Whether by This Imprinted or Infused Knowledge Christ Knew All Things?
Objection 1: It would seem that by this knowledge Christ did not know
all things. For this knowledge is imprinted upon Christ for the
perfection of the passive intellect. Now the passive intellect of the
human soul does not seem to be in potentiality to all things simply,
but only to those things with regard to which it can be reduced to
act by the active intellect, which is its proper motor; and these are
knowable by natural reason. Therefore by this knowledge Christ did
not know what exceeded the natural reason.
Obj. 2: Further, phantasms are to the human intellect as colors to
sight, as is said _De Anima_ iii, 18, 31, 39. But it does not pertain
to the perfection of the power of seeing to know what is without
color. Therefore it does not pertain to the perfection of human
intellect to know things of which there are no phantasms, such as
separate substances. Hence, since this knowledge was in Christ for
the perfection of His intellective soul, it seems that by this
knowledge He did not know separate substances.
Obj. 3: Further, it does not belong to the perfection of the
intellect to know singulars. Hence it would seem that by this
knowledge the soul of Christ did not know singulars.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Isa. 11:2) that "the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, of knowledge and counsel shall fill Him
[*Vulg.: 'The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel . . . the Spirit of
knowledge . . . '; cf. Ecclus. 15:5," under which are included all
that may be known; for the knowledge of all Divine things belongs to
wisdom, the knowledge of all immaterial things to understanding, the
knowledge of all conclusions to knowledge (_scientia_), the knowledge
of all practical things to counsel. Hence it would seem that by this
knowledge Christ had the knowledge of all things.
_I answer that,_ As was said above (Q. 9, A. 1), it was fitting that
the soul of Christ should be wholly perfected by having each of its
powers reduced to act. Now it must be borne in mind that in the human
soul, as in every creature, there is a double passive power: one in
comparison with a natural agent; the other in comparison with the
first agent, which can reduce any creature to a higher act than a
natural agent can reduce it, and this is usually called the
obediential power of a creature. Now both powers of Christ's soul
were reduced to act by this divinely imprinted knowledge. And hence,
by it the soul of Christ knew: First, whatever can be known by force
of a man's active intellect, e.g. whatever pertains to human
sciences; secondly, by this knowledge Christ knew all things made
known to man by Divine revelation, whether they belong to the gift of
wisdom or the gift of prophecy, or any other gift of the Holy Ghost;
since the soul of Christ knew these things more fully and completely
than others. Yet He did not know the Essence of God by this
knowledge, but by the first alone, of which we spoke above (Q. 10).
Reply Obj. 1: This reason refers to the natural power of an
intellective soul in comparison with its natural agent, which is the
active intellect.
Reply Obj. 2: The human soul in the state of this life, since it is
somewhat fettered by the body, so as to be unable to understand
without phantasms, cannot understand separate substances. But after
the state of this life the separated soul will be able, in a measure,
to know separate substances by itself, as was said in the First Part
(Q. 89, AA. 1, 2), and this is especially clear as regards the souls
of the blessed. Now before His Passion, Christ was not merely a
wayfarer but also a comprehensor; hence His soul could know separate
substances in the same way that a separated soul could.
Reply Obj. 3: The knowledge of singulars pertains to the perfection
of the intellective soul, not in speculative knowledge, but in
practical knowledge, which is imperfect without the knowledge of
singulars, in which operations exist, as is said _Ethic._ vi, 7.
Hence for prudence are required the remembrance of past things,
knowledge of present things, and foresight of future things, as Tully
says (De Invent. ii). Therefore, since Christ had the fulness of
prudence by the gift of counsel, He consequently knew all singular
things--present, past, and future.
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