Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 82 (1/2)

FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 48, Art. 1]

Whether Christ's Pa.s.sion Brought About Our Salvation by Way of Merit?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's Pa.s.sion did not bring about our salvation by way of merit. For the sources of our sufferings are not within us. But no one merits or is praised except for that whose principle lies within him. Therefore Christ's Pa.s.sion wrought nothing by way of merit.

Obj. 2: Further, from the beginning of His conception Christ merited for Himself and for us, as stated above (Q. 9, A. 4; Q. 34, A. 3).

But it is superfluous to merit over again what has been merited before. Therefore by His Pa.s.sion Christ did not merit our salvation.

Obj. 3: Further, the source of merit is charity. But Christ's charity was not made greater by the Pa.s.sion than it was before. Therefore He did not merit our salvation by suffering more than He had already.

_On the contrary,_ on the words of Phil. 2:9, ”Therefore G.o.d exalted Him,” etc., Augustine says (Tract. civ in Joan.): ”The lowliness” of the Pa.s.sion ”merited glory; glory was the reward of lowliness.” But He was glorified, not merely in Himself, but likewise in His faithful ones, as He says Himself (John 17:10). Therefore it appears that He merited the salvation of the faithful.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 7, AA. 1, 9; Q. 8, AA. 1, 5), grace was bestowed upon Christ, not only as an individual, but inasmuch as He is the Head of the Church, so that it might overflow into His members; and therefore Christ's works are referred to Himself and to His members in the same way as the works of any other man in a state of grace are referred to himself. But it is evident that whosoever suffers for justice's sake, provided that he be in a state of grace, merits his salvation thereby, according to Matt.

5:10: ”Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake.”

Consequently Christ by His Pa.s.sion merited salvation, not only for Himself, but likewise for all His members.

Reply Obj. 1: Suffering, as such, is caused by an outward principle: but inasmuch as one bears it willingly, it has an inward principle.

Reply Obj. 2: From the beginning of His conception Christ merited our eternal salvation; but on our side there were some obstacles, whereby we were hindered from securing the effect of His preceding merits: consequently, in order to remove such hindrances, ”it was necessary for Christ to suffer,” as stated above (Q. 46, A. 3).

Reply Obj. 3: Christ's Pa.s.sion has a special effect, which His preceding merits did not possess, not on account of greater charity, but because of the nature of the work, which was suitable for such an effect, as is clear from the arguments brought forward above all the fittingness of Christ's Pa.s.sion (Q. 46, AA, 3, 4).

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SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 48, Art. 2]

Whether Christ's Pa.s.sion Brought About Our Salvation by Way of Atonement?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's Pa.s.sion did not bring about our salvation by way of atonement. For it seems that to make the atonement devolves on him who commits the sin; as is clear in the other parts of penance, because he who has done the wrong must grieve over it and confess it. But Christ never sinned, according to 1 Pet.

2:22: ”Who did no sin.” Therefore He made no atonement by His personal suffering.

Obj. 2: Further, no atonement is made to another by committing a graver offense. But in Christ's Pa.s.sion the gravest of all offenses was perpetrated, because those who slew Him sinned most grievously, as stated above (Q. 47, A. 6). Consequently it seems that atonement could not be made to G.o.d by Christ's Pa.s.sion.

Obj. 3: Further, atonement implies equality with the trespa.s.s, since it is an act of justice. But Christ's Pa.s.sion does not appear equal to all the sins of the human race, because Christ did not suffer in His G.o.dhead, but in His flesh, according to 1 Pet. 4:1: ”Christ therefore having suffered in the flesh.” Now the soul, which is the subject of sin, is of greater account than the flesh. Therefore Christ did not atone for our sins by His Pa.s.sion.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 68:5) in Christ's person: ”Then did I pay that which I took not away.” But he has not paid who has not fully atoned. Therefore it appears that Christ by His suffering has fully atoned for our sins.

_I answer that,_ He properly atones for an offense who offers something which the offended one loves equally, or even more than he detested the offense. But by suffering out of love and obedience, Christ gave more to G.o.d than was required to compensate for the offense of the whole human race. First of all, because of the exceeding charity from which He suffered; secondly, on account of the dignity of His life which He laid down in atonement, for it was the life of one who was G.o.d and man; thirdly, on account of the extent of the Pa.s.sion, and the greatness of the grief endured, as stated above (Q. 46, A. 6). And therefore Christ's Pa.s.sion was not only a sufficient but a superabundant atonement for the sins of the human race; according to 1 John 2:2: ”He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”

Reply Obj. 1: The head and members are as one mystic person; and therefore Christ's satisfaction belongs to all the faithful as being His members. Also, in so far as any two men are one in charity, the one can atone for the other as shall be shown later (Suppl., Q. 13, A. 2). But the same reason does not hold good of confession and contrition, because atonement consists in an outward action, for which helps may be used, among which friends are to be computed.

Reply Obj. 2: Christ's love was greater than His slayers' malice: and therefore the value of His Pa.s.sion in atoning surpa.s.sed the murderous guilt of those who crucified Him: so much so that Christ's suffering was sufficient and superabundant atonement for His murderer's crime.

Reply Obj. 3: The dignity of Christ's flesh is not to be estimated solely from the nature of flesh, but also from the Person a.s.suming it--namely, inasmuch as it was G.o.d's flesh, the result of which was that it was of infinite worth.

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THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 48, Art. 3]

Whether Christ's Pa.s.sion Operated by Way of Sacrifice?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's Pa.s.sion did not operate by way of sacrifice. For the truth should correspond with the figure.