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Objection 1: It would seem that God the Father did not deliver up
Christ to the Passion. For it is a wicked and cruel act to hand over
an innocent man to torment and death. But, as it is written (Dt.
32:4): "God is faithful, and without any iniquity."
Therefore He did not hand over the innocent Christ to His Passion
and death.
Objection 2: Further, it is not likely that a man be given over to
death by himself and by another also. But Christ gave Himself up for
us, as it is written (Is. 53:12): "He hath delivered His
soul unto death." Consequently it does not appear that God the
Father delivered Him up.
Objection 3: Further, Judas is held to be guilty because he
betrayed Christ to the Jews, according to Jn. 6:71: "One of
you is a devil," alluding to Judas, who was to betray Him. The
Jews are likewise reviled for delivering Him up to Pilate; as we
read in Jn. 18:35: "Thy own nation, and the chief priests
have delivered Thee up to me." Moreover, as is related in Jn.
19:16: Pilate "delivered Him to them to be crucified"; and
according to 2 Cor. 6:14: there is no "participation of justice
with injustice." It seems, therefore, that God the Father did not
deliver up Christ to His Passion.
On the contrary, It is written (Rm. 8:32): "God hath not
spared His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all."
I answer that, As observed above (Article 2), Christ suffered
voluntarily out of obedience to the Father. Hence in three respects
God the Father did deliver up Christ to the Passion. In the first
way, because by His eternal will He preordained Christ's Passion
for the deliverance of the human race, according to the words of
Isaias (53:6): "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquities of
us all"; and again (Is. 53:10): "The Lord was pleased to
bruise Him in infirmity." Secondly, inasmuch as, by the infusion
of charity, He inspired Him with the will to suffer for us; hence we
read in the same passage: "He was offered because it was His own
will" (Is. 53:7). Thirdly, by not shielding Him from the
Passion, but abandoning Him to His persecutors: thus we read
(Mt. 27:46) that Christ, while hanging upon the cross, cried
out: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" because,
to wit, He left Him to the power of His persecutors, as Augustine
says (Ep. cxl).
Reply to Objection 1: It is indeed a wicked and cruel act to hand
over an innocent man to torment and to death against his will. Yet
God the Father did not so deliver up Christ, but inspired Him with
the will to suffer for us. God's "severity" (cf. Rm.
11:22) is thereby shown, for He would not remit sin without
penalty: and the Apostle indicates this when (Rm. 8:32) he
says: "God spared not even His own Son." Likewise His
"goodness" (Rm. 11:22) shines forth, since by no penalty
endured could man pay Him enough satisfaction: and the Apostle
denotes this when he says: "He delivered Him up for us all": and,
again (Rm. 3:25): "Whom"---that is to say,
Christ---God "hath proposed to be a propitiation through faith in
His blood."
Reply to Objection 2: Christ as God delivered Himself up to death
by the same will and action as that by which the Father delivered Him
up; but as man He gave Himself up by a will inspired of the Father.
Consequently there is no contrariety in the Father delivering Him up
and in Christ delivering Himself up.
Reply to Objection 3: The same act, for good or evil, is judged
differently, accordingly as it proceeds from a different source. The
Father delivered up Christ, and Christ surrendered Himself, from
charity, and consequently we give praise to both: but Judas betrayed
Christ from greed, the Jews from envy, and Pilate from worldly
fear, for he stood in fear of Caesar; and these accordingly are held
guilty.
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