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State of the question. In this article soul and body are compared in
accordance with the natural order, and thus this article is distinct
from the third, although for the benefit of the doctrine St. Thomas
begins by distinguishing between the temporal order and the natural
order.
There are two conclusions.
First conclusion. In the order of time the Word united the whole
human nature of Christ to Himself simultaneously, at the very moment
of the creation of Christ's soul.[760]
This conclusion is defined to be of faith against Origen.[761]
It will be explained more fully farther on,[762] when St.
Thomas, discussing Christ's conception, shows that it is contrary
to the faith to say that Christ's flesh was first conceived and
afterward was assumed by the Word of God. This assertion is against
Photinus who said that Christ was first a mere man and afterward by
the sanctity of His life came to be considered the Son of
God.[763] In such a case, the Blessed Virgin would not be the
Mother of God.
St. Thomas gives us the reason for this conclusion in these words:
"If Christ's flesh had been conceived before being assumed by the
Word, it would have been at some time a hypostasis other than that of
the Word of God,"[764] and so there would have been two
hypostases in the Word incarnate, or one would have been destroyed,
which is not fitting. Hence Christ's entire humanity was
simultaneously assumed.
Second conclusion. In the natural order, however, the Word
instantaneously united the flesh with Himself, through the
intermediary of the soul, since the soul is mediating link by reason of
its dignity and causality. There is clearly here a distinction between
priority of time, which is denied, and priority of nature which is
affirmed, inasmuch as the very moment that Christ's soul was
created, the Word assumed the flesh through the mediation of the
soul; otherwise the flesh would not be human.
Third objection. It must be noted that St. Thomas says that, if
the medium is taken away, then the extremes are separated. But the
soul is taken away by death, though the union of the Word with the
flesh still remains; for "what is bestowed through God's grace is
never withdrawn except through fault."[765] Therefore the Word
was not united with the flesh through the mediation of the soul.
Reply to third objection. The soul, before its separation from the
body, rendered the latter apt for assumption, though it did not sever
the union of the Word with the flesh; just as the loss of a woman's
beauty, though this beauty contributed to her fittingness for
marriage, does not sever the marriage bond.
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