Lectio 6 Lecture 6 Administratorii spiritus Ministering spirits ^1:13 Ad quem autem angelorum dixit aliquando: sede a dextris meis, quoadusque ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum? [n. 79] ^1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time: sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool? [n. 79] ^1:14 Nonne omnes sunt administratorii spiritus, in ministerium missi propter eos, qui haereditatem capient salutis? [n. 84] ^1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation? [n. 84] 79. Supra probavit Apostolus tria de Christo, in quibus excedit angelos, hic probat quartum, quod praemiserat de ipso, scilicet quod sedet ad dexteram maiestatis, quod pertinet ad dignitatem eius. 79. Above, the Apostle proved three things in which Christ excels the angels; here, he proves a fourth, namely, that he sits at the right hand of majesty, which pertains to his dignity. Et circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things: Primo enim inducit auctoritatem David hoc ostendentem; first, he adduces David’s authority to show this; secundo ostendit angelos ab hac dignitate deficere, ibi nonne omnes sunt administratorii spiritus? second, he shows that the angels lack this dignity, at are they not all ministering spirits? Circa primum duo facit, quia In regard to the first, he does two things: primo describit dignitatem Christi; first, he describes Christ’s dignity; secundo ostendit per signum, ibi quoadusque ponam. second, he manifests this with a sign, at until I make your enemies. 80. Dicit ergo ad quem autem angelorum dixit aliquando Deus, quasi dicat: non invenitur, quod hoc Deus dixerit angelo, sed dixit Christo. Et ipse Christus, Matth. XXII, v. 43 ss., inducit hoc de se dictum. 80. He says, therefore: to which of the angels said he, namely, God, at any time? As if to say: it is not found that God said this to an angel, but he said it to Christ. And Christ himself claims that this was said of him (Matt 22:43ff.). Hoc autem, quod dicit sede a dextris meis, potest referri ad divinam naturam, in qua Christus aequalis est Patri, quia habet et iudiciariam et regiam potestatem aequalem Patri. Io. XVI, 15: omnia quae habet pater, mea sunt. Ipse vero Pater ab aeterno dixit, quia dicendo Filium generavit, et generando dedit ei aequalitatem Patris. But what he says, namely, sit on my right hand, can be referred to the divine nature in which Christ is equal to the Father, because he has judiciary and royal power equal to the Father: all that the Father has are mine (John 16:15). Indeed, the Father himself said this from eternity, because he engendered the Son by speaking and by engendering gave him equality with the Father. Potest etiam referri quantum ad humanam naturam, secundum quam sedet in bonis potioribus Patris. Tunc autem Pater dixit, quando humanae naturae Verbum suum univit. Hoc autem magis supra expositum est, ubi dixerat sedet ad dexteram. It can also be referred to the human nature, according to which he sits near the transcendent goods of the Father. In this case the Father spoke when he joined his Word to a human nature. However, this way is shown more above, where he said sits at the right hand (Heb 1:3). 81. Consequenter cum dicit quoadusque, ostendit per signum dignitatem Christi; ubi occurrit duplex dubitatio. 81. Then when he says until I make, he shows Christ’s dignity with a sign. But a twofold question arises here: Una, quia ab aeterno omnia sunt subiecta Filio inquantum Deus. Item, quia in resurrectione Christus dicit: data est mihi omnis potestas. Quid ergo expectat subiiciendum scabello suo? first, because from all eternity all things are subject to the Son inasmuch as he is God; and second, because in the resurrection Christ said: all power is given to me in heaven and in earth (Matt 28:18), what therefore does he expect shall be subjected to his footstool? Et sciendum est, quod aliquid potest esse in potestate alicuius dupliciter. Uno modo quantum ad auctoritatem, et sic omnia ab aeterno quantum ad praeordinationem fiendorum et in tempore quo fuerunt, subiecta sunt Filio Dei inquantum Deus, sed a principio conceptionis inquantum homo. Alio modo quantum ad exercitium potestatis, et sic non sunt ei omnia subiecta, sed tantum in fine mundi, quia nondum exercet potestatem in omnia, subiiciendo sibi omnia. Phil. c. III, 21: secundum operationem qua possit etiam subiicere sibi omnia. But it should be noted that something can be in someone’s power in two ways: in one way in regard to his authority, and then all things have been subject to the Son of God from all eternity, inasmuch as they were decreed to be done, and in the time they existed, they were subject to the Son of God as God, but to him as man they were subject from the time of his conception as man. In another way, in regard to the exercise of his power; and then all things are not yet subject to him, but only at the end of the world, because he does not yet exercise his power over all things by subjecting them to him: according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things to himself (Phil 3:21). Sed quid est quod dicit scabellum? Potest dici quod per hoc nihil aliud intelligitur quam plena et perfecta subiectio. Illud enim dicitur perfecte subiectum alicui, quod ipse potest conculcare pedibus. Aliter etiam, et faciendo vim in verbo, quia sicut Deus est caput Christi I Cor. XI, 3: caput Christi Deus ita pedes Christi, humanitas eius. Ps. CXXXI, v. 7: adorabimus in loco ubi steterunt pedes eius. Ponam ergo scabellum, id est, non solum subiiciam inimicos tuos tuae divinitati, sed etiam humanitati tuae. But why does he say, footstool? Perhaps because that word signifies nothing more than full and perfect subjection, for that is said to be perfectly subject to someone which he can tread under foot; or, because just as God is the head of Christ: the head of Christ is God (1 Cor 11:3), so Christ’s feet would be his humanity: we shall adore in the place where his feet stood (Ps 132:7). I will make them your footstool, i.e., not only will I subject your enemies to your divinity, but even to your humanity. 82. In hoc autem erravit Origenes. Ipse enim voluit et intellexit tantum unum modum subiectionis, dicens: sicut enim nihil aliud est subiici luci, quam illuminari, ita cum Christus sit veritas, iustitia, et bonitas, et quicquid tale potest dici, nihil est aliud subiici Salvatori, quam salvari. Et ideo voluit, quod in fine omnia, etiam daemones, salvarentur, quia aliter non subiicerentur omnia Christo. 82. Origen erred on this point, for he understood only one type of subjection, saying that just as being subject to the light is nothing more than being enlightened, so, since Christ is truth, justice, and goodness, and whatever else he can be called, to be subjected to the Savior is nothing less than to be saved. Therefore, he desired that in the end all things, including the devils, would be saved, because otherwise all things would not be subjected to Christ. Sed hoc est contra illud quod dicitur Matth. c. XXV, 41: ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum. But this is contrary to what is stated in Matthew: depart, you accursed, into everlasting fire (Matt 25:41). Unde sciendum est, quod duplex est modus subiectionis. Unus per voluntatem subditorum, sicut boni ministri subiiciuntur domino suo, puta regi, et sic soli boni subiiciuntur Christo. Alius per voluntatem domini, et sic est quaedam violentia ex parte subditorum. Et sic mali subiicientur Christo, non quod velint dominium eius, sed quia Christus faciet de ipsis voluntatem suam, puniendo eos, qui noluerunt hic facere voluntatem suam. Et hoc proprie designatur per scabellum, quia quod calcatur, comprimitur. Is. LXVI, 1: caelum mihi sedes est, id est, caelestes et boni, sed terra, id est, terreni et mali, scabellum pedum meorum. Hence, it should be noted that there are two types of subjection: one by the will of the subjects, as good ministers are subject to their master, as to their king; in this way, only the good are subject to Christ. The other is by the will of the master, so that some force is exerted on the subjects. This is how the wicked are subject to Christ, not that they desire his dominion, but because Christ will accomplish his will in their regard by punishing those who refused to do his will here. And this is what is designated by the footstool, because whatever is tread upon is crushed: heaven is my throne, that is, the heavens and good things, and the earth, that is, earthly and evil things, my footstool (Isa 66:1). 83. Alia dubitatio est de hoc, quod dicit quoadusque, etc., quia si sedebit quoadusque ponat, ergo cum posuerit, non sedebit. 83. Another question concerns the statement, until I make, because if he shall sit until they are made his footstool, then when they are made his footstool, he will no longer sit. Respondeo quod huiusmodi dictiones, donec, et quoadusque, quandoque ponuntur finite, quando scilicet designant terminum eius cui coniunguntur, sicut cum dico: sede hic donec veniam. Aliquando autem tenentur infinite, quando scilicet non ponitur terminus, ut cum dicitur: iste non poenituit donec vixit, quia nec post mortem poenituit. I answer that words such as ‘until’ or ‘as long as’ are sometimes used finitely, namely, when they designate the end of that to which they are joined, as when I say, sit here till I come; but sometimes they are used infinitely, when no end is mentioned, as when I say, he did not repent as long as he lived, because he did not repent even after death. Sicut enim dicit Hieronymus, illud oportet designari de quo posset esse dubium. Illud autem, quod non est dubium, relinquitur intelligenti. Dubium autem est de aliquo utrum in vita sua poeniteat, sed quod non post mortem suam, nulli est dubium. Sic et in proposito; cum enim modo multi impugnent et blasphement Christum, videtur dubium utrum modo sedeat; sed non est dubium, utrum sedeat, quando omnia subiecta erunt ei, et ideo non exprimitur illud. For, as Jerome says, that would be designated about which there might be doubt, but that which is not in doubt is left to the one understanding. But there is doubt whether a person will repent in this life, but not so after death. So, too, in the present case: for since many now attack and blaspheme Christ, there is doubt whether he is sitting now, but there is not doubt that he will sit, when all things are subject to him; therefore, it is not expressed. 84. Consequenter ostendit quod dignitas haec angelis non convenit, cum dicit nonne omnes sunt administratorii spiritus, et cetera. 84. Then he shows that this dignity does not belong to the angels, when he says, are they not all ministering spirits? Ubi tria facit, quia Here, he does three things: primo ostendit ipsorum officium; first, he indicates their function; secundo executionem officii, ibi in ministerium; second, the performance of that function, at to minister; tertio fructum executionis, ibi ut haereditatem. third, the fruit of that performance, at who shall receive. 85. Dicit ergo nonne omnes, et cetera. Ps. CII, 21: ministri eius qui facitis voluntatem eius. 85. He says, therefore: are they not all ministering spirits? His ministers who do his will (Ps 103:21). Sed contra Dan. VII, 10: millia millium ministrabant ei, etc., ubi dicit Gregorius: aliqui ministrant, alii sunt qui assistunt. Non ergo omnes ministrant. But it is said: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him (Dan 7:10). Therefore, there are some who minister and some who stand about. Consequently, not all minister. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod sicut videmus in artificibus quod duplex est genus artificum, quidam enim sunt quasi manu exequentes ut manu artifices; alii autem non exequuntur nec operantur manu, sed sunt artifices disponentes, et quasi praecipientes quid agendum sit. Ita et in angelis est, quia quidam sunt quasi exequentes ea quae a divina iussione procedunt circa nos agenda, quidam vero quasi praeceptores, praecipientes ea quae agenda sunt. Accipiendo ergo largo modo administratores, tam pro exequentibus quam etiam pro imperantibus, sic omnes sunt administratores vel administratorii, I answer that, just as in the case of artifacts there are two kinds of artisans (for some work with their hands, and others do not, but oversee and direct what is to be done), it is thus with the angels too, because some carry out the divine commands, while others oversee and direct their performance. Therefore, if we take ministers in a broad sense to include both the executors and the directors, then all are ministers inquantum superiores exequuntur Dei voluntatem circa medios, medii circa infimos, infimi circa nos. inasmuch as the higher ones carry out God’s will in regard to the middle ones, and these in regard to the lower, and the lower in regard to us. Sed si dicantur administratorii qui exequuntur, alii autem qui immediate accipiunt a Deo assistentes, sic quidam ministrant, quidam assistunt et tradunt aliis. But if those who perform are called ministers, while those who are immediately enlightened by God are called assistants, then some minister, and some assist and direct the others. 86. Assistentes igitur sunt qui immediate accipiunt illuminationes divinas ab ipso Deo; unde et nominibus relatis ad Deum nuncupantur, sicut Seraphim, id est, amantes Deum, Cherubim cognoscentes, Throni portantes. Ministrantes non sunt qui ab istis accipiunt, et aliis tradunt. 86. Therefore, the assistants are those who receive God’s illumination directly from God himself, and they receive names related to God, such as Seraphim, i.e., those who love God; Cherubim, those who know God; and Thrones, who carry God. But the ministering spirits are those who receive from them and deliver to the others. Sed contra hoc esse videtur illud quod dicit Gregorius, quod assistere dicuntur, qui intima Dei contemplatione fruuntur. Cum ergo omnes angeli videant Deum per essentiam, secundum illud Matth. XVIII, 18: angeli eorum semper vident faciem patris mei; ergo videtur quod omnes sint assistentes. But this seems to be contrary to Gregory’s statement that those who stand about are the ones who enjoy the beatific vision. Therefore, since all the angels see God’s essence: their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven (Matt 18:10), it seems that all assist.