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State of the question. It would seem unfitting: (1) because
Christ is not the adopted Son of God, for St. Paul says: "God
hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children";[1605]
(2) because the person of Christ is uncreated and therefore not
predestinated, but predestining, and it cannot be said that Christ is
predestined by reason of His human nature, for only persons are
predestined, for example, Peter, Paul; (3) Christ was always
God and the Son of God; therefore He was not predestined to be the
natural Son of God.
Reply. Nevertheless the answer is in the affirmative.
Scriptural and authoritative proof. St. Paul says of the Son of
God: "Who was made to Him of the seed of David according to the
flesh who was predestinated the Son of God in power."[1606]
But this text presents a difficulty.[1607]
St. Augustine understands the Greek word to mean
"predestined,"[1608] because in Sacred Scripture, to
destine, to define, to appoint, to declare, are the same in
meaning. Thus divine knowledge is the same as foreknowledge.
Hence St. Augustine says: "Jesus was predestined, so that He
who was to be the son of David according to the flesh would yet be in
power the Son of God."[1609]
The interpretation given by the Greeks seems to be more literal. But
as regards the doctrine and the application of the notion implied in
predestination, there is no difficulty, as will at once be evident
from the argument as expounded in the body of this article.
Theological proof. Predestination, in its proper sense, is a
certain divine preordination from eternity of those things which are to
be done in time by the grace of God.[1610] But it was done in
time by God, through the grace of union, that the man Jesus should
be God. Therefore the union of natures in the person of Christ falls
under eternal predestination, and because of this union Christ is
truly said to be predestinated.
Reply to first objection. Christ is not predestined, however, as we
are, to be the adopted son of God, but to be the natural Son of
God.
Reply to second objection. Predestination is attributed to the person
of Christ, not indeed in itself, but inasmuch as the person subsists
in the human nature; for by the grace of union it befits Christ, in
His human nature, to be the Son of God.
Reply to the third objection. The antecedence implied in eternal
predestination is not to be referred to the person of the Word in
Himself but to Him by reason of the nature.
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