[*The question is hardly apposite in English. St. Thomas explains why
we can say in Latin, e.g. _oratio dominica_ (the Lord's Prayer) or
_passio dominica_ (Our Lord's Passion), but not speak of our Lord as
_homo dominicus_ (a lordly man)].
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ can be called a lordly man.
For Augustine says (Qq. lxxxiii, qu. 36) that "we are to be counseled
to hope for the goods that were in the Lordly Man"; and he is
speaking of Christ. Therefore it seems that Christ was a lordly man.
Obj. 2: Further, as lordship belongs to Christ by reason of His
Divine Nature, so does manhood belong to the human nature. Now God is
said to be "humanized," as is plain from Damascene (De Fide Orth.
iii, 11), where he says that "being humanized manifests the
conjunction with man." Hence with like reason may it be said
denominatively that this man is lordly.
Obj. 3: Further, as "lordly" is derived from "lord," so is "Divine"
derived from "Deus" [God]. But Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. iv) calls
Christ the "most Divine Jesus." Therefore with like reason may Christ
be called a lordly man.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Retract. i, 19): "I do not see
that we may rightly call Jesus Christ a lordly man, since He is the
Lord Himself."
_I answer that,_ As was said above (A. 2, ad 3), when we say "the Man
Christ Jesus," we signify the eternal suppositum, which is the Person
of the Son of God, because there is only one suppositum of both
natures. Now "God" and "Lord" are predicated essentially of the Son
of God; and hence they ought not to be predicated denominatively,
since this is derogatory to the truth of the union. Hence, since we
say "lordly" denominatively from lord, it cannot truly and properly
be said that this Man is lordly, but rather that He is Lord. But if,
when we say "the Man Christ Jesus," we mean a created suppositum, as
those who assert two supposita in Christ, this man might be called
lordly, inasmuch as he is assumed to a participation of Divine honor,
as the Nestorians said. And, even in this way, the human nature is
not called "divine" by essence, but "deified"--not, indeed, by its
being converted into the Divine Nature, but by its conjunction with
the Divine Nature in one hypostasis, as is plain from Damascene (De
Fide Orth. iii, 11, 17).
Reply Obj. 1: Augustine retracts these and the like words (Retract.
i, 19); hence, after the foregoing words (Retract. i, 19), he adds:
"Wherever I have said this," viz. that Christ Jesus is a lordly man,
"I wish it unsaid, having afterwards seen that it ought not to be
said although it may be defended with some reason," i.e. because one
might say that He was called a lordly man by reason of the human
nature, which this word "man" signifies, and not by reason of the
suppositum.
Reply Obj. 2: This one suppositum, which is of the human and Divine
natures, was first of the Divine Nature, i.e. from eternity.
Afterwards in time it was made a suppositum of human nature by the
Incarnation. And for this reason it is said to be "humanized"--not
that it assumed a man, but that it assumed human nature. But the
converse of this is not true, viz. that a suppositum of human nature
assumed the Divine Nature; hence we may not say a "deified" or
"lordly" man.
Reply Obj. 3: This word Divine is wont to be predicated even of
things of which the word God is predicated essentially; thus we say
that "the Divine Essence is God," by reason of identity; and that
"the Essence belongs to God," or is "Divine," on account of the
different way of signifying; and we speak of the "Divine Word,"
though the Word is God. So, too, we say "a Divine Person," just as we
say "the person of Plato," on account of its different mode of
signification. But "lordly" is not predicated of those of which
"lord" is predicated; for we are not wont to call a man who is a
lord, lordly; but whatsoever belongs to a lord is called lordly, as
the "lordly will," or the "lordly hand," or the "lordly possession."
And hence the man Christ, Who is our Lord, cannot be called lordly;
yet His flesh can be called "lordly flesh" and His passion the
"lordly passion."
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