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Objection 1: It would seem that by the Divine revelation a prophet
knows all that can be known prophetically. For it is written (Amos
3:7): "The Lord God doth nothing without revealing His secret
to His servants the prophets." Now whatever is revealed
prophetically is something done by God. Therefore there is not one of
them but what is revealed to the prophet.
Objection 2: Further, "God's works are perfect" (Dt.
32:4). Now prophecy is a "Divine revelation," as stated above
(Article 3). Therefore it is perfect; and this would not be so
unless all possible matters of prophecy were revealed prophetically,
since "the perfect is that which lacks nothing" (Phys. iii, 6).
Therefore all possible matters of prophecy are revealed to the
prophet.
Objection 3: Further, the Divine light which causes prophecy is
more powerful than the right of natural reason which is the cause of
human science. Now a man who has acquired a science knows whatever
pertains to that science; thus a grammarian knows all matters of
grammar. Therefore it would seem that a prophet knows all matters of
prophecy.
On the contrary, Gregory says (Hom. i super Ezech.) that
"sometimes the spirit of prophecy indicates the present to the
prophet's mind and nowise the future; and sometimes it points not to
the present but to the future." Therefore the prophet does not know
all matters of prophecy.
I answer that, Things which differ from one another need not exist
simultaneously, save by reason of some one thing in which they are
connected and on which they depend: thus it has been stated above
(FS, Question 65, Articles 1,2) that all the virtues must
needs exist simultaneously on account of prudence and charity. Now all
the things that are known through some principle are connected in that
principle and depend thereon. Hence he who knows a principle
perfectly, as regards all to which its virtue extends, knows at the
same time all that can be known through that principle; whereas if the
common principle is unknown, or known only in a general way, it does
not follow that one knows all those things at the same time, but each
of them has to be manifested by itself, so that consequently some of
them may be known, and some not.
Now the principle of those things that are prophetically manifested by
the Divine light is the first truth, which the prophets do not see in
itself. Wherefore there is no need for their knowing all possible
matters of prophecy; but each one knows some of them according to the
special revelation of this or that matter.
Reply to Objection 1: The Lord reveals to the prophets all things
that are necessary for the instruction of the faithful; yet not all to
every one, but some to one, and some to another.
Reply to Objection 2: Prophecy is by way of being something
imperfect in the genus of Divine revelation: hence it is written (1
Cor. 13:8) that "prophecies shall be made void," and that "we
prophesy in part," i.e. imperfectly. The Divine revelation will
be brought to its perfection in heaven; wherefore the same text
continues (1 Cor. 113:10): "When that which is perfect is
come, that which is in part shall be done away." Consequently it
does not follow that nothing is lacking to prophetic revelation, but
that it lacks none of those things to which prophecy is directed.
Reply to Objection 3: He who has a science knows the principles of
that science, whence whatever is pertinent to that science depends;
wherefore to have the habit of a science perfectly, is to know whatever
is pertinent to that science. But God Who is the principle of
prophetic knowledge is not known in Himself through prophecy;
wherefore the comparison fails.
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