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In the last three articles of this forty-seventh question, St.
Thomas inquires how Christ's persecutors were the cause of His
passion, and first whether it was fitting for Him to suffer from the
Gentiles.
Christ declared of Himself: "The Son of man shall be betrayed to
the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to
death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to be mocked, and
scourged, and crucified, and the third day He shall rise
again."[1804] But it was fitting that in this way the effects
of Christ's passion should be prefigured in what He suffered. The
effect of Christ's passion was that many Jews were
baptized[1805] and by the preaching of these Jews, the effects
of Christ's passion were transmitted to Gentiles. Therefore it was
fitting that Christ begin His suffering from the Jews and afterward,
the Jews betraying Him, that His passion be accomplished by means of
the Gentiles. In other words, the wicked Jews betrayed Him to the
Gentiles to be scourged, and afterward the good and converted Jews,
by their preaching, transmitted the effects of the Passion to the
Gentiles.
Reply to first objection. Christ upon the cross prayed for His
persecutors. Therefore Christ willed to suffer from both, so that
the fruits of His petition might benefit both Jews and Gentiles.
Reply to second objection. Christ's passion on His part was the
offering of a sacrifice out of supreme love for the human race; but on
the part of His persecutors it was a most grievous sin.
Reply to third objection. "The Jews, who were subjects of the
Romans, did not have the power to sentence anyone to death." What
is meant here is the "power of the sword."[1806]
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