Whether Judiciary Power Belongs to Christ As Man?
Objection 1: It would seem that judiciary power does not belong to
Christ as man. For Augustine says (De Vera Relig. xxxi) that judgment
is attributed to the Son inasmuch as He is the law of the first
truth. But this is Christ's attribute as God. Consequently, judiciary
power does not belong to Christ as man but as God.
Obj. 2: Further, it belongs to judiciary power to reward the good,
just as to punish the wicked. But eternal beatitude, which is the
reward of good works, is bestowed by God alone: thus Augustine says
(Tract. xxiii super Joan.) that "the soul is made blessed by
participation of God, and not by participation of a holy soul."
Therefore it seems that judiciary power does not belong to Christ as
man, but as God.
Obj. 3: Further, it belongs to Christ's judiciary power to judge
secrets of hearts, according to 1 Cor. 4:5: "Judge not before the
time; until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the
hearts." But this belongs exclusively to the Divine power, according
to Jer. 17:9, 10: "The heart of man is perverse and unsearchable, who
can know it? I am the Lord who search the heart, and prove the reins:
who give to every one according to his way." Therefore judiciary
power does not belong to Christ as man but as God.
_On the contrary,_ It is said (John 5:27): "He hath given Him power
to do judgment, because He is the Son of man."
_I answer that,_ Chrysostom (Hom. xxxix in Joan.) seems to think that
judiciary power belongs to Christ not as man, but only as God.
Accordingly he thus explains the passage just quoted from John: "'He
gave Him power to do judgment, because He is the Son of man: wonder
not at this.' For He received judiciary power, not because He is man;
but because He is the Son of the ineffable God, therefore is He
judge. But since the expressions used were greater than those
appertaining to man, He said in explanation: 'Wonder not at this,
because He is the Son of man, for He is likewise the Son of God.'"
And he proves this by the effect of the Resurrection: wherefore He
adds: "Because the hour cometh when the dead in their graves shall
hear the voice of the Son of God."
But it must be observed that although the primary authority of
judging rests with God, nevertheless the power to judge is committed
to men with regard to those subject to their jurisdiction. Hence it
is written (Deut. 1:16): "Judge that which is just"; and further on
(Deut. 1:17): "Because it is the judgment of God," that is to say, it
is by His authority that you judge. Now it was said before (Q. 8, AA.
1, 4) that Christ even in His human nature is Head of the entire
Church, and that God has "put all things under His feet."
Consequently, it belongs to Him, even according to His human nature,
to exercise judiciary power. On this account, it seems that the
authority of Scripture quoted above must be interpreted thus: "He
gave Him power to do judgment, because He is the Son of Man"; not on
account of the condition of His nature, for thus all men would have
this kind of power, as Chrysostom objects (Hom. xxxix in Joan.); but
because this belongs to the grace of the Head, which Christ received
in His human nature.
Now judiciary power belongs to Christ in this way according to His
human nature on three accounts. First, because of His likeness and
kinship with men; for, as God works through intermediary causes, as
being closer to the effects, so He judges men through the Man Christ,
that His judgment may be sweeter to men. Hence (Heb. 4:15) the
Apostle says: "For we have not a high-priest, who cannot have
compassion on our infirmities; but one tempted in all things like as
we are, without sin. Let us go therefore with confidence to the
throne of His grace." Secondly, because at the last judgment, as
Augustine says (Tract. xix in Joan.), "there will be a resurrection
of dead bodies, which God will raise up through the Son of Man"; just
as by "the same Christ He raises souls," inasmuch as "He is the Son
of God." Thirdly, because, as Augustine observes (De Verb. Dom.,
Serm. cxxvii): "It was but right that those who were to be judged
should see their judge. But those to be judged were the good and the
bad. It follows that the form of a servant should be shown in the
judgment to both good and wicked, while the form of God should be
kept for the good alone."
Reply Obj. 1: Judgment belongs to truth as its standard, while it
belongs to the man imbued with truth, according as he is as it were
one with truth, as a kind of law and "living justice" [*Aristotle,
_Ethic._ v]. Hence Augustine quotes (De Verb. Dom., Serm. cxxvii)
the saying of 1 Cor. 2:15: "The spiritual man judgeth all things."
But beyond all creatures Christ's soul was more closely united with
truth, and more full of truth; according to John 1:14: "We saw
Him . . . full of grace and truth." And according to this it belongs
principally to the soul of Christ to judge all things.
Reply Obj. 2: It belongs to God alone to bestow beatitude upon souls
by a participation with Himself; but it is Christ's prerogative to
bring them to such beatitude, inasmuch as He is their Head and the
author of their salvation, according to Heb. 2:10: "Who had brought
many children into glory, to perfect the author of their salvation by
His Passion."
Reply Obj. 3: To know and judge the secrets of hearts, of itself
belongs to God alone; but from the overflow of the Godhead into
Christ's soul it belongs to Him also to know and to judge the secrets
of hearts, as we stated above (Q. 10, A. 2), when dealing with the
knowledge of Christ. Hence it is written (Rom. 2:16): "In the day
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ."
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