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Objection 1: It would seem that the gifts were not in Christ.
For, as is commonly said, the gifts are given to help the virtues.
But what is perfect in itself does not need an exterior help.
Therefore, since the virtues of Christ were perfect, it seems there
were no gifts in Him.
Objection 2: Further, to give and to receive gifts would not seem
to belong to the same; since to give pertains to one who has, and to
receive pertains to one who has not. But it belongs to Christ to give
gifts according to Ps. 67:19. "Thou hast given gifts to men
." Therefore it was not becoming that Christ should receive gifts of
the Holy Ghost.
Objection 3: Further, four gifts would seem to pertain to the
contemplation of earth, viz. wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and
counsel which pertains to prudence; hence the Philosopher (Ethic.
vi, 3) enumerates these with the intellectual virtues. But Christ
had the contemplation of heaven. Therefore He had not these gifts.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 4:1): "Seven women
shall take hold of one man": on which a gloss says: "That is, the
seven gifts of the Holy Ghost shall take hold of Christ."
I answer that, As was said above (FS, Question 68, Article
1), the gifts, properly, are certain perfections of the soul's
powers, inasmuch as these have a natural aptitude to be moved by the
Holy Ghost, according to Luke 4:1: "And Jesus, being full of
the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the
Spirit into the desert." Hence it is manifest that in Christ the
gifts were in a pre-eminent degree.
Reply to Objection 1: What is perfect in the order of its nature
needs to be helped by something of a higher nature; as man, however
perfect, needs to be helped by God. And in this way the virtues,
which perfect the powers of the soul, as they are controlled by
reason, no matter how perfect they are, need to be helped by the
gifts, which perfect the soul's powers, inasmuch as these are moved
by the Holy Ghost.
Reply to Objection 2: Christ is not a recipient and a giver of the
gifts of the Holy Ghost, in the same respect; for He gives them as
God and receives them as man. Hence Gregory says (Moral. ii)
that "the Holy Ghost never quitted the human nature of Christ, from
Whose Divine nature He proceedeth."
Reply to Objection 3: In Christ there was not only heavenly
knowledge, but also earthly knowledge, as will be said (Question
15, Article 10). And yet even in heaven the gifts of the Holy
Ghost will still exist, in a certain manner, as was said above
(FS, Question 68, Article 6).
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