To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin.
Thomas AquinasRead
The magnitude of the punishment matches the magnitude of the sin. Now a sin that is against God is infinite; the higher the person against whom it is committed, the graver the sin-it is more criminal to strike a head of state than a private citizen-and God is of infinite greatness. Therefore an infinite punishment is deserved for a sin committed against Him.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the seriousness of sins against God, stating that greater wrongs lead to greater punishments.
Thomas Aquinas argues that the severity of a sin is proportional to the greatness of the being it is committed against. Since God is of infinite greatness, any sin against Him warrants infinite punishment, just as striking a ruler is seen as more grievous than harming an ordinary person due to the higher authority and significance of the ruler.
Themes
SinPunishmentGodInfiniteAquinusPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about justice and morality, one might quote this to highlight the seriousness of moral transgressions.
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We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be our teachers and guides.
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To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.
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