Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 1 (1/2)

Summa Theologica.

Part IV (Tertia Pars).

by Thomas Aquinas.

PROLOGUE

Forasmuch as our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to ”save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21), as the angel announced, showed unto us in His own Person the way of truth, whereby we may attain to the bliss of eternal life by rising again, it is necessary, in order to complete the work of theology, that after considering the last end of human life, and the virtues and vices, there should follow the consideration of the Saviour of all, and of the benefits bestowed by Him on the human race.

Concerning this we must consider (1) the Saviour Himself; (2) the sacraments by which we attain to our salvation; (3) the end of immortal life to which we attain by the resurrection.

Concerning the first, a double consideration occurs: the first, about the mystery of the Incarnation itself, whereby G.o.d was made man for our salvation; the second, about such things as were done and suffered by our Saviour--i.e. G.o.d incarnate.

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TREATISE ON THE INCARNATION (QQ. 1-59) _______________________

QUESTION 1

OF THE FITNESS OF THE INCARNATION (In Six Articles)

Concerning the first, three things occur to be considered: first, the fitness of the Incarnation; secondly, the mode of union of the Word Incarnate; thirdly, what follows this union.

Under the first head there are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether it was fitting for G.o.d to become incarnate?

(2) Whether it was necessary for the restoration of the human race?

(3) Whether if there had been no sin G.o.d would have become incarnate?

(4) Whether He became incarnate to take away original sin rather than actual?

(5) Whether it was fitting for G.o.d to become incarnate from the beginning of the world?

(6) Whether His Incarnation ought to have been deferred to the end of the world?

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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 1, Art. 1]

Whether It Was Fitting That G.o.d Should Become Incarnate?

Objection 1: It would seem that it was not fitting for G.o.d to become incarnate. Since G.o.d from all eternity is the very essence of goodness, it was best for Him to be as He had been from all eternity.

But from all eternity He had been without flesh. Therefore it was most fitting for Him not to be united to flesh. Therefore it was not fitting for G.o.d to become incarnate.

Obj. 2: Further, it is not fitting to unite things that are infinitely apart, even as it would not be a fitting union if one were ”to paint a figure in which the neck of a horse was joined to the head of a man” [*Horace, Ars. Poet., line 1]. But G.o.d and flesh are infinitely apart; since G.o.d is most simple, and flesh is most composite--especially human flesh. Therefore it was not fitting that G.o.d should be united to human flesh.

Obj. 3: Further, a body is as distant from the highest spirit as evil is from the highest good. But it was wholly unfitting that G.o.d, Who is the highest good, should a.s.sume evil. Therefore it was not fitting that the highest uncreated spirit should a.s.sume a body.

Obj. 4: Further, it is not becoming that He Who surpa.s.sed the greatest things should be contained in the least, and He upon Whom rests the care of great things should leave them for lesser things.

But G.o.d--Who takes care of the whole world--the whole universe of things cannot contain. Therefore it would seem unfitting that ”He should be hid under the frail body of a babe in swathing bands, in comparison with Whom the whole universe is accounted as little; and that this Prince should quit His throne for so long, and transfer the government of the whole world to so frail a body,” as Volusia.n.u.s writes to Augustine (Ep. cx.x.xv).

_On the contrary,_ It would seem most fitting that by visible things the invisible things of G.o.d should be made known; for to this end was the whole world made, as is clear from the word of the Apostle (Rom.

1:20): ”For the invisible things of G.o.d ... are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” But, as Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 1), by the mystery of the Incarnation are made known at once the goodness, the wisdom, the justice, and the power or might of G.o.d--”His goodness, for He did not despise the weakness of His own handiwork; His justice, since, on man's defeat, He caused the tyrant to be overcome by none other than man, and yet He did not s.n.a.t.c.h men forcibly from death; His wisdom, for He found a suitable discharge for a most heavy debt; His power, or infinite might, for there is nothing greater than for G.o.d to become incarnate ...”