Reply Obj. 4:  Judicial precepts also, are not essential to virtue in respect of any particular determination, but only in regard to the common notion of justice.  Consequently Our Lord left the judicial precepts to the discretion of those who were to have spiritual or temporal charge of others.  But as regards the judicial precepts of the Old Law, some of them He explained, because they were misunderstood by the Pharisees, as we shall state later on (A. 3, ad 2). ________________________

THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 108, Art. 3]

Whether the New Law Directed Man Sufficiently As Regards Interior
Actions?

Objection 1:  It would seem that the New Law directed man insufficiently as regards interior actions.  For there are ten commandments of the decalogue directing man to God and his neighbor.  But Our Lord partly fulfilled only three of them:  as regards, namely, the prohibition of murder, of adultery, and of perjury.  Therefore it seems that, by omitting to fulfil the other precepts, He directed man insufficiently.

Obj. 2:  Further, as regards the judicial precepts, Our Lord ordained nothing in the Gospel, except in the matter of divorcing a wife, of punishment by retaliation, and of persecuting one’s enemies.  But there are many other judicial precepts of the Old Law, as stated above (Q. 104, A. 4; Q. 105).  Therefore, in this respect, He directed human life insufficiently.

Obj. 3:  Further, in the Old Law, besides moral and judicial, there were ceremonial precepts about which Our Lord made no ordination.  Therefore it seems that He ordained insufficiently.

Obj. 4:  Further, in order that the mind be inwardly well disposed, man should do no good deed for any temporal end whatever.  But there are many other temporal goods besides the favor of man:  and there are many other good works besides fasting, alms-deeds, and prayer.  Therefore Our Lord unbecomingly taught that only in respect of these three works, and of no other earthly goods ought we to shun the glory of human favor.

Obj. 5:  Further, solicitude for the necessary means of livelihood is by nature instilled into man, and this solicitude even other animals share with man:  wherefore it is written (Prov. 6:6, 8):  “Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways . . . she provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.”  But every command issued against the inclination of nature is an unjust command, forasmuch as it is contrary to the law of nature.  Therefore it seems that Our Lord unbecomingly forbade solicitude about food and raiment.

Obj. 6:  Further, no act of virtue should be the subject of a prohibition.  Now judgment is an act of justice, according to Ps. 18:15:  “Until justice be turned into judgment.”  Therefore it seems that Our Lord unbecomingly forbade judgment:  and consequently that the New Law directed man insufficiently in the matter of interior acts.