Whether to Baptize Is Part of the Priestly Office, or Proper to That
of Bishops?
Objection 1: It seems that to baptize is not part of the priestly
office, but proper to that of bishops. Because, as stated above (A.
1, Obj. 1), the duties of teaching and baptizing are enjoined in the
same precept (Matt. 28:19). But to teach, which is "to perfect,"
belongs to the office of bishop, as Dionysius declares (Eccl. Hier.
v, vi). Therefore to baptize also belongs to the episcopal office.
Obj. 2: Further, by Baptism a man is admitted to the body of the
Christian people: and to do this seems consistent with no other than
the princely office. Now the bishops hold the position of princes in
the Church, as the gloss observes on Luke 10:1: indeed, they even
take the place of the apostles, of whom it is written (Ps. 44:17):
"Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth." Therefore it seems
that to baptize belongs exclusively to the office of bishops.
Obj. 3: Further, Isidore says (Epist. ad Ludifred.) that "it belongs
to the bishop to consecrate churches, to anoint altars, to consecrate
(_conficere_) the chrism; he it is that confers the ecclesiastical
orders, and blesses the consecrated virgins." But the sacrament of
Baptism is greater than all these. Therefore much more reason is
there why to baptize should belong exclusively to the episcopal
office.
_On the contrary,_ Isidore says (De Officiis. ii): "It is certain
that Baptism was entrusted to priests alone."
_I answer that,_ Priests are consecrated for the purpose of
celebrating the sacrament of Christ's Body, as stated above (Q. 65,
A. 3). Now that is the sacrament of ecclesiastical unity, according
to the Apostle (1 Cor. 10:17): "We, being many, are one bread, one
body, all that partake of one bread and one chalice." Moreover, by
Baptism a man becomes a participator in ecclesiastical unity,
wherefore also he receives the right to approach our Lord's Table.
Consequently, just as it belongs to a priest to consecrate the
Eucharist, which is the principal purpose of the priesthood, so it is
the proper office of a priest to baptize: since it seems to belong to
one and the same, to produce the whole and to dispose the part in the
whole.
Reply Obj. 1: Our Lord enjoined on the apostles, whose place is taken
by the bishops, both duties, namely, of teaching and of baptizing,
but in different ways. Because Christ committed to them the duty of
teaching, that they might exercise it themselves as being the most
important duty of all: wherefore the apostles themselves said (Acts
6:2): "It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and
serve tables." On the other hand, He entrusted the apostles with the
office of baptizing, to be exercised vicariously; wherefore the
Apostle says (1 Cor. 1:17): "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to
preach the Gospel." And the reason for this was that the merit and
wisdom of the minister have no bearing on the baptismal effect, as
they have in teaching, as may be seen from what we have stated above
(Q. 64, A. 1, ad 2; AA. 5, 9). A proof of this is found also in the
fact that our Lord Himself did not baptize, but His disciples, as
John relates (4:2). Nor does it follow from this that bishops cannot
baptize; since what a lower power can do, that can also a higher
power. Wherefore also the Apostle says (1 Cor. 1:14, 16) that he had
baptized some.
Reply Obj. 2: In every commonwealth minor affairs are entrusted to
lower officials, while greater affairs are restricted to higher
officials; according to Ex. 18:22: "When any great matter soever
shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the
lesser matters only." Consequently it belongs to the lower officials
of the state to decide matters concerning the lower orders; while to
the highest it belongs to set in order those matters that regard the
higher orders of the state. Now by Baptism a man attains only to the
lowest rank among the Christian people: and consequently it belongs
to the lesser officials of the Church to baptize, namely, the
priests, who hold the place of the seventy-two disciples of Christ,
as the gloss says in the passage quoted from Luke 10.
Reply Obj. 3: As stated above (Q. 65, A. 3), the sacrament of Baptism
holds the first place in the order of necessity; but in the order of
perfection there are other greater sacraments which are reserved to
bishops.
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