|
Objection 1: It would seem that a divine person is sent only by the
one whence He proceeds eternally. For as Augustine says (De
Trin. iv), "The Father is sent by no one because He is from no
one." Therefore if a divine person is sent by another, He must be
from that other.
Objection 2: Further, the sender has authority over the one sent.
But there can be no authority as regards a divine person except from
origin. Therefore the divine person sent must proceed from the one
sending.
Objection 3: Further, if a divine person can be sent by one whence
He does not proceed, then the Holy Ghost may be given by a man,
although He proceeds not from him; which is contrary to what
Augustine says (De Trin. xv). Therefore the divine person is
sent only by the one whence He proceeds.
On the contrary, The Son is sent by the Holy Ghost, according to
Is. 48:16, "Now the Lord God hath sent Me and His
Spirit." But the Son is not from the Holy Ghost. Therefore a
divine person is sent by one from Whom He does not proceed.
I answer that, There are different opinions on this point. Some say
that the divine person is sent only by the one whence He proceeds
eternally; and so, when it is said that the Son of God is sent by
the Holy Ghost, this is to be explained as regards His human
nature, by reason of which He was sent to preach by the Holy Ghost.
Augustine, however, says (De Trin. ii, 5) that the Son is
sent by Himself, and by the Holy Ghost; and the Holy Ghost is
sent by Himself, and by the Son; so that to be sent in God does not
apply to each person, but only to the person proceeding from
another, whereas to send belongs to each person.
There is some truth in both of these opinions; because when a person
is described as being sent, the person Himself existing from another
is designated, with the visible or invisible effect, applicable to the
mission of the divine person. Thus if the sender be designated as the
principle of the person sent, in this sense not each person sends, but
that person only Who is the principle of that person who is sent; and
thus the Son is sent only by the Father; and the Holy Ghost by the
Father and the Son. If, however, the person sending is understood
as the principle of the effect implied in the mission, in that sense
the whole Trinity sends the person sent. This reason does not prove
that a man can send the Holy Ghost, forasmuch as man cannot cause the
effect of grace.
The answers to the objections appear from the above.
|
|