Quaestio 74 Question 74 De omnibus septem diebus in communi All the Seven Days in Common Deinde quaeritur de omnibus septem diebus in communi. Et quaeruntur tria. We next consider all the seven days in common: and there are three points of inquiry: Primo, de sufficientia horum dierum. (1) As to the sufficiency of these days; Secundo, utrum sint unus dies, vel plures. (2) Whether they are all one day, or more than one? Tertio, de quibusdam modis loquendi quibus Scriptura utitur, enarrando opera sex dierum. (3) As to certain modes of speaking which Scripture uses in narrating the works of the six days. Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum sufficienter isti dies enumerentur Whether these days are sufficiently enumerated? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sufficienter isti dies enumerentur. Non minus enim distinguitur opus creationis ab operibus distinctionis et ornatus, quam haec duo opera ab invicem. Sed alii dies deputantur distinctioni, et alii ornatui. Ergo etiam alii dies debent assignari creationi. Objection 1: It would seem that these days are not sufficiently enumerated. For the work of creation is no less distinct from the works of distinction and adornment than these two works are from one another. But separate days are assigned to distinction and to adornment, and therefore separate days should be assigned to creation. Praeterea, aer et ignis sunt nobiliora elementa quam terra et aqua. Sed unus dies deputatur distinctioni aquae, et alius distinctioni terrae. Ergo alii dies debent deputari distinctioni ignis et aeris. Obj. 2: Further, air and fire are nobler elements than earth and water. But one day is assigned to the distinction of water, and another to the distinction of the land. Therefore, other days ought to be devoted to the distinction of fire and air. Praeterea, non minus distant volucres et pisces, quam volucres et terrestria animalia. Homo etiam plus distat ab aliis animalibus, quam alia quaecumque animalia ab invicem. Sed alius dies deputatur productioni piscium maris, et alius productioni animalium terrae. Ergo et alius dies debet deputari productioni avium caeli, et alius productioni hominis. Obj. 3: Further, fish differ from birds as much as birds differ from the beasts of the earth, whereas man differs more from other animals than all animals whatsoever differ from each other. But one day is devoted to the production of fishes, and another to that of the beast of the earth. Another day, then, ought to be assigned to the production of birds and another to that of man. Sed contra, videtur quod aliqui dies superflue assignentur. Lumen enim ad luminaria se habet ut accidens ad subiectum. Simul autem producitur subiectum cum proprio accidente. Non ergo alia die debuit produci lux, et alia luminaria. Obj. 4: Further, it would seem, on the other hand, that some of these days are superfluous. Light, for instance, stands to the luminaries in the relation of accident to subject. But the subject is produced at the same time as the accident proper to it. The light and the luminaries, therefore, ought not to have been produced on different days. Praeterea, dies isti deputantur primae institutioni mundi. Sed in septima die nihil primitus est institutum. Ergo septima dies non debet aliis connumerari. Obj. 5: Further, these days are devoted to the first instituting of the world. But as on the seventh day nothing was instituted, that day ought not to be enumerated with the others. Respondeo dicendum quod ratio distinctionis horum dierum ex praemissis potest esse manifesta. Oportuit enim primo distingui partes mundi; et postmodum singulas partes ornari, per hoc quod quasi suis habitatoribus replentur. I answer that, The reason of the distinction of these days is made clear by what has been said above (Q. 70, A. 1), namely, that the parts of the world had first to be distinguished, and then each part adorned and filled, as it were, by the beings that inhabit it. Secundum ergo alios sanctos, in creatura corporali tres partes designantur, prima, quae significatur nomine caeli; media, quae significatur nomine aquae; et infima, quae significatur nomine terrae. Unde et secundum Pythagoricos, perfectio in tribus ponitur, principio, medio et fine, ut dicitur in I de caelo. Prima ergo pars distinguitur prima die, et ornatur quarta; media distinguitur secunda die, et ornatur quinta; infima distinguitur tertia die, et ornatur sexta. Now the parts into which the corporeal creation is divided are three, according to some holy writers, these parts being the heaven, or highest part, the water, or middle part, and the earth, or the lowest part. Thus the Pythagoreans teach that perfection consists in three things, the beginning, the middle, and the end. The first part, then, is distinguished on the first day, and adorned on the fourth, the middle part distinguished on the middle day, and adorned on the fifth, and the third part distinguished on the third day, and adorned on the sixth. Augustinus vero convenit quidem cum eis in ultimis tribus diebus, differt autem in tribus primis. Quia secundum eum, in primo die formatur creatura spiritualis, in duobus aliis creatura corporalis; ita quod in secundo corpora superiora, in tertio corpora inferiora. Et sic perfectio divinorum operum respondet perfectioni senarii numeri, qui consurgit ex suis partibus aliquotis simul iunctis; quae quidem partes sunt unum, duo, tria. Una enim dies deputatur formationi creaturae spiritualis, duae formationi creaturae corporalis, et tres ornatui. But Augustine, while agreeing with the above writers as to the last three days, differs as to the first three, for, according to him, spiritual creatures are formed on the first day, and corporeal on the two others, the higher bodies being formed on the first of these two days, and the lower on the second. Thus, then, the perfection of the Divine works corresponds to the perfection of the number six, which is the sum of its aliquot parts, one, two, three; since one day is assigned to the forming of spiritual creatures, two to that of corporeal creatures, and three to the work of adornment. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, secundum Augustinum, opus creationis pertinet ad productionem materiae informis, et naturae spiritualis informis. Quae quidem duo sunt extra tempus, ut ipse dicit in XII Confess., et ideo creatio utriusque ponitur ante omnem diem. Sed secundum alios sanctos, potest dici quod opus distinctionis et ornatus attenditur secundum aliquam mutationem creaturae, quae tempore mensuratur. Opus autem creationis consistit in sola divina actione in instanti rerum substantiam producentis. Et ideo quodlibet opus distinctionis et ornatus dicitur factum in die, creatio autem dicitur facta in principio, quod sonat aliquid indivisibile. Reply Obj. 1: According to Augustine, the work of creation belongs to the production of formless matter, and of the formless spiritual nature, both of which are outside of time, as he himself says (Confess. xii, 12). Thus, then, the creation of either is set down before there was any day. But it may also be said, following other holy writers, that the works of distinction and adornment imply certain changes in the creature which are measurable by time; whereas the work of creation lies only in the Divine act producing the substance of beings instantaneously. For this reason, therefore, every work of distinction and adornment is said to take place in a day, but creation in the beginning which denotes something indivisible. Ad secundum dicendum quod ignis et aer, quia non distinguuntur a vulgo, inter partes mundi non sunt expresse nominata a Moyse; sed computantur cum medio, scilicet aqua, maxime quantum ad inferiorem aeris partem; quantum vero ad superiorem, computantur cum caelo, ut Augustinus dicit. Reply Obj. 2: Fire and air, as not distinctly known by the unlettered, are not expressly named by Moses among the parts of the world, but reckoned with the intermediate part, or water, especially as regards the lowest part of the air; or with the heaven, to which the higher region of air approaches, as Augustine says (Gen ad lit. ii, 13). Ad tertium dicendum quod productio animalium recitatur secundum quod sunt in ornatum partium mundi. Et ideo dies productionis animalium distinguuntur vel uniuntur, secundum hanc convenientiam vel differentiam, qua conveniunt vel differunt in ornando aliquam partem mundi. Reply Obj. 3: The production of animals is recorded with reference to their adorning the various parts of the world, and therefore the days of their production are separated or united according as the animals adorn the same parts of the world, or different parts. Ad quartum dicendum quod prima die facta est natura lucis in aliquo subiecto. Sed quarto die facta dicuntur luminaria, non quia eorum substantia sit de novo producta; sed quia sunt aliquo modo formata, quo prius non erant, ut supra dictum est. Reply Obj. 4: The nature of light, as existing in a subject, was made on the first day; and the making of the luminaries on the fourth day does not mean that their substance was produced anew, but that they then received a form that they had not before, as said above (Q. 70, ad 2). Ad quintum dicendum quod septimae diei, secundum Augustinum, deputatur aliquid post omnia quae sex diebus attribuuntur, scilicet quod Deus a suis operibus in seipso requiescit. Et ideo oportuit post sex dies fieri mentionem de septimo. Reply Obj. 5: According to Augustine (Gen ad lit. iv, 15), after all that has been recorded that is assigned to the six days, something distinct is attributed to the seventh—namely, that on it God rested in Himself from His works: and for this reason it was right that the seventh day should be mentioned after the six. Secundum vero alios, potest dici quod in septimo die mundus habuit quendam novum statum, ut scilicet ei nihil adderetur de novo. Et ideo post sex dies ponitur septima, deputata cessationi ab opere. It may also be said, with the other writers, that the world entered on the seventh day upon a new state, in that nothing new was to be added to it, and that therefore the seventh day is mentioned after the six, from its being devoted to cessation from work. Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum omnes isti dies sint unus dies Whether all these days are one day? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod omnes isti dies sint unus dies. Dicitur enim Gen. II, istae sunt generationes caeli et terrae, quando creata sunt, in die quo fecit dominus caelum et terram, et omne virgultum agri, antequam oriretur in terra. Unus ergo est dies in quo fecit caelum et terram et omne virgultum agri. Sed caelum et terram fecit in prima die, vel potius ante omnem diem; virgultum autem agri, tertia die. Ergo unus est primus dies et tertius, et pari ratione, omnes alii. Objection 1: It would seem that all these days are one day. For it is written (Gen 2:4, 5): These are the generations of the heaven and the earth, when they were created, in the day that the Lord . . . made the heaven and the earth, and every plant of the field, before it sprung up in the earth. Therefore the day in which God made the heaven and the earth, and every plant of the field, is one and the same day. But He made the heaven and the earth on the first day, or rather before there was any day, but the plant of the field He made on the third day. Therefore the first and third days are but one day, and for a like reason all the rest. Praeterea, Eccli. XVIII, dicitur, qui vivit in aeternum, creavit omnia simul. Sed hoc non esset, si dies horum operum essent plures, quia plures dies non sunt simul. Ergo non sunt plures dies, sed unus tantum. Obj. 2: Further, it is said (Sir 18:1): He that liveth for ever, created all things together. But this would not be the case if the days of these works were more than one. Therefore they are not many but one only. Praeterea, die septimo cessavit Deus a novis operibus condendis. Si ergo septima dies est alia ab aliis diebus, sequitur quod illam diem non fecerit. Quod est inconveniens. Obj. 3: Further, on the seventh day God ceased from all new works. If, then, the seventh day is distinct from the other days, it follows that He did not make that day; which is not admissible. Praeterea, totum opus quod uni diei adscribitur, in instanti perfecit, cum in singulis operibus dicatur, dixit, et factum est. Si igitur sequens opus in diem alium reservasset, sequeretur quod in residua parte illius diei cessasset ab opere, quod esset superfluum. Non igitur est alius dies sequentis operis, a die operis praecedentis. Obj. 4: Further, the entire work ascribed to one day God perfected in an instant, for with each work are the words (God) said . . . . and it was . . . done. If, then, He had kept back His next work to another day, it would follow that for the remainder of a day He would have ceased from working and left it vacant, which would be superfluous. The day, therefore, of the preceding work is one with the day of the work that follows. Sed contra est quod Gen. I dicitur, factum est vespere et mane dies secundus, et dies tertius, et sic de aliis. Secundum autem et tertium dici non potest, ubi est unum tantum. Ergo non fuit unus dies tantum. On the contrary, It is written (Gen 1), The evening and the morning were the second day . . . the third day, and so on. But where there is a second and third there are more than one. There was not, therefore, only one day. Respondeo dicendum quod in hac quaestione Augustinus ab aliis expositoribus dissentit. Augustinus enim vult, et super Gen. ad Litt., et XI de Civ. Dei, et ad Orosium, quod omnes qui dicuntur septem dies, sunt unus dies septempliciter rebus praesentatus. Alii vero expositores sentiunt quod fuerunt septem dies diversi, et non unus tantum. Hae autem duae opiniones, si referantur ad expositionem litterae Genesis, magnam diversitatem habent. I answer that, On this question Augustine differs from other expositors. His opinion is that all the days that are called seven, are one day represented in a sevenfold aspect (Gen ad lit. iv, 22; De Civ. Dei xi, 9; Ad Orosium xxvi); while others consider there were seven distinct days, not one only. Now, these two opinions, taken as explaining the literal text of Genesis, are certainly widely different. Nam secundum Augustinum, per diem intelligitur cognitio mentis angelicae; ut sic primus dies sit cognito primi divini operis, secundus dies cognitio secundi operis, et sic de aliis. Et dicitur unumquodque opus esse factum in aliqua die, quia nihil Deus produxit in rerum natura, quod non impresserit menti angelicae. Quae quidem multa simul potest cognoscere, praecipue in verbo, in quo omnis angelorum cognitio perficitur et terminatur. Et sic distinguitur dies secundum naturalem ordinem rerum cognitarum, non secundum successionem cognitionis, aut secundum successionem productionis rerum. Cognitio autem angelica proprie et vere dies nominari potest, cum lux, quae est causa diei, proprie in spiritualibus, secundum Augustinum, inveniatur. Secundum vero alios, per istos dies et successio dierum temporalium ostenditur, et successio productionis rerum. For Augustine understands by the word day, the knowledge in the mind of the angels, and hence, according to him, the first day denotes their knowledge of the first of the Divine works, the second day their knowledge of the second work, and similarly with the rest. Thus, then, each work is said to have been wrought in some one of these days, inasmuch as God wrought nothing in the universe without impressing the knowledge thereof on the angelic mind; which can know many things at the same time, especially in the Word, in Whom all angelic knowledge is perfected and terminated. So the distinction of days denotes the natural order of the things known, and not a succession in the knowledge acquired, or in the things produced. Moreover, angelic knowledge is appropriately called day, since light, the cause of day, is to be found in spiritual things, as Augustine observes (Gen ad lit. iv, 28). In the opinion of the others, however, the days signify a succession both in time, and in the things produced. Sed si istae duae opiniones referantur ad modum productionis rerum, non invenitur magna differentia. Et hoc propter duo in quibus, exponendo, diversificatur Augustinus ab aliis, ut ex supra dictis patet. Primo quidem, quia Augustinus per terram et aquam prius creatam, intelligit materiam corporalem totaliter informem, per factionem autem firmamenti, et congregationem aquarum, et apparitionem aridae, intelligit impressionem formarum in materiam corporalem. Alii vero sancti per terram et aquam primo creatas, intelligunt ipsa elementa mundi, sub propriis formis existentia, per sequentia autem opera, aliquam distinctionem in corporibus prius existentibus, ut supra dictum est. Secundo autem differunt quantum ad productionem plantarum et animalium, quae alii ponunt in opere sex dierum esse producta in actu; Augustinus vero potentialiter tantum. If, however, these two explanations are looked at as referring to the mode of production, they will be found not greatly to differ, if the diversity of opinion existing on two points, as already shown (Q. 67, A. 1; Q. 69, A. 1), between Augustine and other writers is taken into account. First, because Augustine takes the earth and the water as first created, to signify matter totally without form; but the making of the firmament, the gathering of the waters, and the appearing of dry land, to denote the impression of forms upon corporeal matter. But other holy writers take the earth and the water, as first created, to signify the elements of the universe themselves existing under the proper forms, and the works that follow to mean some sort of distinction in bodies previously existing, as also has been shown (Q. 67, AA. 1, 4; Q. 69, A. 1). Second, some writers hold that plants and animals were produced actually in the work of the six days; Augustine, that they were produced potentially. In hoc ergo quod Augustinus ponit opera sex dierum esse simul facta, sequitur idem modus productionis rerum. Nam secundum utrosque, in prima rerum productione materia erat sub formis substantialibus elementorum, et secundum utrosque, in prima rerum institutione non fuerunt animalia et plantae in actu. Sed remanet differentia quantum ad quatuor. Quia secundum alios sanctos, post primam productionem creaturae, fuit aliquod tempus in quo non erat lux; item in quo non erat firmamentum formatum; item in quo non erat terra discooperta aquis; et in quo non erant formata caeli luminaria, quod est quartum. Quae non oportet ponere secundum expositionem Augustini. Now the opinion of Augustine, that the works of the six days were simultaneous, is consistent with either view of the mode of production. For the other writers agree with him that in the first production of things matter existed under the substantial form of the elements, and agree with him also that in the first instituting of the world animals and plants did not exist actually. There remains, however, a difference as to four points; since, according to the latter, there was a time, after the production of creatures, in which light did not exist, the firmament had not been formed, and the earth was still covered by the waters, nor had the heavenly bodies been formed, which is the fourth difference; which are not consistent with Augustine’s explanation. Ut igitur neutri sententiae praeiudicetur, utriusque rationibus respondendum est. In order, therefore, to be impartial, we must meet the arguments of either side. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod in die in quo creavit Deus caelum et terram, creavit etiam omne virgultum agri, non in actu, sed antequam oriretur super terram, idest potentialiter. Quod Augustinus adscribit tertiae diei, alii vero primae rerum institutioni. Reply Obj. 1: On the day on which God created the heaven and the earth, He created also every plant of the field, not, indeed, actually, but before it sprung up in the earth, that is, potentially. And this work Augustine ascribes to the third day, but other writers to the first instituting of the world. Ad secundum dicendum quod Deus creavit omnia simul, quantum ad rerum substantiam quodammodo informem. Sed quantum ad formationem quae facta est per distinctionem et ornatum, non simul. Unde signanter utitur verbo creationis. Reply Obj. 2: God created all things together so far as regards their substance in some measure formless. But He did not create all things together, so far as regards that formation of things which lies in distinction and adornment. Hence the word creation is significant.