Whether the Union of the Divine Nature and the Human Is Anything
Created?
Objection 1: It would seem that the union of the Divine and human
natures is not anything created. For there can be nothing created in
God, because whatever is in God is God. But the union is in God, for
God Himself is united to human nature. Therefore it seems that the
union is not anything created.
Obj. 2: Further, the end holds first place in everything. But the end
of the union is the Divine hypostasis or Person in which the union is
terminated. Therefore it seems that this union ought chiefly to be
judged with reference to the dignity of the Divine hypostasis, which
is not anything created. Therefore the union is nothing created.
Obj. 3: Further, "That which is the cause of a thing being such is
still more so" (Poster. i). But man is said to be the Creator on
account of the union. Therefore much more is the union itself nothing
created, but the Creator.
_On the contrary,_ Whatever has a beginning in time is created. Now
this union was not from eternity, but began in time. Therefore the
union is something created.
_I answer that,_ The union of which we are speaking is a relation
which we consider between the Divine and the human nature, inasmuch
as they come together in one Person of the Son of God. Now, as was
said above (I, Q. 13, A. 7), every relation which we consider between
God and the creature is really in the creature, by whose change the
relation is brought into being; whereas it is not really in God, but
only in our way of thinking, since it does not arise from any change
in God. And hence we must say that the union of which we are speaking
is not really in God, except only in our way of thinking; but in the
human nature, which is a creature, it is really. Therefore we must
say it is something created.
Reply Obj. 1: This union is not really in God, but only in our way of
thinking, for God is said to be united to a creature inasmuch as the
creature is really united to God without any change in Him.
Reply Obj. 2: The specific nature of a relation, as of motion,
depends on the subject. And since this union has its being nowhere
save in a created nature, as was said above, it follows that it has a
created being.
Reply Obj. 3: A man is called Creator and is God because of the
union, inasmuch as it is terminated in the Divine hypostasis; yet it
does not follow that the union itself is the Creator or God, because
that a thing is said to be created regards its being rather than its
relation.
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