to the end, and which brings to the end; and when I say “the same,” I mean that it does so either by itself or through its subjects.  For the devil would not make a law whereby men would be led to Christ, Who was to cast him out, according to Matt. 12:26:  “If Satan cast out Satan, his kingdom is divided” [Vulg.:  ’he is divided against himself’].  Therefore the Old Law was given by the same God, from Whom came salvation to man, through the grace of Christ.

Reply Obj. 1:  Nothing prevents a thing being not perfect simply, and yet perfect in respect of time:  thus a boy is said to be perfect, not simply, but with regard to the condition of time.  So, too, precepts that are given to children are perfect in comparison with the condition of those to whom they are given, although they are not perfect simply.  Hence the Apostle says (Gal. 3:24):  “The law was our pedagogue in Christ.”

Reply Obj. 2:  Those works of God endure for ever which God so made that they would endure for ever; and these are His perfect works.  But the Old Law was set aside when there came the perfection of grace; not as though it were evil, but as being weak and useless for this time; because, as the Apostle goes on to say, “the law brought nothing to perfection”:  hence he says (Gal. 3:25):  “After the faith is come, we are no longer under a pedagogue.”

Reply Obj. 3:  As stated above (Q. 79, A. 4), God sometimes permits certain ones to fall into sin, that they may thereby be humbled.  So also did He wish to give such a law as men by their own forces could not fulfill, so that, while presuming on their own powers, they might find themselves to be sinners, and being humbled might have recourse to the help of grace.

Reply Obj. 4:  Although the Old Law did not suffice to save man, yet another help from God besides the Law was available for man, viz. faith in the Mediator, by which the fathers of old were justified even as we were.  Accordingly God did not fail man by giving him insufficient aids to salvation. ________________________

THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 98, Art. 3]

Whether the Old Law Was Given Through the Angels?

Objection 1:  It seems that the Old Law was not given through the angels, but immediately by God.  For an angel means a “messenger”; so that the word “angel” denotes ministry, not lordship, according to Ps. 102:20, 21:  “Bless the Lord, all ye His Angels . . . you ministers of His.”  But the Old Law is related to have been given by the Lord:  for it is written (Ex. 20:1):  “And the Lord spoke . . . these words,” and further on:  “I am the Lord Thy God.”  Moreover the same expression is often repeated in Exodus, and the later books of the Law.  Therefore the Law was given by God immediately.

Obj. 2:  Further, according to John 1:17, “the Law was given by Moses.”  But Moses received it from God immediately:  for it is written (Ex. 33:11):  “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend.”  Therefore the Old Law was given by God immediately.