Part I (Prima Pars) Part 16 (1/2)
_I answer that,_ Since everything is knowable according as it is actual, G.o.d, Who is pure act without any admixture of potentiality, is in Himself supremely knowable. But what is supremely knowable in itself, may not be knowable to a particular intellect, on account of the excess of the intelligible object above the intellect; as, for example, the sun, which is supremely visible, cannot be seen by the bat by reason of its excess of light.
Therefore some who considered this, held that no created intellect can see the essence of G.o.d. This opinion, however, is not tenable. For as the ultimate beat.i.tude of man consists in the use of his highest function, which is the operation of his intellect; if we suppose that the created intellect could never see G.o.d, it would either never attain to beat.i.tude, or its beat.i.tude would consist in something else beside G.o.d; which is opposed to faith. For the ultimate perfection of the rational creature is to be found in that which is the principle of its being; since a thing is perfect so far as it attains to its principle. Further the same opinion is also against reason. For there resides in every man a natural desire to know the cause of any effect which he sees; and thence arises wonder in men. But if the intellect of the rational creature could not reach so far as to the first cause of things, the natural desire would remain void.
Hence it must be absolutely granted that the blessed see the essence of G.o.d.
Reply Obj. 1: Both of these authorities speak of the vision of comprehension. Hence Dionysius premises immediately before the words cited, ”He is universally to all incomprehensible,” etc. Chrysostom likewise after the words quoted says: ”He says this of the most certain vision of the Father, which is such a perfect consideration and comprehension as the Father has of the Son.”
Reply Obj. 2: The infinity of matter not made perfect by form, is unknown in itself, because all knowledge comes by the form; whereas the infinity of the form not limited by matter, is in itself supremely known. G.o.d is Infinite in this way, and not in the first way: as appears from what was said above (Q. 7, A. 1).
Reply Obj. 3: G.o.d is not said to be not existing as if He did not exist at all, but because He exists above all that exists; inasmuch as He is His own existence. Hence it does not follow that He cannot be known at all, but that He exceeds every kind of knowledge; which means that He is not comprehended.
Reply Obj. 4: Proportion is twofold. In one sense it means a certain relation of one quant.i.ty to another, according as double, treble and equal are species of proportion. In another sense every relation of one thing to another is called proportion. And in this sense there can be a proportion of the creature to G.o.d, inasmuch as it is related to Him as the effect of its cause, and as potentiality to its act; and in this way the created intellect can be proportioned to know G.o.d.
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SECOND ARTICLE [I, Q. 12, Art. 2]
Whether the Essence of G.o.d Is Seen by the Created Intellect Through an Image?
Objection 1: It seems that the essence of G.o.d is seen through an image by the created intellect. For it is written: ”We know that when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him, and [Vulg.: 'because'] we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Trin. v): ”When we know G.o.d, some likeness of G.o.d is made in us.”
Obj. 3: Further, the intellect in act is the actual intelligible; as sense in act is the actual sensible. But this comes about inasmuch as sense is informed with the likeness of the sensible object, and the intellect with the likeness of the thing understood. Therefore, if G.o.d is seen by the created intellect in act, it must be that He is seen by some similitude.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Trin. xv) that when the Apostle says, ”We see through a gla.s.s and in an enigma [*Douay: 'in a dark manner'],” ”by the terms 'gla.s.s' and 'enigma' certain similitudes are signified by him, which are accommodated to the vision of G.o.d.” But to see the essence of G.o.d is not an enigmatic nor a speculative vision, but is, on the contrary, of an opposite kind. Therefore the divine essence is not seen through a similitude.
_I answer that,_ Two things are required both for sensible and for intellectual vision--viz. power of sight, and union of the thing seen with the sight. For vision is made actual only when the thing seen is in a certain way in the seer. Now in corporeal things it is clear that the thing seen cannot be by its essence in the seer, but only by its likeness; as the similitude of a stone is in the eye, whereby the vision is made actual; whereas the substance of the stone is not there. But if the principle of the visual power and the thing seen were one and the same thing, it would necessarily follow that the seer would receive both the visual power and the form whereby it sees, from that one same thing.
Now it is manifest both that G.o.d is the author of the intellectual power, and that He can be seen by the intellect. And since the intellective power of the creature is not the essence of G.o.d, it follows that it is some kind of partic.i.p.ated likeness of Him who is the first intellect. Hence also the intellectual power of the creature is called an intelligible light, as it were, derived from the first light, whether this be understood of the natural power, or of some perfection superadded of grace or of glory. Therefore, in order to see G.o.d, there must be some similitude of G.o.d on the part of the visual faculty, whereby the intellect is made capable of seeing G.o.d. But on the part of the object seen, which must necessarily be united to the seer, the essence of G.o.d cannot be seen by any created similitude. First, because as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. i), ”by the similitudes of the inferior order of things, the superior can in no way be known;” as by the likeness of a body the essence of an incorporeal thing cannot be known. Much less therefore can the essence of G.o.d be seen by any created likeness whatever. Secondly, because the essence of G.o.d is His own very existence, as was shown above (Q. 3, A. 4), which cannot be said of any created form; and so no created form can be the similitude representing the essence of G.o.d to the seer. Thirdly, because the divine essence is uncirc.u.mscribed, and contains in itself super-eminently whatever can be signified or understood by the created intellect. Now this cannot in any way be represented by any created likeness; for every created form is determined according to some aspect of wisdom, or of power, or of being itself, or of some like thing. Hence to say that G.o.d is seen by some similitude, is to say that the divine essence is not seen at all; which is false.
Therefore it must be said that to see the essence of G.o.d, there is required some similitude in the visual faculty, namely, the light of glory strengthening the intellect to see G.o.d, which is spoken of in the Psalm (35:10), ”In Thy light we shall see light.” The essence of G.o.d, however, cannot be seen by any created similitude representing the divine essence itself as it really is.
Reply Obj. 1: That authority speaks of the similitude which is caused by partic.i.p.ation of the light of glory.
Reply Obj. 2: Augustine speaks of the knowledge of G.o.d here on earth.
Reply Obj. 3: The divine essence is existence itself. Hence as other intelligible forms which are not their own existence are united to the intellect by means of some ent.i.ty, whereby the intellect itself is informed, and made in act; so the divine essence is united to the created intellect, as the object actually understood, making the intellect in act by and of itself.
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THIRD ARTICLE [I, Q. 12, Art. 3]
Whether the Essence of G.o.d Can Be Seen with the Bodily Eye?
Objection 1: It seems that the essence of G.o.d can be seen by the corporeal eye. For it is written (Job 19:26): ”In my flesh I shall see ... G.o.d,” and (Job 42:5), ”With the hearing of the ear I have heard Thee, but now my eye seeth Thee.”
Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xxix, 29): ”Those eyes” (namely the glorified) ”will therefore have a greater power of sight, not so much to see more keenly, as some report of the sight of serpents or of eagles (for whatever acuteness of vision is possessed by these creatures, they can see only corporeal things) but to see even incorporeal things.” Now whoever can see incorporeal things, can be raised up to see G.o.d. Therefore the glorified eye can see G.o.d.
Obj. 3: Further, G.o.d can be seen by man through a vision of the imagination. For it is written: ”I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne,” etc. (Isa. 6:1). But an imaginary vision originates from sense; for the imagination is moved by sense to act. Therefore G.o.d can be seen by a vision of sense.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Vid. Deum, Ep. cxlvii): ”No one has ever seen G.o.d either in this life, as He is, nor in the angelic life, as visible things are seen by corporeal vision.”
_I answer that,_ It is impossible for G.o.d to be seen by the sense of sight, or by any other sense, or faculty of the sensitive power. For every such kind of power is the act of a corporeal organ, as will be shown later (Q. 78). Now act is proportional to the nature which possesses it. Hence no power of that kind can go beyond corporeal things. For G.o.d is incorporeal, as was shown above (Q. 3, A. 1).
Hence He cannot be seen by the sense or the imagination, but only by the intellect.