Whether the Soul of Christ Sees the Word or the Divine Essence More
Clearly Than Does Any Other Creature?
Objection 1: It would seem that the soul of Christ does not see the
Word more perfectly than does any other creature. For the perfection
of knowledge depends upon the medium of knowing; as the knowledge we
have by means of a demonstrative syllogism is more perfect than that
which we have by means of a probable syllogism. But all the blessed
see the Word immediately in the Divine Essence Itself, as was said in
the First Part (Q. 12, A. 2). Therefore the soul of Christ does not
see the Word more perfectly than any other creature.
Obj. 2: Further, the perfection of vision does not exceed the power
of seeing. But the rational power of a soul such as is the soul of
Christ is below the intellective power of an angel, as is plain from
Dionysius (Coel. Hier. iv). Therefore the soul of Christ did not see
the Word more perfectly than the angels.
Obj. 3: Further, God sees His Word infinitely more perfectly than
does the soul of Christ. Hence there are infinite possible mediate
degrees between the manner in which God sees His Word, and the manner
in which the soul of Christ sees the Word. Therefore we cannot assert
that the soul of Christ sees the Word or the Divine Essence more
perfectly than does every other creature.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Eph. 1:20, 21) that God set
Christ "on His right hand in the heavenly places, above all
principality and power and virtue and dominion and every name that is
named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." But
in that heavenly glory the higher anyone is the more perfectly does
he know God. Therefore the soul of Christ sees God more perfectly
than does any other creature.
_I answer that,_ The vision of the Divine Essence is granted to all
the blessed by a partaking of the Divine light which is shed upon
them from the fountain of the Word of God, according to Ecclus. 1:5:
"The Word of God on high is the fountain of Wisdom." Now the soul of
Christ, since it is united to the Word in person, is more closely
joined to the Word of God than any other creature. Hence it more
fully receives the light in which God is seen by the Word Himself
than any other creature. And therefore more perfectly than the rest
of creatures it sees the First Truth itself, which is the Essence of
God; hence it is written (John 1:14): "And we saw His glory, the
glory as it were of the Only-begotten of the Father," "full" not only
of "grace" but also of "truth."
Reply Obj. 1: Perfection of knowledge, on the part of the thing
known, depends on the medium; but as regards the knower, it depends
on the power or habit. And hence it is that even amongst men one sees
a conclusion in a medium more perfectly than another does. And in
this way the soul of Christ, which is filled with a more abundant
light, knows the Divine Essence more perfectly than do the other
blessed, although all see the Divine Essence in itself.
Reply Obj. 2: The vision of the Divine Essence exceeds the natural
power of any creature, as was said in the First Part (Q. 12, A. 4).
And hence the degrees thereof depend rather on the order of grace in
which Christ is supreme, than on the order of nature, in which the
angelic nature is placed before the human.
Reply Obj. 3: As stated above (Q. 7, A. 12), there cannot be a
greater grace than the grace of Christ with respect to the union with
the Word; and the same is to be said of the perfection of the Divine
vision; although, absolutely speaking, there could be a higher and
more sublime degree by the infinity of the Divine power.
_______________________