Whether the Flesh of Christ Was Conceived of the Virgin's Purest
Blood?
Objection 1: It would seem that the flesh of Christ was not conceived
of the Virgin's purest blood: For it is said in the collect (Feast of
the Annunciation) that God "willed that His Word should take flesh
from a Virgin." But flesh differs from blood. Therefore Christ's body
was not taken from the Virgin's blood.
Obj. 2: Further, as the woman was miraculously formed from the man,
so Christ's body was formed miraculously from the Virgin. But the
woman is not said to have been formed from the man's blood, but
rather from his flesh and bones, according to Gen. 2:23: "This now is
bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." It seems therefore that
neither should Christ's body have been formed from the Virgin's
blood, but from her flesh and bones.
Obj. 3: Further, Christ's body was of the same species as other men's
bodies. But other men's bodies are not formed from the purest blood
but from the semen and the menstrual blood. Therefore it seems that
neither was Christ's body conceived of the purest blood of the Virgin.
_On the contrary,_ Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii) that "the Son
of God, from the Virgin's purest blood, formed Himself flesh,
animated with a rational soul."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 4), in Christ's conception His
being born of a woman was in accordance with the laws of nature, but
that He was born of a virgin was above the laws of nature. Now, such
is the law of nature that in the generation of an animal the female
supplies the matter, while the male is the active principle of
generation; as the Philosopher proves (De Gener. Animal. i). But a
woman who conceives of a man is not a virgin. And consequently it
belongs to the supernatural mode of Christ's generation, that the
active principle of generation was the supernatural power of God: but
it belongs to the natural mode of His generation, that the matter
from which His body was conceived is similar to the matter which
other women supply for the conception of their offspring. Now, this
matter, according to the Philosopher (De Gener. Animal.), is the
woman's blood, not any of her blood, but brought to a more perfect
stage of secretion by the mother's generative power, so as to be apt
for conception. And therefore of such matter was Christ's body
conceived.
Reply Obj. 1: Since the Blessed Virgin was of the same nature as
other women, it follows that she had flesh and bones of the same
nature as theirs. Now, flesh and bones in other women are actual
parts of the body, the integrity of which results therefrom: and
consequently they cannot be taken from the body without its being
corrupted or diminished. But as Christ came to heal what was corrupt,
it was not fitting that He should bring corruption or diminution to
the integrity of His Mother. Therefore it was becoming that Christ's
body should be formed not from the flesh or bones of the Virgin, but
from her blood, which as yet is not actually a part, but is
potentially the whole, as stated in _De Gener. Animal._ i. Hence He
is said to have taken flesh from the Virgin, not that the matter from
which His body was formed was actual flesh, but blood, which is flesh
potentially.
Reply Obj. 2: As stated in the First Part (Q. 92, A. 3, ad 2), Adam,
through being established as a kind of principle of human nature, had
in his body a certain proportion of flesh and bone, which belonged to
him, not as an integral part of his personality, but in regard to his
state as a principle of human nature. And from this was the woman
formed, without detriment to the man. But in the Virgin's body there
was nothing of this sort, from which Christ's body could be formed
without detriment to His Mother's body.
Reply Obj. 3: Woman's semen is not apt for generation, but is
something imperfect in the seminal order, which, on account of the
imperfection of the female power, it has not been possible to bring
to complete seminal perfection. Consequently this semen is not the
necessary matter of conception; as the Philosopher says (De Gener.
Animal. i): wherefore there was none such in Christ's conception: all
the more since, though it is imperfect in the seminal order, a
certain concupiscence accompanies its emission, as also that of the
male semen: whereas in that virginal conception there could be no
concupiscence. Wherefore Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii) that
Christ's body was not conceived "seminally." But the menstrual blood,
the flow of which is subject to monthly periods, has a certain
natural impurity of corruption: like other superfluities, which
nature does not heed, and therefore expels. Of such menstrual blood
infected with corruption and repudiated by nature, the conception is
not formed; but from a certain secretion of the pure blood which by a
process of elimination is prepared for conception, being, as it were,
more pure and more perfect than the rest of the blood. Nevertheless,
it is tainted with the impurity of lust in the conception of other
men: inasmuch as by sexual intercourse this blood is drawn to a place
apt for conception. This, however, did not take place in Christ's
conception: because this blood was brought together in the Virgin's
womb and fashioned into a child by the operation of the Holy Ghost.
Therefore is Christ's body said to be "formed of the most chaste and
purest blood of the Virgin."
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