Whether in Christ There Is Only One Operation of the Godhead and
Manhood?
Objection 1: It would seem that in Christ there is but one operation
of the Godhead and the Manhood. For Dionysius says (Div. Nom. ii):
"The most loving operation of God is made manifest to us by the
supersubstantial Word having taken flesh integrally and truly, and
having operated and suffered whatsoever befits His human and Divine
operation." But he here mentions only one human and Divine operation,
which is written in Greek _theandrike_, i.e. God-manlike. Hence it
seems that there is but one composite operation in Christ.
Obj. 2: Further, there is but one operation of the principal and
instrumental agent. Now the human nature in Christ was the instrument
of the Divine, as was said above (Q. 7, A. 1, ad 3; Q. 8, A. 1, ad 1;
Q. 18, A. 1, ad 2). Hence the operations of the Divine and human
natures in Christ are the same.
Obj. 3: Further, since in Christ there are two natures in one
hypostasis or person, whatever pertains to the hypostasis or person
is one and the same. But operation pertains to the hypostasis or
person, for it is only a subsisting suppositum that operates; hence,
according to the Philosopher (Metaph. i, 1), acts belong to
singulars. Hence in Christ there is only one operation of the Godhead
and the Manhood.
Obj. 4: Further, as being belongs to a subsisting hypostasis, so also
does operation. But on account of the unity of hypostasis there is
only one operation of the Godhead and the (Q. 17, A. 2). Hence, on
account of the same unity, there is one operation in Christ.
Obj. [5]: Further, [where there is one thing] operated there is one
operation. But the same thing was operated by the Godhead and the
Manhood, as the healing of the lepers or the raising of the dead.
Hence it seems that in Christ there is but one operation of the
Godhead and the Manhood.
_On the contrary,_ Ambrose says (De Fide ii, 8): "How can the same
operation spring from different powers? Cannot the lesser operate as
the greater? And can there be one operation where there are different
substances?"
_I answer that,_ As was said above (Q. 18, A. 1), the aforesaid
heretics who placed one will in Christ placed one operation in
Christ. Now in order better to understand their erroneous opinion, we
must bear in mind that wherever there are several mutually ordained
agents, the inferior is moved by the superior, as in man the body is
moved by the soul and the lower powers by the reason. And thus the
actions and movements of the inferior principle are things operated
rather than operations. Now what pertains to the highest principle is
properly the operation; thus we say of man that to walk, which
belongs to the feet, and to touch, which belongs to the hand, are
things operated by the man--one of which is operated by the soul
through the feet, the other through the hands. And because it is the
same soul that operates in both cases, there is only one indifferent
operation, on the part of the thing operating, which is the first
moving principle; but difference is found on the part of what is
operated. Now, as in a mere man the body is moved by the soul, and
the sensitive by the rational appetite, so in the Lord Jesus Christ
the human nature is moved and ruled by the Divine. Hence they said
that there is one indifferent operation on the part of the Godhead
operating, but divers things operated, inasmuch as the Godhead of
Christ did one thing by Itself, as to uphold all things by the word
of His power--and another thing by His human nature, as to walk in
body. Hence the Sixth Council [*Third Council of Constantinople, Act.
10] quotes the words of Severus the heretic, who said: "What things
were done and wrought by the one Christ, differ greatly; for some are
becoming to God, and some are human, as to walk bodily on the earth
is indeed human, but to give hale steps to sickly limbs, wholly
unable to walk on the ground, is becoming to God. Yet one, i.e. the
Incarnate Word, wrought one and the other--neither was this from one
nature, and that from another; nor can we justly affirm that because
there are distinct things operated there are therefore two operating
natures and forms."
But herein they were deceived, for what is moved by another has a
twofold action--one which it has from its own form--the other, which
it has inasmuch as it is moved by another; thus the operation of an
axe of itself is to cleave; but inasmuch as it is moved by the
craftsman, its operation is to make benches. Hence the operation
which belongs to a thing by its form is proper to it, nor does it
belong to the mover, except in so far as he makes use of this kind of
thing for his work: thus to heat is the proper operation of fire, but
not of a smith, except in so far as he makes use of fire for heating
iron. But the operation which belongs to the thing, as moved by
another, is not distinct from the operation of the mover; thus to
make a bench is not the work of the axe independently of the workman.
Hence, wheresoever the mover and the moved have different forms or
operative faculties, there must the operation of the mover and the
proper operation of the moved be distinct; although the moved shares
in the operation of the mover, and the mover makes use of the
operation of the moved, and, consequently, each acts in communion
with the other.
Therefore in Christ the human nature has its proper form and power
whereby it acts; and so has the Divine. Hence the human nature has
its proper operation distinct from the Divine, and conversely.
Nevertheless, the Divine Nature makes use of the operation of the
human nature, as of the operation of its instrument; and in the same
way the human nature shares in the operation of the Divine Nature, as
an instrument shares in the operation of the principal agent. And
this is what Pope Leo says (Ep. ad Flavian. xxviii): "Both forms"
(i.e. both the Divine and the human nature in Christ) "do what is
proper to each in union with the other, i.e. the Word operates what
belongs to the Word, and the flesh carries out what belongs to flesh."
But if there were only one operation of the Godhead and manhood in
Christ, it would be necessary to say either that the human nature had
not its proper form and power (for this could not possibly be said of
the Divine), whence it would follow that in Christ there was only the
Divine operation; or it would be necessary to say that from the
Divine and human power there was made up one power. Now both of these
are impossible. For by the first the human nature in Christ is
supposed to be imperfect; and by the second a confusion of the
natures is supposed. Hence it is with reason that the Sixth Council
(Act. 18) condemned this opinion, and decreed as follows: "We confess
two natural, indivisible, unconvertible, unconfused, and inseparable
operations in the same Lord Jesus Christ our true God"; i.e. the
Divine operation and the human operation.
Reply Obj. 1: Dionysius places in Christ a theandric, i.e. a
God-manlike or Divino-human, operation not by any confusion of the
operations or powers of both natures, but inasmuch as His Divine
operation employs the human, and His human operation shares in the
power of the Divine. Hence, as he says in a certain epistle (Ad Caium
iv), "what is of man He works beyond man; and this is shown by the
Virgin conceiving supernaturally and by the unstable waters bearing
up the weight of bodily feet." Now it is clear that to be begotten
belongs to human nature, and likewise to walk; yet both were in
Christ supernaturally. So, too, He wrought Divine things humanly, as
when He healed the leper with a touch. Hence in the same epistle he
adds: "He performed Divine works not as God does, and human works not
as man does, but, God having been made man, by a new operation of God
and man."
Now, that he understood two operations in Christ, one of the Divine
and the other of the human nature, is clear from what he says, Div.
Nom. ii: "Whatever pertains to His human operation the Father and the
Holy Ghost no-wise share in, except, as one might say, by their most
gracious and merciful will," i.e. inasmuch as the Father and the Holy
Ghost in their mercy wished Christ to do and to suffer human things.
And he adds: "He is truly the unchangeable God, and God's Word by the
sublime and unspeakable operation of God, which, being made man for
us, He wrought." Hence it is clear that the human operation, in which
the Father and the Holy Ghost do not share, except by Their merciful
consent, is distinct from His operation, as the Word of God, wherein
the Father and the Holy Ghost share.
Reply Obj. 2: The instrument is said to act through being moved by
the principal agent; and yet, besides this, it can have its proper
operation through its own form, as stated above of fire. And hence
the action of the instrument as instrument is not distinct from the
action of the principal agent; yet it may have another operation,
inasmuch as it is a thing. Hence the operation of Christ's human
nature, as the instrument of the Godhead, is not distinct from the
operation of the Godhead; for the salvation wherewith the manhood of
Christ saves us and that wherewith His Godhead saves us are not
distinct; nevertheless, the human nature in Christ, inasmuch as it is
a certain nature, has a proper operation distinct from the Divine, as
stated above.
Reply Obj. 3: To operate belongs to a subsisting hypostasis; in
accordance, however, with the form and nature from which the
operation receives its species. Hence from the diversity of forms or
natures spring the divers species of operations, but from the unity
of hypostasis springs the numerical unity as regards the operation of
the species: thus fire has two operations specifically different,
namely, to illuminate and to heat, from the difference of light and
heat, and yet the illumination of the fire that illuminates at one
and the same time is numerically one. So, likewise, in Christ there
are necessarily two specifically different operations by reason of
His two natures; nevertheless, each of the operations at one and the
same time is numerically one, as one walking and one healing.
Reply Obj. 4: Being and operation belong to the person by reason of
the nature; yet in a different manner. For being belongs to the very
constitution of the person, and in this respect it has the nature of
a term; consequently, unity of person requires unity of the complete
and personal being. But operation is an effect of the person by
reason of a form or nature. Hence plurality of operations is not
incompatible with personal unity.
Reply Obj. 5: The proper work of the Divine operation is different
from the proper work of the human operation. Thus to heal a leper is
a proper work of the Divine operation, but to touch him is the proper
work of the human operation. Now both these operations concur in one
work, inasmuch as one nature acts in union with the other.
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