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Objection 1: It would seem that the testimony of the Father's
voice, saying, "This is My beloved Son," was not fittingly
added; for, as it is written (Job 33:14), "God speaketh
once, and repeateth not the selfsame thing the second time." But the
Father's voice had testified to this at the time of (Christ's)
baptism. Therefore it was not fitting that He should bear witness to
it a second time.
Objection 2: Further, at the baptism the Holy Ghost appeared
under the form of a dove at the same time as the Father's voice was
heard. But this did not happen at the transfiguration. Therefore it
seems that the testimony of the Father was made in an unfitting
manner.
Objection 3: Further, Christ began to teach after His baptism.
Nevertheless, the Father's voice did not then command men to hear
him. Therefore neither should it have so commanded at the
transfiguration.
Objection 4: Further, things should not be said to those who cannot
bear them, according to Jn. 16:12: "I have yet many things to
say to you, but you cannot bear them now." But the disciples could
not bear the Father's voice; for it is written (Mt. 17:6)
that "the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much
afraid." Therefore the Father's voice should not have been
addressed to them.
On the contrary is the authority of the Gospel.
I answer that, The adoption of the sons of God is through a certain
conformity of image to the natural Son of God. Now this takes place
in two ways: first, by the grace of the wayfarer, which is imperfect
conformity; secondly, by glory, which is perfect conformity,
according to 1 Jn. 3:2: "We are now the sons of God, and it
hath not yet appeared what we shall be: we know that, when He shall
appear, we shall be like to Him, because we shall see Him as He
is." Since, therefore, it is in baptism that we acquire grace,
while the clarity of the glory to come was foreshadowed in the
transfiguration, therefore both in His baptism and in His
transfiguration the natural sonship of Christ was fittingly made known
by the testimony of the Father: because He alone with the Son and
Holy Ghost is perfectly conscious of that perfect generation.
Reply to Objection 1: The words quoted are to be understood of
God's eternal speaking, by which God the Father uttered the
only-begotten and co-eternal Word. Nevertheless, it can be said
that God uttered the same thing twice in a bodily voice, yet not for
the same purpose, but in order to show the divers modes in which men
can be partakers of the likeness of the eternal Sonship.
Reply to Objection 2: Just as in the Baptism, where the mystery
of the first regeneration was proclaimed, the operation of the whole
Trinity was made manifest, because the Son Incarnate was there, the
Holy Ghost appeared under the form of a dove, and the Father made
Himself known in the voice; so also in the transfiguration, which is
the mystery of the second regeneration, the whole Trinity
appears---the Father in the voice, the Son in the man, the Holy
Ghost in the bright cloud; for just as in baptism He confers
innocence, signified by the simplicity of the dove, so in the
resurrection will He give His elect the clarity of glory and
refreshment from all sorts of evil, which are signified by the bright
cloud.
Reply to Objection 3: Christ came to give grace actually, and to
promise glory by His words. Therefore it was fitting at the time of
His transfiguration, and not at the time of His baptism, that men
should be commanded to hear Him.
Reply to Objection 4: It was fitting that the disciples should be
afraid and fall down on hearing the voice of the Father, to show that
the glory which was then being revealed surpasses in excellence the
sense and faculty of all mortal beings; according to Ex. 33:20:
"Man shall not see Me and live." This is what Jerome says on
Mt. 17:6: "Such is human frailty that it cannot bear to gaze on
such great glory." But men are healed of this frailty by Christ when
He brings them into glory. And this is signified by what He says to
them: "Arise, and fear not."
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