Whether Christ Could Use This Knowledge by Turning to Phantasms?
Objection 1: It would seem that the soul of Christ could not
understand by this knowledge except by turning to phantasms, because,
as is stated _De Anima_ iii, 18, 31, 39, phantasms are compared to
man's intellective soul as colors to sight. But Christ's power of
seeing could not become actual save by turning to colors. Therefore
His intellective soul could understand nothing except by turning to
phantasms.
Obj. 2: Further, Christ's soul is of the same nature as ours.
otherwise He would not be of the same species as we, contrary to what
the Apostle says (Phil. 2:7) " . . . being made in the likeness of
men." But our soul cannot understand except by turning to phantasms.
Hence, neither can Christ's soul otherwise understand.
Obj. 3: Further, senses are given to man to help his intellect.
Hence, if the soul of Christ could understand without turning to
phantasms, which arise in the senses, it would follow that in the
soul of Christ the senses were useless, which is not fitting.
Therefore it seems that the soul of Christ can only understand by
turning to phantasms.
_On the contrary,_ The soul of Christ knew certain things which could
not be known by the senses, viz. separate substances. Therefore it
could understand without turning to phantasms.
_I answer that,_ In the state before His Passion Christ was at the
same time a wayfarer and a comprehensor, as will be more clearly
shown (Q. 15, A. 10). Especially had He the conditions of a wayfarer
on the part of the body, which was passible; but the conditions of a
comprehensor He had chiefly on the part of the soul. Now this is the
condition of the soul of a comprehensor, viz. that it is nowise
subject to its body, or dependent upon it, but wholly dominates it.
Hence after the resurrection glory will flow from the soul to the
body. But the soul of man on earth needs to turn to phantasms,
because it is fettered by the body and in a measure subject to and
dependent upon it. And hence the blessed both before and after the
resurrection can understand without turning to phantasms. And this
must be said of the soul of Christ, which had fully the capabilities
of a comprehensor.
Reply Obj. 1: This likeness which the Philosopher asserts is not with
regard to everything. For it is manifest that the end of the power of
seeing is to know colors; but the end of the intellective power is
not to know phantasms, but to know intelligible species, which it
apprehends from and in phantasms, according to the state of the
present life. Therefore there is a likeness in respect of what both
powers regard, but not in respect of that in which the condition of
both powers is terminated. Now nothing prevents a thing in different
states from reaching its end by different ways: albeit there is never
but one proper end of a thing. Hence, although the sight knows
nothing without color; nevertheless in a certain state the intellect
can know without phantasms, but not without intelligible species.
Reply Obj. 2: Although the soul of Christ was of the same nature as
our souls, yet it had a state which our souls have not yet in fact,
but only in hope, i.e. the state of comprehension.
Reply Obj. 3: Although the soul of Christ could understand without
turning to phantasms, yet it could also understand by turning to
phantasms. Hence the senses were not useless in it; especially as the
senses are not afforded to man solely for intellectual knowledge, but
for the need of animal life.
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