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Objection 1: It would seem that in Christ there was not the
knowledge of the blessed or comprehensors. For the knowledge of the
blessed is a participation of Divine light, according to Ps.
35:10: "In Thy light we shall see light." Now Christ had
not a participated light, but He had the Godhead Itself
substantially abiding in Him, according to Col. 2:9: "For in
Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally." Therefore
in Christ there was not the knowledge of the blessed.
Objection 2: Further, the knowledge of the blessed makes them
blessed, according to Jn. 17:3: "This is eternal life: that
they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom
Thou hast sent." But this Man was blessed through being united to
God in person, according to Ps. 64:5: "Blessed is He Whom
Thou hast chosen and taken to Thee." Therefore it is not necessary
to suppose the knowledge of the blessed in Him.
Objection 3: Further, to man belongs a double knowledge---one by
nature, one above nature. Now the knowledge of the blessed, which
consists in the vision of God, is not natural to man, but above his
nature. But in Christ there was another and much higher supernatural
knowledge, i.e. the Divine knowledge. Therefore there was no need
of the knowledge of the blessed in Christ.
On the contrary, The knowledge of the blessed consists in the
knowledge of God. But He knew God fully, even as He was man,
according to Jn. 8:55: "I do know Him, and do keep His
word." Therefore in Christ there was the knowledge of the blessed.
I answer that, What is in potentiality is reduced to act by what is
in act; for that whereby things are heated must itself be hot. Now
man is in potentiality to the knowledge of the blessed, which consists
in the vision of God; and is ordained to it as to an end; since the
rational creature is capable of that blessed knowledge, inasmuch as he
is made in the image of God. Now men are brought to this end of
beatitude by the humanity of Christ, according to Heb. 2:10:
"For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all
things, Who had brought many children unto glory, to perfect the
author of their salvation by His passion." And hence it was
necessary that the beatific knowledge, which consists in the vision of
God, should belong to Christ pre-eminently, since the cause ought
always to be more efficacious than the effect.
Reply to Objection 1: The Godhead is united to the manhood of
Christ in Person, not in essence or nature; yet with the unity of
Person remains the distinction of natures. And therefore the soul of
Christ, which is a part of human nature, through a light participated
from the Divine Nature, is perfected with the beatific knowledge
whereby it sees God in essence.
Reply to Objection 2: By the union this Man is blessed with the
uncreated beatitude, even as by the union He is God; yet besides the
uncreated beatitude it was necessary that there should be in the human
nature of Christ a created beatitude, whereby His soul was
established in the last end of human nature.
Reply to Objection 3: The beatific vision and knowledge are to some
extent above the nature of the rational soul, inasmuch as it cannot
reach it of its own strength; but in another way it is in accordance
with its nature, inasmuch as it is capable of it by nature, having
been made to the likeness of God, as stated above. But the uncreated
knowledge is in every way above the nature of the human soul.
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