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Objection 1: It would seem that understanding is not a gift of the
Holy Ghost. For the gifts of grace are distinct from the gifts of
nature, since they are given in addition to the latter. Now
understanding is a natural habit of the soul, whereby self-evident
principles are known, as stated in Ethic. vi, 6. Therefore it
should not be reckoned among the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Objection 2: Further, the Divine gifts are shared by creatures
according to their capacity and mode, as Dionysius states (Div.
Nom. iv). Now the mode of human nature is to know the truth, not
simply (which is a sign of understanding), but discursively (which
is a sign of reason), as Dionysius explains (Div. Nom. vii).
Therefore the Divine knowledge which is bestowed on man, should be
called a gift of reason rather than a gift of understanding.
Objection 3: Further, in the powers of the soul the understanding
is condivided with the will (De Anima iii, 9,10). Now no gift
of the Holy Ghost is called after the will. Therefore no gift of the
Holy Ghost should receive the name of understanding.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 11:2): "The Spirit of
the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom of
understanding."
I answer that, Understanding implies an intimate knowledge, for
"intelligere" [to understand] is the same as "intus legere" [to
read inwardly]. This is clear to anyone who considers the difference
between intellect and sense, because sensitive knowledge is concerned
with external sensible qualities, whereas intellective knowledge
penetrates into the very essence of a thing, because the object of the
intellect is "what a thing is," as stated in De Anima iii, 6.
Now there are many kinds of things that are hidden within, to find
which human knowledge has to penetrate within so to speak. Thus,
under the accidents lies hidden the nature of the substantial reality,
under words lies hidden their meaning; under likenesses and figures the
truth they denote lies hidden (because the intelligible world is
enclosed within as compared with the sensible world, which is perceived
externally), and effects lie hidden in their causes, and vice versa.
Hence we may speak of understanding with regard to all these things.
Since, however, human knowledge begins with the outside of things as
it were, it is evident that the stronger the light of the
understanding, the further can it penetrate into the heart of things.
Now the natural light of our understanding is of finite power;
wherefore it can reach to a certain fixed point. Consequently man
needs a supernatural light in order to penetrate further still so as to
know what it cannot know by its natural light: and this supernatural
light which is bestowed on man is called the gift of understanding.
Reply to Objection 1: The natural light instilled within us,
manifests only certain general principles, which are known naturally.
But since man is ordained to supernatural happiness, as stated above
(Question 2, Article 3; FS, Question 3, Article 8), man
needs to reach to certain higher truths, for which he requires the gift
of understanding.
Reply to Objection 2: The discourse of reason always begins from an
understanding and ends at an understanding; because we reason by
proceeding from certain understood principles, and the discourse of
reason is perfected when we come to understand what hitherto we
ignored. Hence the act of reasoning proceeds from something previously
understood. Now a gift of grace does not proceed from the light of
nature, but is added thereto as perfecting it. Wherefore this
addition is not called "reason" but "understanding," since the
additional light is in comparison with what we know supernaturally,
what the natural light is in regard to those things which we known from
the first.
Reply to Objection 3: "Will" denotes simply a movement of the
appetite without indicating any excellence; whereas "understanding"
denotes a certain excellence of a knowledge that penetrates into the
heart of things. Hence the supernatural gift is called after the
understanding rather than after the will.
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