Mike O'Brien

Before we enter Christianity, this discussion has its basis in political philosophy. For present purposes there are two kinds of philosophies utopia theories which state government can lead its citizens to virtue and dystopia theories which state government can accomplish little more than ordering society, preventing chaos, and punishing crime.

Let's say the beginning of both theories is sin. Sin is within everyone and it constantly effects behavior. Utopia theorists would state that sin prevents people from being charitable enough to care for those who are unable to care for themselves. Accordingly society should redistribute wealth in order to care for those who would otherwise be neglected. Dystopia theorists would state that social leaders are sinners and even their best plans are corrupt and doomed to failure.

The classic utopia theorist was Aristotle who stated that men and gods lived together in society and that as a result gods wanted to lead men to virtue. This barely made sense at the time, and makes even less today. For example, there was no clear distinction between men and gods. Anyone could declare himself a god or a particular place to be holy. Further people could become gods by conquest or by athletic performance. There was no enduring moral order, gods could sin in the same way as men further blurring the line between the two. The absence of theology made it difficult to understand the exact direction the religion desired society to go.

Enter Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his 1274 multi-volume work Summa Theologica he stated that God gave the world for the use of man, and did not recognize private property. However, as a matter of social convenience it was necessary to prevent strife. So, utopia exists in a balance, no one should be able to take the property of another, however, the state can take some for the general good.

So, how much good is general? Saint Augustine answered the question long before Aquinas. In City of God, Augustine writes about two fictional cities: one is a city of angels where virtue is omnipresent, the other is a city of humans where sin is omnipresent. They require different social norms. The leaders are plagued with sin, and they can accomplish little. Later, other scholars would theorize that morality could exist simply by enforcing promises in courts.

Matthew chapter 25 contains three stories, which I will quote in their entirety below:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins 1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

The Parable of the Talents

14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The Sheep and the Goats

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Here is a quick analysis

Parable of the ten virgins: some people prepare for a pending event, and others try to leach of those who have prepared. The reward goes to those who were prudent and prepared rather than those who were careless.

More specifically, the holy spirit is the oil which is carried by believers to help them through times of darkness when all they have is hope and patience. The bridegroom certainly represents Christ. Therefore, those who believe in Christ will have something to cling to in times of darkness that will not expire before they meet God.

Parable of the talents: Some people do something with what they have, others do nothing. The reward belongs to those who do something.

More specifically, God has given every believer a spiritual gift and a calling to use it. Though it may appear that the greatest reward comes from the greatest gift, that is not the case. The reward is simply for answering the calling, Christ also notes "Many are called but few are chosen" indicating that most people are like the lazy servant who does nothing with his spiritual gift.

The Sheep and the Goats: Some people do something with what they have, others do nothing. The reward belongs to those who do something.

More specifically, Jesus is challenging the faith of believers. If you believe Christ is your savior, what are you doing about it. Salvation is another matter entirely, think of it like a disease (odd imagery I know). Serving others is a symptom of God's grace working in your life.

The common theme throughout all of these stories is that Jesus wants people to prepare, perform, and praise. Or, as I have noted before, the three functions of the modern church are giving praise to God, attending to the needs of believers and evangelizing non-believers.

So, what does this have to do with public policy? If you want to take the position that society can lead its citizens to virtue, then it must provide for the basic needs of the least in society. Alternately, if you don't think society can do it, you can tell those who are capable to work for themselves to the extent that they can.

Of course, this is all within the discretion of the sovereign which I discussed last week.