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Summa Theologiae · I-II, q. 100

Question 100. Of the Moral Precepts of the Old Law

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, First Part of the Second Part. 12 articles.

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Text: Summa Theologiae, Project Gutenberg #17897, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), translated by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province. The First Part of the Second Part of the Summa in the English Dominican translation (first printed 1911 to 1925; second and revised edition from 1920). A sample check on 2026-11-09 against pre-1931 printings at the Internet Archive (first printings of 1915 and 1916 and the second and revised edition of the 1920s) found that the article text matches, with no 1947 introduction, synopsis, or index. The phrase “From the Complete American Edition” in Gutenberg's catalog title is a provenance note only. Question and article numbers were added by the transcriber. Rights: Public domain (US)

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We must now consider each kind of precept of the Old Law: and (1) the moral precepts, (2) the ceremonial precepts, (3) the judicial precepts. Under the first head there are twelve points of inquiry:

(1) Whether all the moral precepts of the Old Law belong to the law of nature?

(2) Whether the moral precepts of the Old Law are about the acts of all the virtues?

(3) Whether all the moral precepts of the Old Law are reducible to the ten precepts of the decalogue?

(4) How the precepts of the decalogue are distinguished from one another?

(5) Their number;

(6) Their order;

(7) The manner in which they were given;

(8) Whether they are dispensable?

(9) Whether the mode of observing a virtue comes under the precept of the Law?

(10) Whether the mode of charity comes under the precept?

(11) The distinction of other moral precepts;

(12) Whether the moral precepts of the Old Law justified man?

Articles

  1. Whether All the Moral Precepts of the Old Law Belong to the Law of Nature?
  2. Whether the Moral Precepts of the Law Are About All the Acts of Virtue?
  3. Whether All the Moral Precepts of the Old Law Are Reducible to the Ten Precepts of the Decalogue?
  4. Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue Are Suitably Distinguished from One Another?
  5. Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue Are Suitably Set Forth?
  6. Whether the Ten Precepts of the Decalogue Are Set in Proper Order?
  7. Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue Are Suitably Formulated?
  8. Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue Are Dispensable?
  9. Whether the Mode of Virtue Falls Under the Precept of the Law?
  10. Whether the Mode of Charity Falls Under the Precept of the Divine Law?
  11. Whether It Is Right to Distinguish Other Moral Precepts of the Law Besides the Decalogue?
  12. Whether the Moral Precepts of the Old Law Justified Man?

Also online, linked only: the same translation at New Advent and the Latin text at Corpus Thomisticum. Neither is copied here.

Source: Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part. Project Gutenberg #17897. Project Gutenberg record. Public domain in the USA. Outside the U.S., check local copyright rules. Project Gutenberg notices retained. The full Project Gutenberg license is kept in the hosted text.