Whether Christ's Body Was Animated in the First Instant of Its
Conception?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's body was not animated in the
first instant of its conception. For Pope Leo says (Ep. ad Julian.):
"Christ's flesh was not of another nature than ours: nor was the
beginning of His animation different from that of other men." But the
soul is not infused into other men at the first instant of their
conception. Therefore neither should Christ's soul have been infused
into His body in the first instant of its conception.
Obj. 2: Further, the soul, like any natural form, requires
determinate quantity in its matter. But in the first instant of its
conception Christ's body was not of the same quantity as the bodies
of other men when they are animated: otherwise, if afterwards its
development had been continuous, either its birth would have occurred
sooner, or at the time of birth He would have been a bigger child
than others. The former alternative is contrary to what Augustine
says (De Trin. iv), where he proves that Christ was in the Virgin's
womb for the space of nine months: while the latter is contrary to
what Pope Leo says (Serm. iv in Epiph.): "They found the child Jesus
nowise differing from the generality of infants." Therefore Christ's
body was not animated in the first instant of its conception.
Obj. 3: Further, whenever there is "before" and "after" there must be
several instants. But according to the Philosopher (De Gener. Animal.
ii) in the generation of a man there must needs be "before" and
"after": for he is first of all a living thing, and afterwards, an
animal, and after that, a man. Therefore the animation of Christ
could not be effected in the first instant of His conception.
_On the contrary,_ Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii): "At the very
instant that there was flesh, it was the flesh of the Word of God, it
was flesh animated with a rational and intellectual soul."
_I answer that,_ For the conception to be attributed to the very Son
of God, as we confess in the Creed, when we say, "who was conceived
by the Holy Ghost," we must needs say that the body itself, in being
conceived, was assumed by the Word of God. Now it has been shown
above (Q. 6, AA. 1, 2) that the Word of God assumed the body by means
of the soul, and the soul by means of the spirit, i.e. the intellect.
Wherefore in the first instant of its conception Christ's body must
needs have been animated by the rational soul.
Reply Obj. 1: The beginning of the infusion of the soul may be
considered in two ways. First, in regard to the disposition of the
body. And thus, the beginning of the infusion of the soul into
Christ's body was the same as in other men's bodies: for just as the
soul is infused into another man's body as soon as it is formed, so
was it with Christ. Secondly, this beginning may be considered merely
in regard to time. And thus, because Christ's body was perfectly
formed in a shorter space of time, so after a shorter space of time
was it animated.
Reply Obj. 2: The soul requires due quantity in the matter into which
it is infused: but this quantity allows of a certain latitude because
it is not fixed to a certain amount. Now the quantity that a body has
when the soul is first infused into it is in proportion to the
perfect quantity to which it will attain by development: that is to
say, men of greater stature have greater bodies at the time of first
animation. But Christ at the perfect age was of becoming and middle
stature: in proportion to which was the quantity of His body at the
time when other men's bodies are animated; though it was less than
theirs at the first instant of His conception. Nevertheless that
quantity was not too small to safeguard the nature of an animated
body; since it would have sufficed for the animation of a small man's
body.
Reply Obj. 3: What the Philosopher says is true in the generation of
other men, because the body is successively formed and disposed for
the soul: whence, first, as being imperfectly disposed, it receives
an imperfect soul; and afterwards, when it is perfectly disposed, it
receives a perfect soul. But Christ's body, on account of the
infinite power of the agent, was perfectly disposed instantaneously.
Wherefore, at once and in the first instant it received a perfect
form, that is, the rational soul.
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