The Catholic Primer’s
Study Guide Series:
CHRIST THE SAVIOR
Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.
A Study of the Third Part of The Summa Theologica
of St. Thomas Aquinas
Caution regarding printing: This document is approximately 680 pages in length, depending upon individual printer settings.
The Catholic Primer
Copyright Notice
The contents of Christ the Savior is in the public domain. However, this electronic version is copyrighted. © The Catholic Primer, 2004. All Rights Reserved.
This electronic version may be distributed free of charge provided that the contents are not altered and this copyright notice is included with the distributed copy, provided that the following conditions are adhered to. This electronic document may not be offered in connection with any other document, product, promotion or other item that is sold, exchange for compensation of any type or manner, or used as a gift for contributions, including charitable contributions without the express consent of The Catholic Primer. Notwithstanding the preceding, if this product is transferred on CD-ROM, DVD, or other similar storage media, the transferor may charge for the cost of the media, reasonable shipping expenses, and may request, but not demand, an additional donation not to exceed US$10. Questions concerning this limited license should be directed to webmaster@catholicprimer.org . This document may not be distributed in print form without the prior consent of The Catholic Primer.
Adobe®, Acrobat®, and Acrobat® Reader® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
The Catholic Primer: www.catholicprimer.org
2
Preface ........................................................................................................................... 13
THE THIRD PART OF ST THOMAS' THEOLOGICAL SUMMA ................................... 13
Prologue......................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTER I: THE MYSTERY AND FACT OF THE INCARNATION ............................. 17
Preliminary Remarks................................................................................................. 17
First Article: Christ's Testimony Of Himself And Primarily Of His Messianic
Dignity ........................................................................................................................ 19
State Of The Question. .......................................................................................... 19
The Last Year Of His Life ...................................................................................... 22
Second Article: Testimony Of Christ And The Apostles Concerning The Divine
Sonship ...................................................................................................................... 23
Christ Testifies To His Divinity In The Synoptic Gospels[63]............................ 23
Testimony Of The Acts Of The Apostles Concerning The Divinity Of Christ .. 27
Testimony Of St. Paul On The Divinity Of Christ ................................................ 28
St. John's Testimony To The Divinity Of Christ.................................................. 30
Third Article: Testimony Of Tradition And The Principal Definitions Of The
Church ........................................................................................................................ 32
CHAPTER II: PRELIMINARY QUESTION THE POSSIBILITY OF THE INCARNATION
........................................................................................................................................ 33
CHAPTER III: QUESTION 1—THE FITNESS OF THE INCARNATION ....................... 41
First Article: Whether It Was Fitting That God Should Become Incarnate?[190] 41
Second Article: Whether It Was Necessary For The Restoration Of The Human
Race That The Word Of God Should Become Incarnate? ..................................... 49
State of the question. ............................................................................................ 49
Solution Of Objections Against The Reply To The First Doubt......................... 65
Third Article: Whether, If Man Had Not Sinned, God Would Have Become
Incarnate? .................................................................................................................. 67
What Is Precisely The View Of Scotus?[324] ...................................................... 78
The Liberty Of The Decree Concerning The Incarnation: A Comparison
Between The Doctrine Of St. Thomas And That Of Scotus ............................... 85
Final Conclusion: The Motive Of The Incarnation .............................................. 89
Fourth Article: Whether God Became Incarnate In Order To Take Away Actual
Sin, Rather Than To Take Away Original Sin? ........................................................ 89
Fifth Article: Whether It Was Fitting That God Should Become Incarnate In The
Beginning Of The Human Race? .............................................................................. 90
CHAPTER IV: QUESTION 2 .......................................................................................... 91
Prologue: The Mode Of The Union Of The Word Incarnate ................................... 91
Second Article: Whether The Union Of The Incarnate Word Took Place In The
Person ...................................................................................................................... 100
Introduction Or Ascent Toward A Certain Understanding Of The Incarnation
............................................................................................................................... 110
Two Theories About The Hypostatic Union ...................................................... 116
Various Scholastic Views About Personality.................................................... 120
Criterion To Be Followed In The Examination Of These Opinions ................. 121
Solution Of Objections Against Cajetan's Opinion .......................................... 137
Third Article: Whether The Union Of The Word Incarnate Took Place In The
Suppositum Or Hypostasis .................................................................................... 141
3
Fourth Article: Whether After The Incarnation The Person Or Hypostasis Is
Composite ................................................................................................................ 142
Fifth Article: Whether In Christ There Is Any Union Of Soul And Body ............. 143
Sixth Article: Whether The Human Nature Was United To The Word Of God
Accidentally ............................................................................................................. 144
Seventh Article: Whether The Union Of The Divine Nature And The Human Is
Something Created.................................................................................................. 147
Eighth Article: Whether Union Is The Same As Assumption .............................. 150
Ninth Article: Whether The Union Of The Two Natures In Christ Is The Greatest
Of Unions ................................................................................................................. 151
Tenth Article: Whether The Union Of The Two Natures In Christ Took Place By
Grace ........................................................................................................................ 153
Eleventh Article: Whether Any Merits Preceded The Union Of The Incarnation
................................................................................................................................... 154
Twelfth Article: Whether The Grace Of Union Was Natural To The Man Christ 161
CHAPTER V: QUESTION 3: THE MODE OF THE UNION ON THE PART OF THE
PERSON ASSUMING................................................................................................... 162
First Article: Whether It Is Fitting For A Divine Person To Assume ................... 163
Second Article: Whether It Is Befitting To The Divine Nature To Assume......... 164
Third Article: Whether The Nature Abstracted From The Personality Can
Assume..................................................................................................................... 165
Fourth Article: Whether One Person Without Another Can Assume A Created
Nature ......
aisthetikos