Whether the Firmament Divides Waters from Waters?
Objection 1: It would seem that the firmament does not divide waters
from waters. For bodies that are of one and the same species have
naturally one and the same place. But the Philosopher says (Topic.
i, 6): "All water is the same species." Water therefore cannot be
distinct from water by place.
Obj. 2: Further, should it be said that the waters above the
firmament differ in species from those under the firmament, it may be
argued, on the contrary, that things distinct in species need nothing
else to distinguish them. If then, these waters differ in species, it
is not the firmament that distinguishes them.
Obj. 3: Further, it would appear that what distinguishes waters from
waters must be something which is in contact with them on either
side, as a wall standing in the midst of a river. But it is evident
that the waters below do not reach up to the firmament. Therefore
the firmament does not divide the waters from the waters.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Gen. 1:6): "Let there be a
firmament made amidst the waters; and let it divide the waters from
the waters."
_I answer that,_ The text of Genesis, considered superficially, might
lead to the adoption of a theory similar to that held by certain
philosophers of antiquity, who taught that water was a body infinite
in dimension, and the primary element of all bodies. Thus in the
words, "Darkness was upon the face of the deep," the word "deep" might
be taken to mean the infinite mass of water, understood as the
principle of all other bodies. These philosophers also taught that not
all corporeal things are confined beneath the heaven perceived by our
senses, but that a body of water, infinite in extent, exists above
that heaven. On this view the firmament of heaven might be said to
divide the waters without from those within--that is to say, from all
bodies under the heaven, since they took water to be the principle of
them all.
As, however, this theory can be shown to be false by solid reasons, it
cannot be held to be the sense of Holy Scripture. It should rather be
considered that Moses was speaking to ignorant people, and that out of
condescension to their weakness he put before them only such things as
are apparent to sense. Now even the most uneducated can perceive by
their senses that earth and water are corporeal, whereas it is not
evident to all that air also is corporeal, for there have even been
philosophers who said that air is nothing, and called a space filled
with air a vacuum.
Moses, then, while he expressly mentions water and earth, makes no
express mention of air by name, to avoid setting before ignorant
persons something beyond their knowledge. In order, however, to
express the truth to those capable of understanding it, he implies in
the words: "Darkness was upon the face of the deep," the existence of
air as attendant, so to say, upon the water. For it may be understood
from these words that over the face of the water a transparent body
was extended, the subject of light and darkness, which, in fact, is
the air.
Whether, then, we understand by the firmament the starry heaven, or
the cloudy region of the air, it is true to say that it divides the
waters from the waters, according as we take water to denote formless
matter, or any kind of transparent body, as fittingly designated
under the name of waters. For the starry heaven divides the lower
transparent bodies from the higher, and the cloudy region divides
that higher part of the air, where the rain and similar things are
generated, from the lower part, which is connected with the water
and included under that name.
Reply Obj. 1: If by the firmament is understood the starry heaven,
the waters above are not of the same species as those beneath. But
if by the firmament is understood the cloudy region of the air, both
these waters are of the same species, and two places are assigned to
them, though not for the same purpose, the higher being the place of
their begetting, the lower, the place of their repose.
Reply Obj. 2: If the waters are held to differ in species, the
firmament cannot be said to divide the waters, as the cause of
their destruction, but only as the boundary of each.
Reply Obj. 3: On account of the air and other similar bodies being
invisible, Moses includes all such bodies under the name of water,
and thus it is evident that waters are found on each side of the
firmament, whatever be the sense in which the word is used.
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