Whether Christ's Passion Brought About Our Salvation by Way of Merit?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's Passion did not bring about
our salvation by way of merit. For the sources of our sufferings are
not within us. But no one merits or is praised except for that whose
principle lies within him. Therefore Christ's Passion wrought nothing
by way of merit.
Obj. 2: Further, from the beginning of His conception Christ merited
for Himself and for us, as stated above (Q. 9, A. 4; Q. 34, A. 3).
But it is superfluous to merit over again what has been merited
before. Therefore by His Passion Christ did not merit our salvation.
Obj. 3: Further, the source of merit is charity. But Christ's charity
was not made greater by the Passion than it was before. Therefore He
did not merit our salvation by suffering more than He had already.
_On the contrary,_ on the words of Phil. 2:9, "Therefore God exalted
Him," etc., Augustine says (Tract. civ in Joan.): "The lowliness" of
the Passion "merited glory; glory was the reward of lowliness." But
He was glorified, not merely in Himself, but likewise in His faithful
ones, as He says Himself (John 17:10). Therefore it appears that He
merited the salvation of the faithful.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 7, AA. 1, 9; Q. 8, AA. 1, 5),
grace was bestowed upon Christ, not only as an individual, but
inasmuch as He is the Head of the Church, so that it might overflow
into His members; and therefore Christ's works are referred to
Himself and to His members in the same way as the works of any other
man in a state of grace are referred to himself. But it is evident
that whosoever suffers for justice's sake, provided that he be in a
state of grace, merits his salvation thereby, according to Matt.
5:10: "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake."
Consequently Christ by His Passion merited salvation, not only for
Himself, but likewise for all His members.
Reply Obj. 1: Suffering, as such, is caused by an outward principle:
but inasmuch as one bears it willingly, it has an inward principle.
Reply Obj. 2: From the beginning of His conception Christ merited our
eternal salvation; but on our side there were some obstacles, whereby
we were hindered from securing the effect of His preceding merits:
consequently, in order to remove such hindrances, "it was necessary
for Christ to suffer," as stated above (Q. 46, A. 3).
Reply Obj. 3: Christ's Passion has a special effect, which His
preceding merits did not possess, not on account of greater charity,
but because of the nature of the work, which was suitable for such an
effect, as is clear from the arguments brought forward above all the
fittingness of Christ's Passion (Q. 46, AA, 3, 4).
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