Whether the annunciation should have been made by an angel to the
Blessed Virgin?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Annunciation should not have been
made by an angel to our Blessed Lady. For revelations to the highest
angels are made immediately by God, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier.
vii). But the Mother of God is exalted above all the angels.
Therefore it seems that the mystery of the Incarnation should have
been announced to her by God immediately, and not by an angel.
Obj. 2: Further, if in this matter it behooved the common order to be
observed, by which Divine things are announced to men by angels; in
like manner Divine things are announced to a woman by a man:
wherefore the Apostle says (1 Cor. 14:34, 35): "Let women keep
silence in the churches . . . but if they would learn anything, let
them ask their husbands at home." Therefore it seems that the mystery
of the Incarnation should have been announced to the Blessed Virgin
by some man: especially seeing that Joseph, her husband, was
instructed thereupon by an angel, as is related (Matt. 1:20, 21)
Obj. 3: Further, none can becomingly announce what he knows not. But
the highest angels did not fully know the mystery of the Incarnation:
wherefore Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. vii) that the question, "Who is
this that cometh from Edom?" (Isa. 63:1) is to be understood as made
by them. Therefore it seems that the announcement of the Incarnation
could not be made becomingly by any angel.
Obj. 4: Further, greater things should be announced by messengers of
greater dignity. But the mystery of the Incarnation is the greatest
of all things announced by angels to men. It seems, therefore, if it
behooved to be announced by an angel at all, that this should have
been done by an angel of the highest order. But Gabriel is not of the
highest order, but of the order of archangels, which is the last but
one: wherefore the Church sings: "We know that the archangel Gabriel
brought thee a message from God" [*Feast of Purification B.V.M. ix
Resp. Brev. O.P.]. Therefore this announcement was not becomingly
made by the archangel Gabriel.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Luke 1:26): "The angel Gabriel was
sent by God," etc.
_I answer that,_ It was fitting for the mystery of the Incarnation to
be announced to the Mother of God by an angel, for three reasons.
First, that in this also might be maintained the order established by
God, by which Divine things are brought to men by means of the
angels. Wherefore Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. iv) that "the angels
were the first to be taught the Divine mystery of the loving kindness
of Jesus: afterwards the grace of knowledge was imparted to us
through them. Thus, then, the most god-like Gabriel made known to
Zachary that a prophet son would be born to him; and, to Mary, how
the Divine mystery of the ineffable conception of God would be
realized in her."
Secondly, this was becoming to the restoration of human nature which
was to be effected by Christ. Wherefore Bede says in a homily (in
Annunt.): "It was an apt beginning of man's restoration that an angel
should be sent by God to the Virgin who was to be hallowed by the
Divine Birth: since the first cause of man's ruin was through the
serpent being sent by the devil to cajole the woman by the spirit of
pride."
Thirdly, because this was becoming to the virginity of the Mother of
God. Wherefore Jerome says in a sermon on the Assumption [*Ascribed
to St. Jerome but not his work]: "It is well that an angel be sent to
the Virgin; because virginity is ever akin to the angelic nature.
Surely to live in the flesh and not according to the flesh is not an
earthly but a heavenly life."
Reply Obj. 1: The Mother of God was above the angels as regards the
dignity to which she was chosen by God. But as regards the present
state of life, she was beneath the angels. For even Christ Himself,
by reason of His passible life, "was made a little lower than the
angels," according to Heb. 2:9. But because Christ was both wayfarer
and comprehensor, He did not need to be instructed by angels, as
regards knowledge of Divine things. The Mother of God, however, was
not yet in the state of comprehension: and therefore she had to be
instructed by angels concerning the Divine Conception.
Reply Obj. 2: As Augustine says in a sermon on the Assumption (De
Assump. B.V.M. [*Work of another author: among the works of St.
Augustine]) a true estimation of the Blessed Virgin excludes her from
certain general rules. For "neither did she 'multiply her
conceptions' nor was she 'under man's, i.e. her husband's,' power
(Gen. 3:16), who in her spotless womb conceived Christ of the Holy
Ghost." Therefore it was fitting that she should be informed of the
mystery of the Incarnation by means not of a man, but of an angel.
For this reason it was made known to her before Joseph: since the
message was brought to her before she conceived, but to Joseph after
she had conceived.
Reply Obj. 3: As may be gathered from the passage quoted from
Dionysius, the angels were acquainted with the mystery of the
Incarnation: and yet they put this question, being desirous that
Christ should give them more perfect knowledge of the details of this
mystery, which are incomprehensible to any created intellect. Thus
Maximus [*Maximus of Constantinople] says that "there can be no
question that the angels knew that the Incarnation was to take place.
But it was not given to them to trace the manner of our Lord's
conception, nor how it was that He remained whole in the Father,
whole throughout the universe, and was whole in the narrow abode of
the Virgin."
Reply Obj. 4: Some say that Gabriel was of the highest order; because
Gregory says (Hom. de Centum Ovibus [*34 in Evang.]): "It was right
that one of the highest angels should come, since his message was
most sublime." But this does nat imply that he was of the highest
order of all, but in regard to the angels: since he was an archangel.
Thus the Church calls him an archangel, and Gregory himself in a
homily (De Centum Ovibus 34) says that "those are called archangels
who announce sublime things." It is therefore sufficiently credible
that he was the highest of the archangels. And, as Gregory says (De
Centum Ovibus 34), this name agrees with his office: for "Gabriel
means 'Power of God.' This message therefore was fittingly brought by
the 'Power of God,' because the Lord of hosts and mighty in battle
was coming to overcome the powers of the air."
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