Whether by the Divine Revelation a Prophet Knows All That Can Be
Known Prophetically?
Objection 1: It would seem that by the Divine revelation a prophet
knows all that can be known prophetically. For it is written (Amos
3:7): "The Lord God doth nothing without revealing His secret to His
servants the prophets." Now whatever is revealed prophetically is
something done by God. Therefore there is not one of them but what is
revealed to the prophet.
Obj. 2: Further, "God's works are perfect" (Deut. 32:4). Now prophecy
is a "Divine revelation," as stated above (A. 3). Therefore it is
perfect; and this would not be so unless all possible matters of
prophecy were revealed prophetically, since "the perfect is that
which lacks nothing" (Phys. iii, 6). Therefore all possible matters
of prophecy are revealed to the prophet.
Obj. 3: Further, the Divine light which causes prophecy is more
powerful than the right of natural reason which is the cause of human
science. Now a man who has acquired a science knows whatever pertains
to that science; thus a grammarian knows all matters of grammar.
Therefore it would seem that a prophet knows all matters of prophecy.
_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Hom. i super Ezech.) that "sometimes
the spirit of prophecy indicates the present to the prophet's mind
and nowise the future; and sometimes it points not to the present but
to the future." Therefore the prophet does not know all matters of
prophecy.
_I answer that,_ Things which differ from one another need not exist
simultaneously, save by reason of some one thing in which they are
connected and on which they depend: thus it has been stated above
(I-II, Q. 65, AA. 1, 2) that all the virtues must needs exist
simultaneously on account of prudence and charity. Now all the things
that are known through some principle are connected in that principle
and depend thereon. Hence he who knows a principle perfectly, as
regards all to which its virtue extends, knows at the same time all
that can be known through that principle; whereas if the common
principle is unknown, or known only in a general way, it does not
follow that one knows all those things at the same time, but each of
them has to be manifested by itself, so that consequently some of
them may be known, and some not.
Now the principle of those things that are prophetically manifested
by the Divine light is the first truth, which the prophets do not see
in itself. Wherefore there is no need for their knowing all possible
matters of prophecy; but each one knows some of them according to the
special revelation of this or that matter.
Reply Obj. 1: The Lord reveals to the prophets all things that are
necessary for the instruction of the faithful; yet not all to every
one, but some to one, and some to another.
Reply Obj. 2: Prophecy is by way of being something imperfect in the
genus of Divine revelation: hence it is written (1 Cor. 13:8) that
"prophecies shall be made void," and that "we prophesy in part," i.e.
imperfectly. The Divine revelation will be brought to its perfection
in heaven; wherefore the same text continues (1 Cor. 113:10): "When
that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done
away." Consequently it does not follow that nothing is lacking to
prophetic revelation, but that it lacks none of those things to which
prophecy is directed.
Reply Obj. 3: He who has a science knows the principles of that
science, whence whatever is pertinent to that science depends;
wherefore to have the habit of a science perfectly, is to know
whatever is pertinent to that science. But God Who is the principle
of prophetic knowledge is not known in Himself through prophecy;
wherefore the comparison fails.
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