Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum sint quinque notiones Whether there are five notions? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sint quinque notiones. Propriae enim notiones personarum sunt relationes quibus distinguuntur. Sed relationes in divinis non sunt nisi quatuor, ut supra dictum est. Ergo et notiones sunt tantum quatuor. Objection 1: It would seem that there are not five notions. For the notions proper to the persons are the relations whereby they are distinguished from each other. But the relations in God are only four (Q. 28, A. 4). Therefore the notions are only four in number. Praeterea, propter hoc quod in divinis est una essentia, dicitur Deus unus, propter hoc autem quod sunt tres personae, dicitur Deus trinus. Si ergo in divinis sunt quinque notiones, dicetur quinus, quod est inconveniens. Obj. 2: Further, as there is only one essence in God, He is called one God, and because in Him there are three persons, He is called the Trine God. Therefore, if in God there are five notions, He may be called quinary; which cannot be allowed. Praeterea, si, tribus personis existentibus in divinis, sunt quinque notiones, oportet quod in aliqua personarum sint aliquae notiones duae vel plures; sicut in persona patris ponitur innascibilitas et paternitas et communis spiratio. Aut igitur istae tres notiones differunt re, aut non. Si differunt re, sequitur quod persona patris sit composita ex pluribus rebus. Si autem differunt ratione tantum, sequitur quod una earum possit de alia praedicari, ut dicamus quod, sicut bonitas divina est eius sapientia propter indifferentiam rei, ita communis spiratio sit paternitas, quod non conceditur. Igitur non sunt quinque notiones. Obj. 3: Further, if there are five notions for the three persons in God, there must be in some one person two or more notions, as in the person of the Father there is innascibility and paternity, and common spiration. Either these three notions really differ, or not. If they really differ, it follows that the person of the Father is composed of several things. But if they differ only logically, it follows that one of them can be predicated of another, so that we can say that as the divine goodness is the same as the divine wisdom by reason of the common reality, so common spiration is paternity; which is not to be admitted. Therefore there are not five notions. Sed contra, videtur quod sint plures. Quia sicut pater a nullo est, et secundum hoc accipitur notio quae dicitur innascibilitas, ita a spiritu sancto non est alia persona. Et secundum hoc oportebit accipere sextam notionem. Obj. 4: On the contrary, It seems that there are more; because as the Father is from no one, and therefrom is derived the notion of innascibility; so from the Holy Spirit no other person proceeds. And in this respect there ought to be a sixth notion. Praeterea, sicut patri et filio commune est quod ab eis procedat Spiritus Sanctus, ita commune est filio et spiritui sancto quod procedant a patre. Ergo, sicut una notio ponitur communis patri et filio, ita debet poni una notio communis filio et spiritui sancto. Obj. 5: Further, as the Father and the Son are the common origin of the Holy Spirit, so it is common to the Son and the Holy Spirit to proceed from the Father. Therefore, as one notion is common to the Father and the Son, so there ought to be one notion common to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Respondeo dicendum quod notio dicitur id quod est propria ratio cognoscendi divinam personam. Divinae autem personae multiplicantur secundum originem. Ad originem autem pertinet a quo alius, et qui ab alio, et secundum hos duos modos potest innotescere persona. I answer that, A notion is the proper idea whereby we know a divine Person. Now the divine persons are multiplied by reason of their origin: and origin includes the idea of someone from whom another comes, and of someone that comes from another, and by these two modes a person can be known. Igitur persona patris non potest innotescere per hoc quod sit ab alio, sed per hoc quod a nullo est, et sic ex hac parte eius notio est innascibilitas. Sed inquantum aliquis est ab eo, innotescit dupliciter. Quia inquantum filius est ab eo, innotescit notione paternitatis, inquantum autem Spiritus Sanctus est ab eo, innotescit notione communis spirationis. Filius autem potest innotescere per hoc quod est ab alio nascendo, et sic innotescit per filiationem. Et per hoc quod est alius ab eo, scilicet Spiritus Sanctus, et per hoc innotescit eodem modo sicut et pater, scilicet communi spiratione. Spiritus Sanctus autem innotescere potest per hoc quod est ab alio vel ab aliis, et sic innotescit processione. Non autem per hoc quod alius sit ab eo, quia nulla divina persona procedit ab eo. Therefore the Person of the Father cannot be known by the fact that He is from another; but by the fact that He is from no one; and thus the notion that belongs to Him is called innascibility. As the source of another, He can be known in two ways, because as the Son is from Him, the Father is known by the notion of paternity; and as the Holy Spirit is from Him, He is known by the notion of common spiration. The Son can be known as begotten by another, and thus He is known by filiation; and also by another person proceeding from Him, the Holy Spirit, and thus He is known in the same way as the Father is known, by common spiration. The Holy Spirit can be known by the fact that He is from another, or from others; thus He is known by procession; but not by the fact that another is from Him, as no divine person proceeds from Him. Sunt igitur quinque notiones in divinis, scilicet innascibilitas, paternitas, filiatio, communis spiratio et processio. Harum autem tantum quatuor sunt relationes, nam innascibilitas non est relatio nisi per reductionem, ut infra dicetur. Quatuor autem tantum proprietates sunt, nam communis spiratio non est proprietas, quia convenit duabus personis. Tres autem sunt notiones personales, idest constituentes personas, scilicet paternitas, filiatio et processio, nam communis spiratio et innascibilitas dicuntur notiones personarum, non autem personales, ut infra magis patebit. Therefore, there are Five notions in God: innascibility, paternity, filiation, common spiration, and procession. Of these only four are relations, for innascibility is not a relation, except by reduction, as will appear later (Q. 33, A. 4, ad 3). Four only are properties. For common spiration is not a property; because it belongs to two persons. Three are personal notions—i.e., constituting persons, paternity, filiation, and procession. Common spiration and innascibility are called notions of Persons, but not personal notions, as we shall explain further on (Q. 40, A. 1, ad 1). Ad primum ergo dicendum quod praeter quatuor relationes oportet ponere aliam notionem, ut dictum est. Reply Obj. 1: Besides the four relations, another notion must be admitted, as above explained. Ad secundum dicendum quod essentia in divinis significatur ut res quaedam; et similiter personae significantur ut res quaedam sed notiones significantur ut rationes notificantes personas. Et ideo, licet dicatur Deus unus propter unitatem essentiae, et trinus propter Trinitatem personarum; non tamen dicitur quinus propter quinque notiones. Reply Obj. 2: The divine essence is signified as a reality; and likewise the persons are signified as realities; whereas the notions are signified as ideas notifying the persons. Therefore, although God is one by unity of essence, and trine by trinity of persons, nevertheless He is not quinary by the five notions. Ad tertium dicendum quod, cum sola oppositio relativa faciat pluralitatem realem in divinis, plures proprietates unius personae, cum non opponantur ad invicem relative, non differunt realiter. Nec tamen de invicem praedicantur, quia significantur ut diversae rationes personarum. Sicut etiam non dicimus quod attributum potentiae sit attributum scientiae, licet dicamus quod scientia sit potentia. Reply Obj. 3: Since the real plurality in God is founded only on relative opposition, the several properties of one Person, as they are not relatively opposed to each other, do not really differ. Nor again are they predicated of each other, because they are different ideas of the persons; as we do not say that the attribute of power is the attribute of knowledge, although we do say that knowledge is power. Ad quartum dicendum quod, cum persona importet dignitatem, ut supra dictum est, non potest accipi notio aliqua spiritus sancti ex hoc quod nulla persona est ab ipso. Hoc enim non pertinet ad dignitatem ipsius; sicut pertinet ad auctoritatem patris quod sit a nullo. Reply Obj. 4: Since Person implies dignity, as stated above (Q. 19, A. 3), we cannot derive a notion of the Holy Spirit from the fact that no person is from Him. For this does not belong to His dignity, as it belongs to the authority of the Father that He is from no one. Ad quintum dicendum quod Filius et Spiritus Sanctus non conveniunt in uno speciali modo existendi a patre; sicut pater et filius conveniunt in uno speciali modo producendi spiritum sanctum. Id autem quod est principium innotescendi, oportet esse aliquid speciale. Et ideo non est simile. Reply Obj. 5: The Son and the Holy Spirit do not agree in one special mode of existence derived from the Father; as the Father and the Son agree in one special mode of producing the Holy Spirit. But the principle on which a notion is based must be something special; thus no parity of reasoning exists. Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum liceat contrarie opinari de notionibus Whether it is lawful to have various contrary opinions of notions? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non liceat contrarie opinari de notionibus. Dicit enim Augustinus, in I de Trin., quod non erratur alicubi periculosius quam in materia Trinitatis, ad quam certum est notiones pertinere. Sed contrariae opiniones non possunt esse absque errore. Ergo contrarie opinari circa notiones non licet. Objection 1: It would seem that it is not lawful to have various contrary opinions of the notions. For Augustine says (De Trin. i, 3): No error is more dangerous than any as regards the Trinity: to which mystery the notions assuredly belong. But contrary opinions must be in some way erroneous. Therefore it is not right to have contrary opinions of the notions. Praeterea, per notiones cognoscuntur personae, ut dictum est. Sed circa personas non licet contrarie opinari. Ergo nec circa notiones. Obj. 2: Further, the persons are known by the notions. But no contrary opinion concerning the persons is to be tolerated. Therefore neither can there be about the notions. Sed contra, articuli fidei non sunt de notionibus. Ergo circa notiones licet sic vel aliter opinari. On the contrary, The notions are not articles of faith. Therefore different opinions of the notions are permissible. Respondeo dicendum quod ad fidem pertinet aliquid dupliciter. Uno modo, directe; sicut ea quae nobis sunt principaliter divinitus tradita, ut Deum esse trinum et unum, filium Dei esse incarnatum, et huiusmodi. Et circa haec opinari falsum, hoc ipso inducit haeresim, maxime si pertinacia adiungatur. Indirecte vero ad fidem pertinent ea ex quibus consequitur aliquid contrarium fidei; sicut si quis diceret Samuelem non fuisse filium Elcanae; ex hoc enim sequitur Scripturam divinam esse falsam. Circa huiusmodi ergo absque periculo haeresis aliquis falsum potest opinari, antequam consideretur, vel determinatum sit, quod ex hoc sequitur aliquid contrarium fidei, et maxime si non pertinaciter adhaereat. Sed postquam manifestum est, et praecipue si sit per Ecclesiam determinatum, quod ex hoc sequitur aliquid contrarium fidei, in hoc errare non esset absque haeresi. Et propter hoc, multa nunc reputantur haeretica, quae prius non reputabantur, propter hoc quod nunc est magis manifestum quid ex eis sequatur. I answer that, Anything is of faith in two ways; directly, where any truth comes to us principally as divinely taught, as the trinity and unity of God, the Incarnation of the Son, and the like; and concerning these truths a false opinion of itself involves heresy, especially if it be held obstinately. A thing is of faith, indirectly, if the denial of it involves as a consequence something against faith; as for instance if anyone said that Samuel was not the son of Elcana, for it follows that the divine Scripture would be false. Concerning such things anyone may have a false opinion without danger of heresy, before the matter has been considered or settled as involving consequences against faith, and particularly if no obstinacy be shown; whereas when it is manifest, and especially if the Church has decided that consequences follow against faith, then the error cannot be free from heresy. For this reason many things are now considered as heretical which were formerly not so considered, as their consequences are now more manifest. Sic igitur dicendum est quod circa notiones aliqui absque periculo haeresis contrarie sunt opinati, non intendentes sustinere aliquid contrarium fidei. Sed si quis falsum opinaretur circa notiones, considerans quod ex hoc sequatur aliquid contrarium fidei, in haeresim laberetur. So we must decide that anyone may entertain contrary opinions about the notions, if he does not mean to uphold anything at variance with faith. If, however, anyone should entertain a false opinion of the notions, knowing or thinking that consequences against the faith would follow, he would lapse into heresy. Et per hoc patet responsio ad obiecta. By what has been said all the objections may be solved. Quaestio 33 Question 33 De persona Patris The Person of the Father Consequenter considerandum est de personis in speciali. Et primo de persona patris. Circa quam quaeruntur quatuor. We now consider the persons singly; and first, the Person of the Father, concerning Whom there are four points of inquiry: Primo, utrum patri competat esse principium. (1) Whether the Father is the Principle? Secundo, utrum persona patris proprie significetur hoc nomine pater. (2) Whether the person of the Father is properly signified by this name Father? Tertio, utrum per prius dicatur in divinis pater secundum quod sumitur personaliter, quam secundum quod sumitur essentialiter. (3) Whether Father in God is said personally before it is said essentially? Quarto, utrum sit proprium patri esse ingenitum. (4) Whether it belongs to the Father alone to be unbegotten? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum pater possit dici principium filii vel spiritus sancti Whether it belongs to the Father to be the principle of the Son or of the Holy Spirit? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod pater non possit dici principium filii vel spiritus sancti. Principium enim et causa idem sunt, secundum Philosophum. Sed non dicimus patrem esse causam filii. Ergo non debet dici quod sit eius principium. Objection 1: It would seem that the Father cannot be called the principle of the Son, or of the Holy Spirit. For principle and cause are the same, according to the Philosopher (Metaph. iv). But we do not say that the Father is the cause of the Son. Therefore we must not say that He is the principle of the Son. Praeterea, principium dicitur respectu principiati. Si igitur pater est principium filii, sequitur filium esse principiatum, et per consequens esse creatum. Quod videtur esse erroneum. Obj. 2: Further, a principle is so called in relation to the thing principled. So if the Father is the principle of the Son, it follows that the Son is a person principled, and is therefore created; which appears false. Praeterea, nomen principii a prioritate sumitur. Sed in divinis non est prius et posterius, ut Athanasius dicit. Ergo in divinis non debemus uti nomine principii. Obj. 3: Further, the word principle is taken from priority. But in God there is no before and after, as Athanasius says. Therefore in speaking of God we ought not to use the term ‘principle’. Sed contra est quod dicit Augustinus, in IV de Trin., pater est principium totius deitatis. On the contrary, Augustine says (De Trin. iv, 20), The Father is the Principle of the whole Deity.