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.

Obj. 3: Further, it belongs to the sovereign alone to make a law, as
stated above (Q. 90, A. 3). But God alone is Sovereign as regards the
salvation of souls: while the angels are the "ministering spirits,"
as stated in Heb. 1:14. Therefore it was not meet for the Law to be
given through the angels, since it is ordained to the salvation of
souls.

_On the contrary,_ The Apostle said (Gal. 3:19) that the Law was
"given [Vulg.: 'ordained'] by angels in the hand of a Mediator." And
Stephen said (Acts 7:53): "(Who) have received the Law by the
disposition of angels."

_I answer that,_ The Law was given by God through the angels. And
besides the general reason given by Dionysius (Coel. Hier. iv), viz.
that "the gifts of God should be brought to men by means of the
angels," there is a special reason why the Old Law should have been
given through them. For it has been stated (AA. 1, 2) that the Old
Law was imperfect, and yet disposed man to that perfect salvation of
the human race, which was to come through Christ. Now it is to be
observed that wherever there is an order of powers or arts, he that
holds the highest place, himself exercises the principal and perfect
acts; while those things which dispose to the ultimate perfection are
effected by him through his subordinates: thus the ship-builder
himself rivets the planks together, but prepares the material by
means of the workmen who assist him under his direction. Consequently
it was fitting that the perfect law of the New Testament should be
given by the incarnate God immediately; but that the Old Law should
be given to men by the ministers of God, i.e. by the angels. It is
thus that the Apostle at the beginning of his epistle