Quaestio 48 Question 48 De effectu passionis Christi The Efficiency of Christ’s Passion Deinde considerandum est de effectu passionis Christi. Et primo, de modo efficiendi; secundo, de ipso effectu. Circa primum quaeruntur sex. We now have to consider Christ’s Passion as to its effect; first of all, as to the manner in which it was brought about; and, second, as to the effect in itself. Under the first heading there are six points for inquiry: Primo, utrum passio Christi causaverit nostram salutem per modum meriti. (1) Whether Christ’s Passion brought about our salvation by way of merit? Secundo, utrum per modum satisfactionis. (2) Whether it was by way of atonement? Tertio, utrum per modum sacrificii. (3) Whether it was by way of sacrifice? Quarto, utrum per modum redemptionis. (4) Whether it was by way of redemption? Quinto, utrum esse redemptorem sit proprium Christi. (5) Whether it is proper to Christ to be the Redeemer? Sexto, utrum causaverit effectum nostrae salutis per modum efficientiae. (6) Whether (the Passion) secured man’s salvation efficiently? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum passio Christi causaverit nostram salutem per modum meriti Whether Christ’s Passion brought about our salvation by way of merit? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod passio Christi non causaverit nostram salutem per modum meriti. Passionum enim principia non sunt in nobis. Nullus autem meretur vel laudatur nisi per id cuius principium est in ipso. Ergo passio Christi nihil est operata per modum meriti. Objection 1: It would seem that Christ’s Passion did not bring about our salvation by way of merit. For the sources of our sufferings are not within us. But no one merits or is praised except for that whose principle lies within him. Therefore Christ’s Passion wrought nothing by way of merit. Praeterea, Christus ab initio suae conceptionis meruit et sibi et nobis, ut supra dictum est. Sed superfluum est iterum mereri id quod alias meruerat. Ergo Christus per suam passionem non meruit nostram salutem. Obj. 2: Further, from the beginning of His conception Christ merited for Himself and for us, as stated above (Q. 9, A. 4; Q. 34, A. 3). But it is superfluous to merit over again what has been merited before. Therefore by His Passion Christ did not merit our salvation. Praeterea, radix merendi est caritas. Sed caritas Christi non fuit magis augmentata in passione quam ante. Ergo non magis meruit salutem nostram patiendo quam ante fecerat. Obj. 3: Further, the source of merit is charity. But Christ’s charity was not made greater by the Passion than it was before. Therefore He did not merit our salvation by suffering more than He had already. Sed contra est quod, super illud Philipp. II, propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum etc., dicit Augustinus, humilitas passionis claritatis est meritum, claritas humilitatis est praemium. Sed ipse clarificatus est non solum in seipso, sed etiam in suis fidelibus, ut ipse dicit, Ioan. XVII. Ergo videtur quod ipse meruit salutem suorum fidelium. On the contrary, on the words of Phil. 2:9, Therefore God exalted Him, etc., Augustine says (Tract. civ in Joan.): The lowliness of the Passion merited glory; glory was the reward of lowliness. But He was glorified, not merely in Himself, but likewise in His faithful ones, as He says Himself (John 17:10). Therefore it appears that He merited the salvation of the faithful. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, Christo data est gratia non solum sicut singulari personae, sed inquantum est caput Ecclesiae, ut scilicet ab ipso redundaret ad membra. Et ideo opera Christi hoc modo se habent tam ad se quam ad sua membra, sicut se habent opera alterius hominis in gratia constituti ad ipsum. Manifestum est autem quod quicumque in gratia constitutus propter iustitiam patitur, ex hoc ipso meretur sibi salutem, secundum illud Matth. V, beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam. Unde Christus non solum per suam passionem sibi, sed etiam omnibus suis membris meruit salutem. I answer that, As stated above (Q. 7, AA. 1, 9; Q. 8, AA. 1, 5), grace was bestowed upon Christ, not only as an individual, but inasmuch as He is the Head of the Church, so that it might overflow into His members; and therefore Christ’s works are referred to Himself and to His members in the same way as the works of any other man in a state of grace are referred to himself. But it is evident that whosoever suffers for justice’s sake, provided that he be in a state of grace, merits his salvation thereby, according to Matt. 5:10: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake. Consequently Christ by His Passion merited salvation, not only for Himself, but likewise for all His members. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod passio inquantum huiusmodi, habet principium ab exteriori. Sed secundum quod eam aliquis voluntarie sustinet, habet principium ab interiori. Reply Obj. 1: Suffering, as such, is caused by an outward principle: but inasmuch as one bears it willingly, it has an inward principle. Ad secundum dicendum quod Christus a principio suae conceptionis meruit nobis salutem aeternam, sed ex parte nostra erant impedimenta quaedam, quibus impediebamur consequi effectum praecedentium meritorum. Unde, ad removendum illa impedimenta, oportuit Christum pati, ut supra dictum est. Reply Obj. 2: From the beginning of His conception Christ merited our eternal salvation; but on our side there were some obstacles, whereby we were hindered from securing the effect of His preceding merits: consequently, in order to remove such hindrances, it was necessary for Christ to suffer, as stated above (Q. 46, A. 3). Ad tertium dicendum quod passio Christi habuit aliquem effectum quem non habuerunt praecedentia merita, non propter maiorem caritatem, sed propter genus operis, quod erat conveniens tali effectui, ut patet ex rationibus supra inductis de convenientia passionis Christi. Reply Obj. 3: Christ’s Passion has a special effect, which His preceding merits did not possess, not on account of greater charity, but because of the nature of the work, which was suitable for such an effect, as is clear from the arguments brought forward above on the fittingness of Christ’s Passion (Q. 46, AA, 3, 4). Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum passio Christi causaverit nostram salutem per modum satisfactionis Whether Christ’s Passion brought about our salvation by way of atonement? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod passio Christi non causaverit nostram salutem per modum satisfactionis. Eiusdem enim videtur esse satisfacere cuius est peccare, sicut patet in aliis poenitentiae partibus; eiusdem enim est conteri et confiteri cuius est peccare. Sed Christus non peccavit, secundum illud I Pet. II, qui peccatum non fecit. Ergo ipse non satisfecit propria passione. Objection 1: It would seem that Christ’s Passion did not bring about our salvation by way of atonement. For it seems that to make the atonement devolves on him who commits the sin; as is clear in the other parts of penance, because he who has done the wrong must grieve over it and confess it. But Christ never sinned, according to 1 Pet. 2:22: Who did no sin. Therefore He made no atonement by His personal suffering. Praeterea, nulli satisfit per maiorem offensam. Sed maxima offensa fuit perpetrata in Christi passione, quia gravissime peccaverunt qui eum occiderunt, ut supra dictum est. Ergo videtur quod per passionem Christi non potuit Deo satisfieri. Obj. 2: Further, no atonement is made to another by committing a graver offense. But in Christ’s Passion the gravest of all offenses was perpetrated, because those who slew Him sinned most grievously, as stated above (Q. 47, A. 6). Consequently it seems that atonement could not be made to God by Christ’s Passion. Praeterea, satisfactio importat aequalitatem quandam ad culpam, cum sit actus iustitiae. Sed passio Christi non videtur esse aequalis omnibus peccatis humani generis, quia Christus non est passus secundum divinitatem, sed secundum carnem, secundum illud I Pet. IV, Christo igitur passo in carne; anima autem, in qua est peccatum, potior est quam caro. Non ergo Christus sua passione satisfecit pro peccatis nostris. Obj. 3: Further, atonement implies equality with the trespass, since it is an act of justice. But Christ’s Passion does not appear equal to all the sins of the human race, because Christ did not suffer in His Godhead, but in His flesh, according to 1 Pet. 4:1: Christ therefore having suffered in the flesh. Now the soul, which is the subject of sin, is of greater account than the flesh. Therefore Christ did not atone for our sins by His Passion. Sed contra est quod ex persona eius dicitur in Psalmo, quae non rapui, tunc exsolvebam. Non autem exsolvit qui perfecte non satisfecit. Ergo videtur quod Christus patiendo satisfecerit perfecte pro peccatis nostris. On the contrary, It is written (Ps 68:5) in Christ’s person: Then did I pay that which I took not away. But he has not paid who has not fully atoned. Therefore it appears that Christ by His suffering has fully atoned for our sins. Respondeo dicendum quod ille proprie satisfacit pro offensa qui exhibet offenso id quod aeque vel magis diligit quam oderit offensam. Christus autem, ex caritate et obedientia patiendo, maius aliquid Deo exhibuit quam exigeret recompensatio totius offensae humani generis. Primo quidem, propter magnitudinem caritatis ex qua patiebatur. Secundo, propter dignitatem vitae suae, quam pro satisfactione ponebat, quae erat vita Dei et hominis. Tertio, propter generalitatem passionis et magnitudinem doloris assumpti, ut supra dictum est. Et ideo passio Christi non solum sufficiens, sed etiam superabundans satisfactio fuit pro peccatis humani generis, secundum illud I Ioan. II, ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, non pro nostris autem tantum, sed etiam pro totius mundi. I answer that, He properly atones for an offense who offers something which the offended one loves equally, or even more than he detested the offense. But by suffering out of love and obedience, Christ gave more to God than was required to compensate for the offense of the whole human race. First of all, because of the exceeding charity from which He suffered; second, on account of the dignity of His life which He laid down in atonement, for it was the life of one who was God and man; third, on account of the extent of the Passion, and the greatness of the grief endured, as stated above (Q. 46, A. 6). And therefore Christ’s Passion was not only a sufficient but a superabundant atonement for the sins of the human race; according to 1 John 2:2: He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod caput et membra sunt quasi una persona mystica. Et ideo satisfactio Christi ad omnes fideles pertinet sicut ad sua membra. Inquantum etiam duo homines sunt unum in caritate, unus pro alio satisfacere potest, ut infra patebit. Non autem est similis ratio de confessione et contritione, quia satisfactio consistit in actu exteriori, ad quem assumi possunt instrumenta; inter quae computantur etiam amici. Reply Obj. 1: The head and members are as one mystic person; and therefore Christ’s satisfaction belongs to all the faithful as being His members. Also, in so far as any two men are one in charity, the one can atone for the other as shall be shown later (Suppl., Q. 13, A. 2). But the same reason does not hold good of confession and contrition, because atonement consists in an outward action, for which helps may be used, among which friends are to be computed. Ad secundum dicendum quod maior fuit caritas Christi patientis quam malitia crucifigentium. Et ideo plus potuit Christus satisfacere sua passione quam crucifixores offendere occidendo, in tantum quod passio Christi sufficiens fuit, et superabundans, ad satisfaciendum pro peccatis crucifigentium ipsum. Reply Obj. 2: Christ’s love was greater than His slayers’ malice: and therefore the value of His Passion in atoning surpassed the murderous guilt of those who crucified Him: so much so that Christ’s suffering was sufficient and superabundant atonement for His murderer’s crime. Ad tertium dicendum quod dignitas carnis Christi non est aestimanda solum secundum carnis naturam, sed secundum personam assumentem, inquantum scilicet erat caro Dei, ex quo habebat dignitatem infinitam. Reply Obj. 3: The dignity of Christ’s flesh is not to be estimated solely from the nature of flesh, but also from the Person assuming it—namely, inasmuch as it was God’s flesh, the result of which was that it was of infinite worth. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum passio Christi fuerit operata per modum sacrificii Whether Christ’s Passion operated by way of sacrifice? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod passio Christi non fuerit operata per modum sacrificii. Veritas enim debet respondere figurae. Sed in sacrificiis veteris legis, quae erant figurae Christi, nunquam offerebatur caro humana, quinimmo haec sacrificia nefanda habebantur, secundum illud Psalmi, effuderunt sanguinem innocentem, sanguinem filiorum suorum et filiarum, quas sacrificaverunt sculptilibus Chanaan. Ergo videtur quod passio Christi sacrificium dici non possit. Objection 1: It would seem that Christ’s Passion did not operate by way of sacrifice. For the truth should correspond with the figure. But human flesh was never offered up in the sacrifices of the Old Law, which were figures of Christ: nay, such sacrifices were reputed as impious, according to Ps. 105:38: And they shed innocent blood: the blood of their sons and of their daughters, which they sacrificed to the idols of Chanaan. It seems therefore that Christ’s Passion cannot be called a sacrifice. Praeterea, Augustinus dicit, in X de Civ. Dei, quod sacrificium visibile invisibilis sacrificii sacramentum, idest sacrum signum, est. Sed passio Christi non est signum, sed magis significatum per alia signa. Ergo videtur quod passio Christi non sit sacrificium. Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x) that a visible sacrifice is a sacrament—that is, a sacred sign—of an invisible sacrifice. Now Christ’s Passion is not a sign, but rather the thing signified by other signs. Therefore it seems that Christ’s Passion is not a sacrifice. Praeterea, quicumque offert sacrificium, aliquid sacrum facit, ut ipsum nomen sacrificii demonstrat. Illi autem qui Christum occiderunt, non fecerunt aliquod sacrum, sed magnam malitiam perpetraverunt. Ergo passio Christi magis fuit maleficium quam sacrificium. Obj. 3: Further, whoever offers sacrifice performs some sacred rite, as the very word sacrifice shows. But those men who slew Christ did not perform any sacred act, but rather wrought a great wrong. Therefore Christ’s Passion was rather a malefice than a sacrifice. Sed contra est quod apostolus dicit, Ephes. V, tradidit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis. On the contrary, The Apostle says (Eph 5:2): He delivered Himself up for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. Respondeo dicendum quod sacrificium proprie dicitur aliquid factum in honorem proprie Deo debitum, ad eum placandum. Et inde est quod Augustinus dicit, in X de Civ. Dei, verum sacrificium est omne opus quod agitur ut sancta societate Deo inhaereamus, relatum scilicet ad illum finem boni quo veraciter beati esse possumus. Christus autem, ut ibidem subditur, seipsum obtulit in passione pro nobis, et hoc ipsum opus, quod voluntarie passionem sustinuit, fuit Deo maxime acceptum, utpote ex caritate proveniens. Unde manifestum est quod passio Christi fuit verum sacrificium. Et, sicut ipse postea subdit in eodem libro, huius veri sacrificii multiplicia variaque signa erant sacrificia prisca sanctorum, cum hoc unum per multa figuraretur, tanquam verbis multis res una diceretur, ut sine fastidio multum commendaretur; et, cum quatuor considerentur in omni sacrificio, ut Augustinus dicit in IV de Trin., scilicet cui offeratur, a quo offeratur, quid offeratur, pro quibus offeratur, idem ipse qui unus verusque mediator per sacrificium pacis reconciliat nos Deo, unum cum illo maneret cui offerebat, unum in se faceret pro quibus offerebat, unus ipse esset qui offerebat, et quod offerebat. I answer that, A sacrifice properly so called is something done for that honor which is properly due to God, in order to appease Him: and hence it is that Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x): A true sacrifice is every good work done in order that we may cling to God in holy fellowship, yet referred to that consummation of happiness wherein we can be truly blessed. But, as is added in the same place, Christ offered Himself up for us in the Passion: and this voluntary enduring of the Passion was most acceptable to God, as coming from charity. Therefore it is manifest that Christ’s Passion was a true sacrifice. Moreover, as Augustine says farther on in the same book, the primitive sacrifices of the holy Fathers were many and various signs of this true sacrifice, one being prefigured by many, in the same way as a single concept of thought is expressed in many words, in order to commend it without tediousness: and, as Augustine observes, (De Trin. iv), since there are four things to be noted in every sacrifice—to wit, to whom it is offered, by whom it is offered, what is offered, and for whom it is offered—that the same one true Mediator reconciling us with God through the peace-sacrifice might continue to be one with Him to whom He offered it, might be one with them for whom He offered it, and might Himself be the offerer and what He offered.