Whether the Union of the Incarnate Word Took Place in the Nature?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Union of the Word Incarnate took
place in the nature. For Cyril says (he is quoted in the acts of the
Council of Chalcedon, part ii, act. 1): "We must understand not two
natures, but one incarnate nature of the Word of God"; and this could
not be unless the union took place in the nature. Therefore the union
of the Word Incarnate took place in the nature.
Obj. 2: Further, Athanasius says that, as the rational soul and the
flesh together form the human nature, so God and man together form a
certain one nature; therefore the union took place in the nature.
Obj. 3: Further, of two natures one is not denominated by the other
unless they are to some extent mutually transmuted. But the Divine
and human natures in Christ are denominated one by the other; for
Cyril says (quoted in the acts of the Council of Chalcedon, part ii,
act. 1) that the Divine nature "is incarnate"; and Gregory Nazianzen
says (Ep. i ad Cledon.) that the human nature is "deified," as
appears from Damascene (De Fide Orth. iii, 6, 11). Therefore from two
natures one seems to have resulted.
_On the contrary,_ It is said in the declaration of the Council of
Chalcedon: "We confess that in these latter times the only-begotten
Son of God appeared in two natures, without confusion, without
change, without division, without separation--the distinction of
natures not having been taken away by the union." Therefore the union
did not take place in the nature.
_I answer that,_ To make this question clear we must consider what is
"nature." Now it is to be observed that the word "nature" comes from
nativity. Hence this word was used first of all to signify the
begetting of living beings, which is called "birth" or "sprouting
forth," the word "natura" meaning, as it were, "nascitura."
Afterwards this word "nature" was taken to signify the principle of
this begetting; and because in living things the principle of
generation is an intrinsic principle, this word "nature" was further
employed to signify any intrinsic principle of motion: thus the
Philosopher says (Phys. ii) that "nature is the principle of motion
in that in which it is essentially and not accidentally." Now this
principle is either form or matter. Hence sometimes form is called
nature, and sometimes matter. And because the end of natural
generation, in that which is generated, is the essence of the
species, which the definition signifies, this essence of the species
is called the "nature." And thus Boethius defines nature (De Duab.
Nat.): "Nature is what informs a thing with its specific difference,
"--i.e. which perfects the specific definition. But we are now
speaking of nature as it signifies the essence, or the "what-it-is,"
or the quiddity of the species.
Now, if we take nature in this way, it is impossible that the union
of the Incarnate Word took place in the nature. For one thing is made
of two or more in three ways. First, from two complete things which
remain in their perfection. This can only happen to those whose form
is composition, order, or figure, as a heap is made up of many stones
brought together without any order, but solely with juxtaposition;
and a house is made of stones and beams arranged in order, and
fashioned to a figure. And in this way some said the union was by
manner of confusion (which is without order) or by manner of
commensuration (which is with order). But this cannot be. First,
because neither composition nor order nor figure is a substantial
form, but accidental; and hence it would follow that the union of the
Incarnation was not essential, but accidental, which will be
disproved later on (A. 6). Secondly, because thereby we should not
have an absolute unity, but relative only, for there remain several
things actually. Thirdly, because the form of such is not a nature,
but an art, as the form of a house; and thus one nature would not be
constituted in Christ, as they wish.
Secondly, one thing is made up of several things, perfect but
changed, as a mixture is made up of its elements; and in this way
some have said that the union of the Incarnation was brought about by
manner of combination. But this cannot be. First, because the Divine
Nature is altogether immutable, as has been said (I, Q. 9, AA. 1, 2),
hence neither can it be changed into something else, since it is
incorruptible; nor can anything else be changed into it, for it
cannot be generated. Secondly, because what is mixed is of the same
species with none of the elements; for flesh differs in species from
any of its elements. And thus Christ would be of the same nature
neither with His Father nor with His Mother. Thirdly, because there
can be no mingling of things widely apart; for the species of one of
them is absorbed, e.g. if we were to put a drop of water in a flagon
of wine. And hence, since the Divine Nature infinitely exceeds the
human nature, there could be no mixture, but the Divine Nature alone
would remain.
Thirdly, a thing is made up of things not mixed nor changed, but
imperfect; as man is made up of soul and body, and likewise of divers
members. But this cannot be said of the mystery of the Incarnation.
First, because each nature, i.e. the Divine and the human, has its
specific perfection. Secondly, because the Divine and human natures
cannot constitute anything after the manner of quantitative parts, as
the members make up the body; for the Divine Nature is incorporeal;
nor after the manner of form and matter, for the Divine Nature cannot
be the form of anything, especially of anything corporeal, since it
would follow that the species resulting therefrom would be
communicable to several, and thus there would be several Christs.
Thirdly, because Christ would exist neither in human nature nor in
the Divine Nature: since any difference varies the species, as unity
varies number, as is said (Metaph. viii, text. 10).
Reply Obj. 1: This authority of Cyril is expounded in the Fifth Synod
(i.e. Constantinople II, coll. viii, can. 8) thus: "If anyone
proclaiming one nature of the Word of God to be incarnate does not
receive it as the Fathers taught, viz. that from the Divine and human
natures (a union in subsistence having taken place) one Christ
results, but endeavors from these words to introduce one nature or
substance of the Divinity and flesh of Christ, let such a one be
anathema." Hence the sense is not that from two natures one results;
but that the Nature of the Word of God united flesh to Itself in
Person.
Reply Obj. 2: From the soul and body a double unity, viz. of nature
and person--results in each individual--of nature inasmuch as the
soul is united to the body, and formally perfects it, so that one
nature springs from the two as from act and potentiality or from
matter and form. But the comparison is not in this sense, for the
Divine Nature cannot be the form of a body, as was proved (I, Q. 3,
A. 8). Unity of person results from them, however, inasmuch as there
is an individual subsisting in flesh and soul; and herein lies the
likeness, for the one Christ subsists in the Divine and human natures.
Reply Obj. 3: As Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 6, 11), the
Divine Nature is said to be incarnate because It is united to flesh
personally, and not that It is changed into flesh. So likewise the
flesh is said to be deified, as he also says (De Fide Orth. 15, 17),
not by change, but by union with the Word, its natural properties
still remaining, and hence it may be considered as deified, inasmuch
as it becomes the flesh of the Word of God, but not that it becomes
God.
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