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State of the question. St. Thomas inquires in this article whether
Christ's passion brought about our salvation by way of efficiency.
The query is not concerned with what constitutes the work of
redemption, but with what follows from it as a part of the effect to be
produced. It does not pertain to the faith as the preceding queries
do, but belongs properly to theology.
It concerns not only moral causality, as being the causality of merit
awaiting the effect from another, but also efficient and physical
causality, which produces the effect. We have already
seen[1975] that Christ's soul, inasmuch as it is the instrument
united with the Word, had and has instrumental power to produce
supernatural effects.[1976]
Yet there remains a special difficulty for Christ's passion, which
could not be the case with any man; for no corporeal agent acts except
by actual contact. Moreover, Christ's passion is no more, and
therefore it cannot operate efficiently; for that which no longer
exists, no longer operates physically.
Reply. Yet the answer is that Christ's passion efficiently causes
our salvation, not indeed as principal cause, but as instrumental
cause.
Theological proof. Christ's humanity is the instrument of His
Godhead, with which it is united. Therefore, as a consequence of
this, all Christ's actions and sufferings operate instrumentally in
virtue of His Godhead for the salvation of men.
Reply to first objection. It explains the words of the Apostle:
"The weakness of God is stronger than men."[1977]
Reply to second objection. "Christ's passion although corporeal,
has yet a spiritual effect from the Godhead united, and therefore it
secures its efficacy by spiritual contact." Corporeal contact is not
required, but virtual or dynamic contact suffices. We find this to be
true of several instruments used by man, as in the use of a trumpet to
transmit a sound in a certain direction; for this instrument does not
actually touch the ears of the hearers. A fortiori, God makes use of
similar instruments to produce spiritual effects.
The objection that Christ's passion no longer is in action, and
therefore cannot operate efficiently, is of no value; for it is a
question of Christ's humanity, as formerly subject to suffering and
now persists in His glorified wounds. Such is the explanation given
by the holy doctor.[1978]
Reply to third objection. It is a recapitulation of this subject
about Christ's sufferings, for it says: "Christ's passion,
according as it is compared with His Godhead, operates in an
efficient manner, but so far as it is compared with the will of
Christ's soul it acts in a meritorious manner, considered as being
within Christ's very flesh, it acts by way of satisfaction, inasmuch
as we are liberated by it from the debt of punishment; while inasmuch
as we are freed from the servitude of guilt, it acts by way of
redemption; but so far as we are reconciled with God it acts by way of
sacrifice."
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