Summa Theologica Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 83

Obj. 2: Further, he is said to redeem who pays the price of redemption. But G.o.d the Father gave His Son in redemption for our sins, as is written (Ps. 110:9): "The Lord hath sent redemption to His people," upon which the gloss adds, "that is, Christ, who gives redemption to captives." Therefore not only Christ, but the Father also, redeemed us.

Obj. 3: Further, not only Christ's Pa.s.sion, but also that of other saints conduced to our salvation, according to Col. 1:24: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh for His body, which is the Church." Therefore the t.i.tle of Redeemer belongs not only to Christ, but also to the other saints.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Gal. 3:13): "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us." But only Christ was made a curse for us. Therefore only Christ ought to be called our Redeemer.

_I answer that,_ For someone to redeem, two things are required--namely, the act of paying and the price paid. For if in redeeming something a man pays a price which is not his own, but another's, he is not said to be the chief redeemer, but rather the other is, whose price it is. Now Christ's blood or His bodily life, which "is in the blood," is the price of our redemption (Lev. 17:11, 14), and that life He paid. Hence both of these belong immediately to Christ as man; but to the Trinity as to the first and remote cause, to whom Christ's life belonged as to its first author, and from whom Christ received the inspiration of suffering for us. Consequently it is proper to Christ as man to be the Redeemer immediately; although the redemption may be ascribed to the whole Trinity as its first cause.

Reply Obj. 1: A gloss explains the text thus: "Thou, O Lord G.o.d of Truth, hast redeemed me in Christ, crying out, 'Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.'" And so redemption belongs immediately to the Man-Christ, but princ.i.p.ally to G.o.d.

Reply Obj. 2: The Man-Christ paid the price of our redemption immediately, but at the command of the Father as the original author.

Reply Obj. 3: The sufferings of the saints are beneficial to the Church, as by way, not of redemption, but of example and exhortation, according to 2 Cor. 1:6: "Whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation."

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SIXTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 48, Art. 6]

Whether Christ's Pa.s.sion Brought About Our Salvation Efficiently?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's Pa.s.sion did not bring about our salvation efficiently. For the efficient cause of our salvation is the greatness of the Divine power, according to Isa. 59:1: "Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save." But "Christ was crucified through weakness," as it is written (2 Cor.

13:4). Therefore, Christ's Pa.s.sion did not bring about our salvation efficiently.

Obj. 2: Further, no corporeal agency acts efficiently except by contact: hence even Christ cleansed the leper by touching him "in order to show that His flesh had saving power," as Chrysostom [*Theophylact, Enarr. in Luc.] says. But Christ's Pa.s.sion could not touch all mankind. Therefore it could not efficiently bring about the salvation of all men.

Obj. 3: Further, it does not seem to be consistent for the same agent to operate by way of merit and by way of efficiency, since he who merits awaits the result from someone else. But it was by way of merit that Christ's Pa.s.sion accomplished our salvation. Therefore it was not by way of efficiency.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (1 Cor. 1:18) that "the word of the cross to them that are saved ... is the power of G.o.d." But G.o.d's power brings about our salvation efficiently. Therefore Christ's Pa.s.sion on the cross accomplished our salvation efficiently.

_I answer that,_ There is a twofold efficient agency--namely, the princ.i.p.al and the instrumental. Now the princ.i.p.al efficient cause of man's salvation is G.o.d. But since Christ's humanity is the "instrument of the G.o.dhead," as stated above (Q. 43, A. 2), therefore all Christ's actions and sufferings operate instrumentally in virtue of His G.o.dhead for the salvation of men. Consequently, then, Christ's Pa.s.sion accomplishes man's salvation efficiently.

Reply Obj. 1: Christ's Pa.s.sion in relation to His flesh is consistent with the infirmity which He took upon Himself, but in relation to the G.o.dhead it draws infinite might from It, according to 1 Cor. 1:25: "The weakness of G.o.d is stronger than men"; because Christ's weakness, inasmuch as He is G.o.d, has a might exceeding all human power.

Reply Obj. 2: Christ's Pa.s.sion, although corporeal, has yet a spiritual effect from the G.o.dhead united: and therefore it secures its efficacy by spiritual contact--namely, by faith and the sacraments of faith, as the Apostle says (Rom. 3:25): "Whom G.o.d hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in His blood."

Reply Obj. 3: Christ's Pa.s.sion, according as it is compared with His G.o.dhead, operates in an efficient manner: but in so far as it is compared with the will of Christ's soul it acts in a meritorious manner: considered as being within Christ's very flesh, it acts by way of satisfaction, inasmuch as we are liberated by it from the debt of punishment; while inasmuch as we are freed from the servitude of guilt, it acts by way of redemption: but in so far as we are reconciled with G.o.d it acts by way of sacrifice, as shall be shown farther on (Q. 49).

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QUESTION 49

OF THE EFFECTS OF CHRIST'S Pa.s.sION (In Six Articles)

We have now to consider what are the effects of Christ's Pa.s.sion, concerning which there are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether we were freed from sin by Christ's Pa.s.sion?

(2) Whether we were thereby delivered from the power of the devil?

(3) Whether we were freed thereby from our debt of punishment?

(4) Whether we were thereby reconciled with G.o.d?

(5) Whether heaven's gate was opened to us thereby?

(6) Whether Christ derived exaltation from it?

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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 49, Art. 1]

Whether We Were Delivered from Sin Through Christ's Pa.s.sion?

Objection 1: It would seem that we were not delivered from sin through Christ's Pa.s.sion. For to deliver from sin belongs to G.o.d alone, according to Isa. 43:25: "I am He who blot out your iniquities for My own sake." But Christ did not suffer as G.o.d, but as man.

Therefore Christ's Pa.s.sion did not free us from sin.

Obj. 2: Further, what is corporeal does not act upon what is spiritual. But Christ's Pa.s.sion is corporeal, whereas sin exists in the soul, which is a spiritual creature. Therefore Christ's Pa.s.sion could not cleanse us from sin.

Obj. 3: Further, one cannot be purged from a sin not yet committed, but which shall be committed hereafter. Since, then, many sins have been committed since Christ's death, and are being committed daily, it seems that we were not delivered from sin by Christ's death.

Obj. 4: Further, given an efficient cause, nothing else is required for producing the effect. But other things besides are required for the forgiveness of sins, such as baptism and penance. Consequently it seems that Christ's Pa.s.sion is not the sufficient cause of the forgiveness of sins.

Obj. 5: Further, it is written (Prov. 10:12): "Charity covereth all sins"; and (Prov. 15:27): "By mercy and faith, sins are purged away."

But there are many other things of which we have faith, and which excite charity. Therefore Christ's Pa.s.sion is not the proper cause of the forgiveness of sins.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Apoc. 1:5): "He loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood."

_I answer that,_ Christ's Pa.s.sion is the proper cause of the forgiveness of sins in three ways. First of all, by way of exciting our charity, because, as the Apostle says (Rom. 5:8): "G.o.d commendeth His charity towards us: because when as yet we were sinners, according to the time, Christ died for us." But it is by charity that we procure pardon of our sins, according to Luke 7:47: "Many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much." Secondly, Christ's Pa.s.sion causes forgiveness of sins by way of redemption. For since He is our head, then, by the Pa.s.sion which He endured from love and obedience, He delivered us as His members from our sins, as by the price of His Pa.s.sion: in the same way as if a man by the good industry of his hands were to redeem himself from a sin committed with his feet. For, just as the natural body is one though made up of diverse members, so the whole Church, Christ's mystic body, is reckoned as one person with its head, which is Christ. Thirdly, by way of efficiency, inasmuch as Christ's flesh, wherein He endured the Pa.s.sion, is the instrument of the G.o.dhead, so that His sufferings and actions operate with Divine power for expelling sin.

Reply Obj. 1: Although Christ did not suffer as G.o.d, nevertheless His flesh is the instrument of the G.o.dhead; and hence it is that His Pa.s.sion has a kind of Divine Power of casting out sin, as was said above.

Reply Obj. 2: Although Christ's Pa.s.sion is corporeal, still it derives a kind of spiritual energy from the G.o.dhead, to which the flesh is united as an instrument: and according to this power Christ's Pa.s.sion is the cause of the forgiveness of sins.

Reply Obj. 3: Christ by His Pa.s.sion delivered us from our sins causally--that is, by setting up the cause of our deliverance, from which cause all sins whatsoever, past, present, or to come, could be forgiven: just as if a doctor were to prepare a medicine by which all sicknesses can be cured even in future.

Reply Obj. 4: As stated above, since Christ's Pa.s.sion preceded, as a kind of universal cause of the forgiveness of sins, it needs to be applied to each individual for the cleansing of personal sins. Now this is done by baptism and penance and the other sacraments, which derive their power from Christ's Pa.s.sion, as shall be shown later (Q.

62, A. 5).

Reply Obj. 5: Christ's Pa.s.sion is applied to us even through faith, that we may share in its fruits, according to Rom. 3:25: "Whom G.o.d hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in His blood." But the faith through which we are cleansed from sin is not _lifeless faith,_ which can exist even with sin, but _faith living_ through charity; that thus Christ's Pa.s.sion may be applied to us, not only as to our minds, but also as to our hearts. And even in this way sins are forgiven through the power of the Pa.s.sion of Christ.

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SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 49, Art. 2]

Whether We Were Delivered from the Devil's Power Through Christ's Pa.s.sion?

Objection 1: It would seem that we were not delivered from the power of the devil through Christ's Pa.s.sion. For he has no power over others, who can do nothing to them without the sanction of another.

But without the Divine permission the devil could never do hurt to any man, as is evident in the instance of Job (1, 2), where, by power received from G.o.d, the devil first injured him in his possessions, and afterwards in his body. In like manner it is stated (Matt. 8:31, 32) that the devils could not enter into the swine except with Christ's leave. Therefore the devil never had power over men: and hence we are not delivered from his power through Christ's Pa.s.sion.

Obj. 2: Further, the devil exercises his power over men by tempting them and molesting their bodies. But even after the Pa.s.sion he continues to do the same to men. Therefore we are not delivered from his power through Christ's Pa.s.sion.

Obj. 3: Further, the might of Christ's Pa.s.sion endures for ever, as, according to Heb. 10:14: "By one oblation He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." But deliverance from the devil's power is not found everywhere, since there are still idolaters in many regions of the world; nor will it endure for ever, because in the time of Antichrist he will be especially active in using his power to the hurt of men; because it is said of him (2 Thess. 2:9): "Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and in all seduction of iniquity." Consequently it seems that Christ's Pa.s.sion is not the cause of the human race being delivered from the power of the devil.

_On the contrary,_ our Lord said (John 12:31), when His Pa.s.sion was drawing nigh: "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out; and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself."