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Objection 1: It would seem that the angels will judge. For it is
written (Mt. 25:31): "When the Son of man shall come in
His majesty, and all the angels with Him." Now He is speaking of
His coming to judgment. Therefore it would seem that also the angels
will judge.
Objection 2: Further, the orders of the angels take their names
from the offices which they fulfill. Now one of the angelic orders is
that of the Thrones, which would seem to pertain to the judicial
power, since a throne is the "judicial bench, a royal seat, a
professor's chair" [St. Isidore, Etym. vii, 5]. Therefore
some of the angels will judge.
Objection 3: Further, equality with the angels is promised the
saints after this life (Mt. 22:30). If then men will have
this power of judging, much more will the angels have it.
On the contrary, It is written (Jn. 5:27): "He hath given
Him power to judgment, because He is the Son of man." But the
angels have not the human nature in common with Him. Neither
therefore do they share with Him in the judicial power.
Further, the same person is not judge and judge's minister. Now in
this judgment the angels will act as ministers of the Judge and,
according to Mt. 13:41: "The Son of man shall send His
angels and they shall gather out of His kingdom all scandals."
Therefore the angels will not judge.
I answer that, The judge's assessors must be conformed to the
judge. Now judgment is ascribed to the Son of man because He will
appear to all, both good and wicked, in His human nature, although
the whole Trinity will judge by authority. Consequently it behooves
also the Judge's assessors to have the human nature, so as to be
visible to all, both good and wicked. Hence it is not fitting for the
angels to judge, although in a certain sense we may say that the angels
will judge, namely by approving the sentence [Article 1].
Reply to Objection 1: As a gloss on this passage observes, the
angels will come with Christ, not to judge, but "as witnesses of
men's deeds because it was under their guardianship that men did well
or ill."
Reply to Objection 2: The name of Thrones is given to angels in
reference to the judgment which God is ever pronouncing, by governing
all things with supreme justice: of which judgment angels are in a way
the executors and promulgators. On the other hand, the judgment of
men by the man Christ will require human assessors.
Reply to Objection 3: Equality with angels is promised to men as
regards the essential reward. But nothing hinders an accidental reward
from being bestowed on men to the exclusion of the angels, as in the
case of the virgins' and martyrs' crowns: and the same may be said of
the judicial power.
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