— even from Mount Mizar. BSB
"Therefore we will not fear." Ps. 26: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" As if to say: I will fear no one. And rightly, because he himself is "our God, a refuge and strength, a helper in the tribulations …
Psalms 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, BSB
Fourth, in the fear of their enemies, for they will tend the mountains and abandon the plains: and as for the hills: and all her cities shall be wastes (Jer 49:13), and: you endeavor to lay hold on the height of the hill (Jer 49:16).
Isaiah 7:25 For fear of the briers and thorns, you will no longer traverse the hills once tilled by the hoe; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample. BSB
Influence, on the record
This site quotes Thomas Aquinas 295 times across 17 books.
This site’s own count of what it does with the voice
The life, in order
The life told as one accountfrom this site's record
Thomas was born about 1225 at Roccasecca, between Rome and Naples, the youngest son of the count of Aquino. His family sent him at five to the great Benedictine abbey of Monte Cassino, expecting him eventually to be its abbot — a rich and respectable position for a younger son. He studied at Naples instead, met the Dominicans, and joined them. The Dominicans were beggars. His family reacted by having him kidnapped on the road and held in the family castle for about a year. His brothers, according to the early accounts, put a prostitute in his room to break his resolve; he drove her out with a burning stick. His mother finally let him go. He went north to Cologne and Paris and studied under Albert the Great. He was large and silent, and the other students called him the dumb ox. Albert told them that the bellowing of this ox would be heard around the world. He taught at Paris, at the papal court, at Naples. He wrote at enormous speed, sometimes dictating to several secretaries at once on different subjects. The project of his life was to show that reason and revelation do not contradict each other. The works of Aristotle had recently come back into Europe through Arabic and Greek translations, and they looked dangerous — a complete, powerful account of the world built without Scripture. Some churchmen wanted them banned. Thomas took them up instead and argued that truth found by reason and truth given by revelation come from the same God, and cannot finally conflict. Grace, he wrote, does not destroy nature but perfects it. The Summa Theologiae is the result: thousands of questions, each stated, each answered first by the strongest objections against his own position, then decided, then the objections answered one by one. He wrote it, he said, for beginners. He also wrote the Summa Contra Gentiles, and commentaries on most of Aristotle and on much of Scripture — Job, the Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Matthew, John, and all of Paul. The Eucharistic hymns Pange Lingua and Adoro Te Devote are his. On 6 December 1273, while saying Mass at Naples, something happened to him. He stopped writing. His secretary Reginald pressed him to finish the Summa, and Thomas answered: I cannot, because everything I have written seems like straw to me compared to what I have seen. He never wrote another line. The Summa is unfinished. He died on 7 March 1274 at the abbey of Fossanova, on the road to a church council, about forty-nine years old. Sources: Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae and Summa Contra Gentiles; William of Tocco, Vita Sancti Thomae Aquinatis; G. K. Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas; Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. V.
295 quotations across 17 books
Where this voice is quoted
For Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its funeral pyre is deep and wide, with plenty of fire and wood.
“688. For Topheth is prepared. Here he describes the place of punishment. And first, its disposition: Topheth, the valley of the son of Ennom, Gehenna, for the fire for sacrifices was kept there on stones of tufa (Tophis); this is the same as the valley…”
The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.
“The heart of fools, who formerly erred following idols; and the tongue of stammerers, the prophets, who formerly spoke obscurely and enigmatically: wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent (Wis 10:21).”
No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.
“And also as to their consequent liberty, namely, from tyrants: the fool shall no more be called prince, namely, Sennacherib, to whom formerly they paid tribute, as is evident in 2 Kings 18:14.”
The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
“Second, the malice of his princes: the vessels, that is, the messengers and princes, of the deceitful, namely, of Sennacherib: a prince that gladly hears lying words, has all his servants wicked (Prov 29:12); and the execution of their malice: for he, namely, Rabsaces, about…”
But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.
“Third, the prudence of Ezechias in his reign: the prince, for Ezechias commanded that no one should respond to Sennacherib, above: I will restore your princes as they were before (Isa 1:26).”
Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists.
“Second, as to the devastation of the fields, he prescribes mourning, be astonished: I have put off the robe of peace (Bar 4:20), above: and the Lord in that day shall call to weeping (Isa 22:12).”
But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.
“Hail, namely, of tribulation, in the descent of the forest, that is, it shall descend from the Lord upon your enemies; the city, Ninive, above: the high city he shall lay low (Isa 26:5).”
Your mind will ponder the former terror: “Where is he who tallies? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?”
“And as to divine subjection: your heart shall meditate filial fear: the fear of the Lord shall delight the heart (Sir 1:12). 728. Where is the learned? Here he excludes the unworthy as to those who seem especially worthy.”
You will no longer see the insolent, a people whose speech is unintelligible, who stammer in a language you cannot understand.
“Second, those who are eminent in eloquence, but not in wisdom: the people of profound speech: behold I will bring upon you a nation whose language you shall not know (Jer 5:15).”
For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. It is He who will save us.
“And he assigns the cause: for the Lord is our judge, judging us by our adversaries: behold your king comes to you, meek (Zech 9:9).”
It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it.
“Second, he places the duration of the punishment: it shall not be quenched, that is, the effect of this fire will remain forever; smoke, the sign and memory of preceding fire: her smoke ascends for ever and ever (Rev 19:3); and this is to be…”
The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it.
“As to the free habitation of beasts: the bittern, which is the same as the pelican, shall possess it, as if without fear, and the ibis, a bird hostile to snakes: "ibex, ibicis" is a four-footed beast; "ibis, ibidis" is a bird, and the ibis…”
He has allotted their portion; His hand has distributed it by measure. They will possess it forever; they will dwell in it from generation to generation.
“And he has cast the lot for them, distributing to each suitable places to stay: heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away (Luke 21:33).”
No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it.
“He also sets out the security of the way: no lion shall be there, above: they shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain (Isa 11:9).”
But the Rabshakeh replied, “Has my master sent me to speak these words only to you and your master, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are…
“Third, Rabsaces's mockery of their response is set out: and Rabsaces said to them; urine of their feet, which flowed at their feet: they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung (Lam 4:5).”
For a remnant will go forth from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
“He sets out the explanation of the similitude: for out of Jerusalem, below: I will give salvation in Zion (Isa 46:12); and he assigns the reason: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this, above (Isa 9:7) has the same thing.”
‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”
“And he assigns the reason: and I will protect this city for my own sake, below: for my own sake will I do it (Isa 48:11), and for the sake of David: for your servant David's sake (Ps 131[132]:10).”
The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
“Third, he shows the firmness of the divine word, indeed the people is grass: heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away (Luke 21:33).”
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.
“He shows the greatness of his strength by comparison to natural strength, which he shows failing first: youths shall faint, who are in the state of advancing; young men, who seem strong: no man shall prevail by his own strength (1 Sam 2:9).”
The islands see and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward.
“Third, he sets out the response as though from the gentiles, in which they believed that they were defended by idols; and first, he touches on their stupor at wonders recounted or seen: the islands saw it: the waters saw you, O God, the waters…”
You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing.
“And the impossibility of restoration: you shall seek them: I have seen the wicked highly exalted. And I passed by, and lo, he was not (Ps 36[37]:35–36).”
so that all may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this and the Holy One of Israel has created it.”
“809. Fourth, he sets out the fruit of the benefit: that they may see: that they may know that there is no God beside you, and that they may show forth your wonders (Sir 36:2).”
Let them give glory to the LORD and declare His praise in the islands.
“Second, he foretells the spreading of divine praise: they shall give glory to the Lord, in others, not only in themselves, below: I will send of them that shall be saved, to the Gentiles (Isa 66:19).”
I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.
“Fourth, he sets out the punishment as to men: I will lay waste the mountains, the great, hills, the middle ranks, grass, the common people: and I will make mount Seir waste and desolate (Ezek 35:7); and as to the removal of every teaching or…”
All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things?
“All the nations. Here he excludes the sharing of divinity. And first, he shows the falsehood of other gods by the manner of a judgment, setting out the consensus of the nations in idolatry: assembled together, in one error: they are all gone aside (Ps…”