Whether Christ Worked Miracles by Divine Power?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not work miracles by
Divine power. For the Divine power is omnipotent. But it seems that
Christ was not omnipotent in working miracles; for it is written (Mk.
6:5) that "He could not do any miracles there," i.e. in His own
country. Therefore it seems that He did not work miracles by Divine
power.
Obj. 2: Further, God does not pray. But Christ sometimes prayed when
working miracles; as may be seen in the raising of Lazarus (John
11:41, 42), and in the multiplication of the loaves, as related Matt.
14:19. Therefore it seems that He did not work miracles by Divine
power.
Obj. 3: Further, what is done by Divine power cannot be done by the
power of any creature. But the things which Christ did could be done
also by the power of a creature: wherefore the Pharisees said (Luke
11:15) that He cast out devils "by Beelzebub the prince of devils."
Therefore it seems that Christ did not work miracles by Divine power.
_On the contrary,_ our Lord said (John 14:10): "The Father who
abideth in Me, He doth the works."
_I answer that,_ as stated in the First Part (Q. 110, A. 4), true
miracles cannot be wrought save by Divine power: because God alone
can change the order of nature; and this is what is meant by a
miracle. Wherefore Pope Leo says (Ep. ad Flav. xxviii) that, while
there are two natures in Christ, there is "one," viz. the Divine,
which shines forth in miracles; and "another," viz. the human, "which
submits to insults"; yet "each communicates its actions to the
other": in as far as the human nature is the instrument of the Divine
action, and the human action receives power from the Divine Nature,
as stated above (Q. 19, A. 1).
Reply Obj. 1: When it is said that "He could not do any miracles
there," it is not to be understood that He could not do them
absolutely, but that it was not fitting for Him to do them: for it
was unfitting for Him to work miracles among unbelievers. Wherefore
it is said farther on: "And He wondered because of their unbelief."
In like manner it is said (Gen. 18:17): "Can I hide from Abraham what
I am about to do?" and Gen. 19:22: "I cannot do anything till thou go
in thither."
Reply Obj. 2: As Chrysostom says on Matt. 14:19, "He took the five
loaves and the two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, He blessed and
brake: It was to be believed of Him, both that He is of the Father
and that He is equal to Him . . . Therefore that He might prove both,
He works miracles now with authority, now with prayer . . . in the
lesser things, indeed, He looks up to heaven"--for instance, in
multiplying the loaves--"but in the greater, which belong to God
alone, He acts with authority; for example, when He forgave sins and
raised the dead."
When it is said that in raising Lazarus He lifted up His eyes (John
11:41), this was not because He needed to pray, but because He wished
to teach us how to pray. Wherefore He said: "Because of the people
who stand about have I said it: that they may believe that Thou hast
sent Me."
Reply Obj. 3: Christ cast out demons otherwise than they are cast out
by the power of demons. For demons are cast out from bodies by the
power of higher demons in such a way that they retain their power
over the soul: since the devil does not work against his own kingdom.
On the other hand, Christ cast out demons, not only from the body,
but still more from the soul. For this reason our Lord rebuked the
blasphemy of the Jews, who said that He cast out demons by the power
of the demons: first, by saying that Satan is not divided against
himself; secondly, by quoting the instance of others who cast out
demons by the Spirit of God; thirdly, because He could not have cast
out a demon unless He had overcome Him by Divine power; fourthly,
because there was nothing in common between His works and their
effects and those of Satan; since Satan's purpose was to "scatter"
those whom Christ "gathered" together [*Cf. Matt. 12:24-30; Mk. 3:22;
Luke 11:15-32].
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