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Objection 1: It would seem that by this knowledge Christ did not
know all things. For this knowledge is imprinted upon Christ for the
perfection of the passive intellect. Now the passive intellect of the
human soul does not seem to be in potentiality to all things simply,
but only to those things with regard to which it can be reduced to act
by the active intellect, which is its proper motor; and these are
knowable by natural reason. Therefore by this knowledge Christ did
not know what exceeded the natural reason.
Objection 2: Further, phantasms are to the human intellect as
colors to sight, as is said De Anima iii, 18,31,39. But it
does not pertain to the perfection of the power of seeing to know what
is without color. Therefore it does not pertain to the perfection of
human intellect to know things of which there are no phantasms, such as
separate substances. Hence, since this knowledge was in Christ for
the perfection of His intellective soul, it seems that by this
knowledge He did not know separate substances.
Objection 3: Further, it does not belong to the perfection of the
intellect to know singulars. Hence it would seem that by this
knowledge the soul of Christ did not know singulars.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 11:2) that "the Spirit
of wisdom and understanding, of knowledge and counsel shall fill
Him," under which are included all that may be known; for the
knowledge of all Divine things belongs to wisdom, the knowledge of all
immaterial things to understanding, the knowledge of all conclusions to
knowledge [scientia], the knowledge of all practical things to
counsel. Hence it would seem that by this knowledge Christ had the
knowledge of all things.
I answer that, As was said above (Question 9, Article 1), it
was fitting that the soul of Christ should be wholly perfected by
having each of its powers reduced to act. Now it must be borne in mind
that in the human soul, as in every creature, there is a double
passive power: one in comparison with a natural agent; the other in
comparison with the first agent, which can reduce any creature to a
higher act than a natural agent can reduce it, and this is usually
called the obediential power of a creature. Now both powers of
Christ's soul were reduced to act by this divinely imprinted
knowledge. And hence, by it the soul of Christ knew: First,
whatever can be known by force of a man's active intellect, e.g.
whatever pertains to human sciences; secondly, by this knowledge
Christ knew all things made known to man by Divine revelation,
whether they belong to the gift of wisdom or the gift of prophecy, or
any other gift of the Holy Ghost; since the soul of Christ knew
these things more fully and completely than others. Yet He did not
know the Essence of God by this knowledge, but by the first alone,
of which we spoke above (Question 10).
Reply to Objection 1: This reason refers to the natural power of an
intellective soul in comparison with its natural agent, which is the
active intellect.
Reply to Objection 2: The human soul in the state of this life,
since it is somewhat fettered by the body, so as to be unable to
understand without phantasms, cannot understand separate substances.
But after the state of this life the separated soul will be able, in a
measure, to know separate substances by itself, as was said in the
FP, Question 89, Articles 1,2, and this is especially clear
as regards the souls of the blessed. Now before His Passion,
Christ was not merely a wayfarer but also a comprehensor; hence His
soul could know separate substances in the same way that a separated
soul could.
Reply to Objection 3: The knowledge of singulars pertains to the
perfection of the intellective soul, not in speculative knowledge, but
in practical knowledge, which is imperfect without the knowledge of
singulars, in which operations exist, as is said Ethic. vi, 7.
Hence for prudence are required the remembrance of past things,
knowledge of present things, and foresight of future things, as Tully
says (De Invent. ii). Therefore, since Christ had the fulness
of prudence by the gift of counsel, He consequently knew all singular
things---present, past, and future.
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