Whether Christ Is the Head of Men As to Their Bodies or Only As to
Their Souls?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ is not the Head of men as to
their bodies. For Christ is said to be the Head of the Church
inasmuch as He bestows spiritual sense and the movement of grace on
the Church. But a body is not capable of this spiritual sense and
movement. Therefore Christ is not the Head of men as regards their
bodies.
Obj. 2: Further, we share bodies with the brutes. If therefore Christ
was the Head of men as to their bodies, it would follow that He was
the Head of brute animals; and this is not fitting.
Obj. 3: Further, Christ took His body from other men, as is clear
from Matt. 1 and Luke 3. But the head is the first of the members, as
was said above (A. 1, ad 3). Therefore Christ is not the Head of the
Church as regards bodies.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Phil. 3:21): "Who will reform the
body of our lowness, made like to the body of His glory."
_I answer that,_ The human body has a natural relation to the
rational soul, which is its proper form and motor. Inasmuch as the
soul is its form, it receives from the soul life and the other
properties which belong specifically to man; but inasmuch as the soul
is its motor, the body serves the soul instrumentally. Therefore we
must hold that the manhood of Christ had the power of _influence,_
inasmuch as it is united to the Word of God, to Whom His body is
united through the soul, as stated above (Q. 6, A. 1). Hence the
whole manhood of Christ, i.e. according to soul and body, influences
all, both in soul and body; but principally the soul, and secondarily
the body: First, inasmuch as the "members of the body are presented
as instruments of justice" in the soul that lives through Christ, as
the Apostle says (Rom. 6:13): secondly, inasmuch as the life of glory
flows from the soul on to the body, according to Rom. 8:11: "He that
raised up Jesus from the dead shall quicken also your mortal bodies,
because of His Spirit that dwelleth in you."
Reply Obj. 1: The spiritual sense of grace does not reach to the body
first and principally, but secondarily and instrumentally, as was
said above.
Reply Obj. 2: The body of an animal has no relation to a rational
soul, as the human body has. Hence there is no parity.
Reply Obj. 3: Although Christ drew the matter of His body from other
men, yet all draw from Him the immortal life of their body, according
to 1 Cor. 15:22: "And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall
be made alive."
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