Whether Christ's Body Rose Glorified?
[*Some editions give this article as the third, following the order
of the introduction to the question. But it is evident from the first
sentence of the body of A. 3 (A. 2 in the aforesaid editions), that
the order of the Leonine edition is correct.]
Objection 1: It seems that Christ's body did not rise glorified. For
glorified bodies shine, according to Matt. 13:43: "Then shall the
just shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." But shining
bodies are seen under the aspect of light, but not of color.
Therefore, since Christ's body was beheld under the aspect of color,
as it had been hitherto, it seems that it was not a glorified one.
Obj. 2: Further, a glorified body is incorruptible. But Christ's body
seems not to have been incorruptible; because it was palpable, as He
Himself says in Luke 24:39: "Handle, and see." Now Gregory says (Hom.
in Evang. xxvi) that "what is handled must be corruptible, and that
which is incorruptible cannot be handled." Consequently, Christ's
body was not glorified.
Obj. 3: Further, a glorified body is not animal, but spiritual, as is
clear from 1 Cor. 15. But after the Resurrection Christ's body seems
to have been animal, since He ate and drank with His disciples, as we
read in the closing chapters of Luke and John. Therefore, it seems
that Christ's body was not glorified.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Phil. 3:21): "He will reform the
body of our lowness, made like to the body of His glory."
_I answer that,_ Christ's was a glorified body in His Resurrection,
and this is evident from three reasons. First of all, because His
Resurrection was the exemplar and the cause of ours, as is stated in
1 Cor. 15:43. But in the resurrection the saints will have glorified
bodies, as is written in the same place: "It is sown in dishonor, it
shall rise in glory." Hence, since the cause is mightier than the
effect, and the exemplar than the exemplate; much more glorious,
then, was the body of Christ in His Resurrection. Secondly, because
He merited the glory of His Resurrection by the lowliness of His
Passion. Hence He said (John 12:27): "Now is My soul troubled," which
refers to the Passion; and later He adds: "Father, glorify Thy name,"
whereby He asks for the glory of the Resurrection. Thirdly, because
as stated above (Q. 34, A. 4), Christ's soul was glorified from the
instant of His conception by perfect fruition of the Godhead. But, as
stated above (Q. 14, A. 1, ad 2), it was owing to the Divine economy
that the glory did not pass from His soul to His body, in order that
by the Passion He might accomplish the mystery of our redemption.
Consequently, when this mystery of Christ's Passion and death was
finished, straightway the soul communicated its glory to the risen
body in the Resurrection; and so that body was made glorious.
Reply Obj. 1: Whatever is received within a subject is received
according to the subject's capacity. Therefore, since glory flows
from the soul into the body, it follows that, as Augustine says (Ep.
ad Dioscor. cxviii), the brightness or splendor of a glorified body
is after the manner of natural color in the human body; just as
variously colored glass derives its splendor from the sun's radiance,
according to the mode of the color. But as it lies within the power
of a glorified man whether his body be seen or not, as stated above
(A. 1, ad 2), so is it in his power whether its splendor be seen or
not. Accordingly it can be seen in its color without its brightness.
And it was in this way that Christ's body appeared to the disciples
after the Resurrection.
Reply Obj. 2: We say that a body can be handled not only because of
its resistance, but also on account of its density. But from rarity
and density follow weight and lightness, heat and cold, and similar
contraries, which are the principles of corruption in elementary
bodies. Consequently, a body that can be handled by human touch is
naturally corruptible. But if there be a body that resists touch, and
yet is not disposed according to the qualities mentioned, which are
the proper objects of human touch, such as a heavenly body, then such
body cannot be said to be handled. But Christ's body after the
Resurrection was truly made up of elements, and had tangible
qualities such as the nature of a human body requires, and therefore
it could naturally be handled; and if it had nothing beyond the
nature of a human body, it would likewise be corruptible. But it had
something else which made it incorruptible, and this was not the
nature of a heavenly body, as some maintain, and into which we shall
make fuller inquiry later (Suppl., Q. 82, A. 1), but it was glory
flowing from a beatified soul: because, as Augustine says (Ep. ad
Dioscor. cxviii): "God made the soul of such powerful nature, that
from its fullest beatitude the fulness of health overflows into the
body, that is, the vigor of incorruption." And therefore Gregory says
(Hom. in Evang. xxvi): "Christ's body is shown to be of the same
nature, but of different glory, after the Resurrection."
Reply Obj. 3: As Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xiii): "After the
Resurrection, our Saviour in spiritual but true flesh partook of meat
with the disciples, not from need of food, but because it lay in His
power." For as Bede says on Luke 24:41: "The thirsty earth sucks in
the water, and the sun's burning ray absorbs it; the former from
need, the latter by its power." Hence after the Resurrection He ate,
"not as needing food, but in order thus to show the nature of His
risen body." Nor does it follow that His was an animal body that
stands in need of food.
_______________________