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Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have associated
with men, but should have led a solitary life. For it behooved
Christ to show by His manner of life not only that He was man, but
also that He was God. But it is not becoming that God should
associate with men, for it is written (Dan. 2:11): "Except
the gods, whose conversation is not with men"; and the Philosopher
says (Polit. i) that he who lives alone is "either a
beast"---that is, if he do this from being wild---"or a god,"
if his motive be the contemplation of truth. Therefore it seems that
it was not becoming for Christ to associate with men.
Objection 2: Further, while He lived in mortal flesh, it behooved
Christ to lead a most perfect life. But the most perfect is the
contemplative life, as we have stated in the SS, Question 182,
Articles 1,2. Now, solitude is most suitable to the contemplative
life; according to Osee 2:14: "I will lead her into the
wilderness, and I will speak to her heart." Therefore it seems that
Christ should have led a solitary life.
Objection 3: Further, Christ's manner of life should have been
uniform: because it should always have given evidence of that which is
best. But at times Christ avoided the crowd and sought lonely
places: hence Remigius [Catena Aurea, Matth. 5:1],
commenting on Matthew, says: "We read that our Lord had three
places of refuge: the ship, the mountain, the desert; to one or
other of which He betook Himself whenever he was harassed by the
crowd." Therefore He ought always to have led a solitary life.
On the contrary, It is written (Baruch 3:38): "Afterwards
He was seen upon earth and conversed with men."
I answer that, Christ's manner of life had to be in keeping with the
end of His Incarnation, by reason of which He came into the world.
Now He came into the world, first, that He might publish the
truth. thus He says Himself (Jn. 18:37): "For this was I
born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give
testimony to the truth." Hence it was fitting not that He should
hide Himself by leading a solitary life, but that He should appear
openly and preach in public. Wherefore (Lk. 4:42,43) He
says to those who wished to stay Him: "To other cities also I must
preach the kingdom of God: for therefore am I sent."
Secondly, He came in order to free men from sin; according to 1
Tim. 1:15: "Christ Jesus came into this world to save
sinners." And hence, as Chrysostom says, "although Christ
might, while staying in the same place, have drawn all men to
Himself, to hear His preaching, yet He did not do so; thus giving
us the example to go about and seek those who perish, like the shepherd
in his search of the lost sheep, and the physician in his attendance on
the sick."
Thirdly, He came that by Him "we might have access to God," as
it is written (Rm. 5:2). And thus it was fitting that He
should give men confidence in approaching Him by associating familiarly
with them. Wherefore it is written (Mt. 9:10): "It came to
pass as He was sitting . . . in the house, behold, many publicans
and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and His disciples." On
which Jerome comments as follows: "They had seen the publican who
had been converted from a sinful to a better life: and consequently
they did not despair of their own salvation."
Reply to Objection 1: Christ wished to make His Godhead known
through His human nature. And therefore, since it is proper to man
to do so, He associated with men, at the same time manifesting His
Godhead to all, by preaching and working miracles, and by leading
among men a blameless and righteous life.
Reply to Objection 2: As stated in the SS, Question 182,
Article 1; SS, Question 188, Article 6, the contemplative
life is, absolutely speaking, more perfect than the active life,
because the latter is taken up with bodily actions: yet that form of
active life in which a man, by preaching and teaching, delivers to
others the fruits of his contemplation, is more perfect than the life
that stops at contemplation, because such a life is built on an
abundance of contemplation, and consequently such was the life chosen
by Christ.
Reply to Objection 3: Christ's action is our instruction. And
therefore, in order to teach preachers that they ought not to be for
ever before the public, our Lord withdrew Himself sometimes from the
crowd. We are told of three reasons for His doing this. First, for
the rest of the body: hence (Mk. 6:31) it is stated that our
Lord said to His disciples: "Come apart into a desert place, and
rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not
so much as time to eat." But sometimes it was for the sake of
prayer; thus it is written (Lk. 6:12): "It came to pass in
those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray; and He passed
the whole night in the prayer of God." On this Ambrose remarks that
"by His example He instructs us in the precepts of virtue." And
sometimes He did so in order to teach us to avoid the favor of men.
Wherefore Chrysostom, commenting on Mt. 5:1, Jesus, "seeing
the multitude, went up into a mountain," says: "By sitting not in
the city and in the market-place, but on a mountain and in a place of
solitude, He taught us to do nothing for show, and to withdraw from
the crowd, especially when we have to discourse of needful things."
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