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Objection 1: It would seem that Christ ought not to have appeared
to the disciples "in another shape." For a thing cannot appear in
very truth other than it is. But there was only one shape in Christ.
Therefore if He appeared under another, it was not a true but a false
apparition. Now this is not at all fitting, because as Augustine
says (Questions. lxxxiii, qu. 14): "If He deceives He is
not the Truth; yet Christ is the Truth." Consequently, it seems
that Christ ought not to have appeared to the disciples "in another
shape."
Objection 2: Further, nothing can appear in another shape than the
one it has, except the beholder's eyes be captivated by some
illusions. But since such illusions are brought about by magical
arts, they are unbecoming in Christ, according to what is written
(2 Cor. 6:15): "What concord hath Christ with Belial?"
Therefore it seems that Christ ought not to have appeared in another
shape.
Objection 3: Further, just as our faith receives its surety from
Scripture, so were the disciples assured of their faith in the
Resurrection by Christ appearing to them. But, as Augustine says
in an Epistle to Jerome (xxviii), if but one untruth be admitted
into the Sacred Scripture, the whole authority of the Scriptures is
weakened. Consequently, if Christ appeared to the disciples, in but
one apparition, otherwise than He was, then whatever they saw in
Christ after the Resurrection will be of less import, which is not
fitting. Therefore He ought not to have appeared in another shape.
On the contrary, It is written (Mk. 16:12): "After that
He appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were
going into the country."
I answer that, As stated above (Articles 1,2), Christ's
Resurrection was to be manifested to men in the same way as Divine
things are revealed. But Divine things are revealed to men in various
ways, according as they are variously disposed. For, those who have
minds well disposed, perceive Divine things rightly, whereas those
not so disposed perceive them with a certain confusion of doubt or
error: "for, the sensual men perceiveth not those things that are of
the Spirit of God," as is said in 1 Cor. 2:14.
Consequently, after His Resurrection Christ appeared in His own
shape to some who were well disposed to belief, while He appeared in
another shape to them who seemed to be already growing tepid in their
faith: hence these said (Lk. 24:21): "We hoped that it was
He that should have redeemed Israel." Hence Gregory says (Hom.
xxiii in Evang.), that "He showed Himself to them in body such as
He was in their minds: for, because He was as yet a stranger to
faith in their hearts, He made pretense of going on farther," that
is, as if He were a stranger.
Reply to Objection 1: As Augustine says (De Qq. Evang.
ii), "not everything of which we make pretense is a falsehood; but
when what we pretend has no meaning then is it a falsehood. But when
our pretense has some signification, it is not a lie, but a figure of
the truth; otherwise everything said figuratively by wise and holy
men, or even by our Lord Himself, would be set down as a falsehood,
because it is not customary to take such expressions in the literal
sense. And deeds, like words, are feigned without falsehood, in
order to denote something else." And so it happened here. as has
been said.
Reply to Objection 2: As Augustine says (De Consens. Evang.
iii): "Our Lord could change His flesh so that His shape really
was other than they were accustomed to behold; for, before His
Passion He was transfigured on the mountain, so that His face shone
like the sun. But it did not happen thus now." For not without
reason do we "understand this hindrance in their eyes to have been of
Satan's doing, lest Jesus might be recognized." Hence Luke says
(24:16) that "their eyes were held, that they should not know
Him."
Reply to Objection 3: Such an argument would prove, if they had
not been brought back from the sight of a strange shape to that of
Christ's true countenance. For, as Augustine says (De Consens.
Evang. iii): "The permission was granted by Christ," namely,
that their eyes should be held fast in the aforesaid way, "until the
Sacrament of the bread; that when they had shared in the unity of His
body, the enemy's hindrance may be understood to have been taken
away, so that Christ might be recognized." Hence he goes on to say
that "'their eyes were opened, and they knew Him'; not that they
were hitherto walking with their eyes shut; but there was something in
them whereby they were not permitted to recognize what they saw. This
could be caused by the darkness or by some kind of humor."
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