Whether Christ Contracted These Defects?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ contracted bodily defects. For
we are said to contract what we derive with our nature from birth.
But Christ, together with human nature, derived His bodily defects
and infirmities through His birth from His mother, whose flesh was
subject to these defects. Therefore it seems that He contracted these
defects.
Obj. 2: Further, what is caused by the principles of nature is
derived together with nature, and hence is contracted. Now these
penalties are caused by the principles of human nature. Therefore
Christ contracted them.
Obj. 3: Further, Christ is likened to other men in these defects, as
is written Heb. 2:17. But other men contract these defects. Therefore
it seems that Christ contracted these defects.
_On the contrary,_ These defects are contracted through sin,
according to Rom. 5:12: "By one man sin entered into this world and
by sin, death." Now sin had no place in Christ. Therefore Christ did
not contract these defects.
_I answer that,_ In the verb "to contract" is understood the relation
of effect to cause, i.e. that is said to be contracted which is
derived of necessity together with its cause. Now the cause of death
and such like defects in human nature is sin, since "by sin death
entered into this world," according to Rom. 5:12. And hence they who
incur these defects, as due to sin, are properly said to contract
them. Now Christ had not these defects, as due to sin, since, as
Augustine [*Alcuin in the Gloss, Ord.], expounding John 3:31, "He that
cometh from above, is above all," says: "Christ came from above, i.e.
from the height of human nature, which it had before the fall of the
first man." For He received human nature without sin, in the purity
which it had in the state of innocence. In the same way He might have
assumed human nature without defects. Thus it is clear that Christ
did not contract these defects as if taking them upon Himself as due
to sin, but by His own will.
Reply Obj. 1: The flesh of the Virgin was conceived in original sin,
[*See introductory note to Q. 27] and therefore contracted these
defects. But from the Virgin, Christ's flesh assumed the nature
without sin, and He might likewise have assumed the nature without
its penalties. But He wished to bear its penalties in order to carry
out the work of our redemption, as stated above (A. 1). Therefore He
had these defects--not that He contracted them, but that He assumed
them.
Reply Obj. 2: The cause of death and other corporeal defects of human
nature is twofold: the first is remote, and results from the material
principles of the human body, inasmuch as it is made up of
contraries. But this cause was held in check by original justice.
Hence the proximate cause of death and other defects is sin, whereby
original justice is withdrawn. And thus, because Christ was without
sin, He is said not to have contracted these defects, but to have
assumed them.
Reply Obj. 3: Christ was made like to other men in the quality and
not in the cause of these defects; and hence, unlike others, He did
not contract them.
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