44. The goodness of human authority
44. THE GOODNESS OF HUMAN AUTHORITY
If we truly have equal human dignity, then why should one man ever be master of another? Why should I be told what to believe and do by popes, bishops, and priests? Wasn’t there equality, and therefore no need for authority, in the state of innocence in the Garden of Eden? And won’t that be restored in Heaven? Hierarchy, rule, authority, and obedience came only with sin, isn’t that right?
No, it is not.
The condition of man in the state of innocence was not more exalted than the condition of the angels. But among the angels some rule over others. Therefore it was not beneath the dignity of the state of innocence that one man should be subject to another.
Mastership has a twofold meaning. First, as opposed to slavery . . . (And this is due only to sin.) In another sense . . . he who has the office of governing and directing free men can (also) be called a master. In the state of innocence man could have been a master of men, not in the former but in the latter sense. . .
But a man is the master of a free subject (e.g., parents over a child, or civil authorities over a citizen) by directing him either towards his proper welfare or to the common good. Such a kind of mastership would have existed in the state of innocence between man and man for two reasons.
First, because man is naturally a social being, and so in the state of innocence he would have led a social life. Now a social life cannot exist among a number of people unless under the presidency of one to look after the common good; for many, as such, seek many things, whereas one attends only to one. Wherefore the Philosopher says, in the beginning of the Politics, that wherever many things are directed to one, we shall always find one at the head directing them.
Secondly, if one man surpassed another in knowledge and virtue, this would not have been fitting unless these gifts conduced to the benefit of others, according to 1 Pet. 4:10: As every man hath received grace, ministering the same one to another. Wherefore Augustine says: Just men command not by the love of domineering but by the service of counsel; and: The natural order of things requires this, and thus did God make man (I,96,4).
So don’t resent authority and rule and obedience. They are not bad words, “sin words”. They are good words. They go all the way up into the Trinity: even God the Son, though equal to His Father, submits to the will of His Father. When He did that on earth, He did not contradict what He did in eternity, but manifested it.
And its fruit is not just goodness but also joy. We are made for surrender and obedience, and whenever we attain and live what our very nature is made for, we find joy. Whenever we twist it or ignore it, we find misery.
St. Thomas’ last point is that the rule of those who are superior in wisdom and virtue is not for the benefit of the rulers but for the benefit of the ruled. To rule is to sacrifice. When Karol Woytilya was elected Pope, he didn’t say, “Now I can eat great Italian food.” He said, “My life is finished.”
Good parents understand that. They don’t have kids so that their kids can serve them; they have kids so that they can serve their kids—by their authority. Authority is for service, not for privilege. Authority over someone is always based on being under a higher authority. The only exception is God, the Author of all authority.
And even within the Trinity the Son obeys the Father’s will, though He is equally divine. To obey is not to be inferior, and to command is not to be superior, in nature.
Authority means right, not might. Be grateful that you are under authority most of the time on earth and forever in Heaven, where God does not abdicate.