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Objection 1: It seems that no created intellect can see the essence
of God. For Chrysostom (Hom. xiv. in Joan.) commenting on
Jn. 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time," says: "Not
prophets only, but neither angels nor archangels have seen God. For
how can a creature see what is increatable?" Dionysius also says
(Div. Nom. i), speaking of God: "Neither is there sense, nor
image, nor opinion, nor reason, nor knowledge of Him."
Objection 2: Further, everything infinite, as such, is unknown.
But God is infinite, as was shown above (Question 7, Article
1). Therefore in Himself He is unknown.
Objection 3: Further, the created intellect knows only existing
things. For what falls first under the apprehension of the intellect
is being. Now God is not something existing; but He is rather
super-existence, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv). Therefore
God is not intelligible; but above all intellect.
Objection 4: Further, there must be some proportion between the
knower and the known, since the known is the perfection of the knower.
But no proportion exists between the created intellect and God; for
there is an infinite distance between them. Therefore the created
intellect cannot see the essence of God.
On the contrary, It is written: "We shall see Him as He is"
(1 Jn. 2:2).
I answer that, Since everything is knowable according as it is
actual, God, Who is pure act without any admixture of potentiality,
is in Himself supremely knowable. But what is supremely knowable in
itself, may not be knowable to a particular intellect, on account of
the excess of the intelligible object above the intellect; as, for
example, the sun, which is supremely visible, cannot be seen by the
bat by reason of its excess of light.
Therefore some who considered this, held that no created intellect can
see the essence of God. This opinion, however, is not tenable.
For as the ultimate beatitude of man consists in the use of his highest
function, which is the operation of his intellect; if we suppose that
the created intellect could never see God, it would either never
attain to beatitude, or its beatitude would consist in something else
beside God; which is opposed to faith. For the ultimate perfection
of the rational creature is to be found in that which is the principle
of its being; since a thing is perfect so far as it attains to its
principle. Further the same opinion is also against reason. For
there resides in every man a natural desire to know the cause of any
effect which he sees; and thence arises wonder in men. But if the
intellect of the rational creature could not reach so far as to the
first cause of things, the natural desire would remain void.
Hence it must be absolutely granted that the blessed see the essence of
God.
Reply to Objection 1: Both of these authorities speak of the vision
of comprehension. Hence Dionysius premises immediately before the
words cited, "He is universally to all incomprehensible," etc.
Chrysostom likewise after the words quoted says: "He says this of
the most certain vision of the Father, which is such a perfect
consideration and comprehension as the Father has of the Son."
Reply to Objection 2: The infinity of matter not made perfect by
form, is unknown in itself, because all knowledge comes by the form;
whereas the infinity of the form not limited by matter, is in itself
supremely known. God is Infinite in this way, and not in the first
way: as appears from what was said above (Question 7, Article
1).
Reply to Objection 3: God is not said to be not existing as if He
did not exist at all, but because He exists above all that exists;
inasmuch as He is His own existence. Hence it does not follow that
He cannot be known at all, but that He exceeds every kind of
knowledge; which means that He is not comprehended.
Reply to Objection 4: Proportion is twofold. In one sense it
means a certain relation of one quantity to another, according as
double, treble and equal are species of proportion. In another sense
every relation of one thing to another is called proportion. And in
this sense there can be a proportion of the creature to God, inasmuch
as it is related to Him as the effect of its cause, and as
potentiality to its act; and in this way the created intellect can be
proportioned to know God.
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