Whether the Holy Ghost Should Be Called Christ's Father in Respect of
His Humanity?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Holy Ghost should be called
Christ's father in respect of His humanity. Because, according to the
Philosopher (De Gener. Animal. i): "The Father is the active
principle in generation, the Mother supplies the matter." But the
Blessed Virgin is called Christ's Mother, by reason of the matter
which she supplied in His conception. Therefore it seems that the
Holy Ghost can be called His father, through being the active
principle in His conception.
Obj. 2: Further, as the minds of other holy men are fashioned by the
Holy Ghost, so also was Christ's body fashioned by the Holy Ghost.
But other holy men, on account of the aforesaid fashioning, are
called the children of the whole Trinity, and consequently of the
Holy Ghost. Therefore it seems that Christ should be called the Son
of the Holy Ghost, forasmuch as His body was fashioned by the Holy
Ghost.
Obj. 3: Further, God is called our Father by reason of His having
made us, according to Deut. 32:6: "Is not He thy Father, that hath
possessed thee, and made thee and created thee?" But the Holy Ghost
made Christ's body, as stated above (AA. 1, 2). Therefore the Holy
Ghost should be called Christ's Father in respect of the body
fashioned by Him.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Enchiridion xl): "Christ was born
of the Holy Ghost not as a Son, and of the Virgin Mary as a Son."
_I answer that,_ The words "fatherhood," "motherhood," and "sonship,"
result from generation; yet not from any generation, but from that of
living things, especially animals. For we do not say that fire
generated is the son of the fire generating it, except, perhaps,
metaphorically; we speak thus only of animals in whom generation is
more perfect. Nevertheless, the word "son" is not applied to
everything generated in animals, but only to that which is generated
into likeness of the generator. Wherefore, as Augustine says
(Enchiridion xxxix), we do not say that a hair which is generated in
a man is his son; nor do we say that a man who is born is the son of
the seed; for neither is the hair like the man nor is the man born
like the seed, but like the man who begot him. And if the likeness be
perfect, the sonship is perfect, whether in God or in man. But if the
likeness be imperfect, the sonship is imperfect. Thus in man there is
a certain imperfect likeness to God, both as regards his being
created to God's image and as regards His being created unto the
likeness of grace. Therefore in both ways man can be called His son,
both because he is created to His image and because he is likened to
Him by grace. Now, it must be observed that what is said in its
perfect sense of a thing should not be said thereof in its imperfect
sense: thus, because Socrates is said to be naturally a man, in the
proper sense of "man," never is he called man in the sense in which
the portrait of a man is called a man, although, perhaps, he may
resemble another man. Now, Christ is the Son of God in the perfect
sense of sonship. Wherefore, although in His human nature He was
created and justified, He ought not to be called the Son of God,
either in respect of His being created or of His being justified, but
only in respect of His eternal generation, by reason of which He is
the Son of the Father alone. Therefore nowise should Christ be called
the Son of the Holy Ghost, nor even of the whole Trinity.
Reply Obj. 1: Christ was conceived of the Virgin Mary, who supplied
the matter of His conception unto likeness of species. For this
reason He is called her Son. But as man He was conceived of the Holy
Ghost as the active principle of His conception, but not unto
likeness of species, as a man is born of his father. Therefore Christ
is not called the Son of the Holy Ghost.
Reply Obj. 2: Men who are fashioned spiritually by the Holy Ghost
cannot be called sons of God in the perfect sense of sonship. And
therefore they are called sons of God in respect of imperfect
sonship, which is by reason of the likeness of grace, which flows
from the whole Trinity.
But with Christ it is different, as stated above.
The same reply avails for the Third Objection.
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