Tertia Pars
109. Summa III q.49 aa.4–6: Reconciled to God, the Gate of Heaven Opened, and Christ's Exaltation
Class of 2010-10-12
https://berquistcourse.com/course/theology/13-tertia-pars/109-summa-iii-q-49-aa-4-6-reconciled-to-god-the-gate-of-heaven/

[0:00] So we entirely liberated then from punishment, huh? By Christ's death. Huh? Eventually. Okay. Whether we're going to be reconciled now to God, right? To the fourth one goes forth. Thus, it seems that through the passion of Christ, we are not reconciled to what God.

[0:32] For reconciliation has no place among what friends. But God always what loves us according to that of the Book of Wisdom, chapter eleven. He loves all things which are, and he hates none of those which he has made. Right? Because he hasn't made sin, though, has he? Therefore, the passion of Christ does not reconcile us to God.

[1:08] So is the prodigal son reconciled to his father? I think so. Not reconciled to his brother. I mean, but what does that mean though? Because his father had never stopped loving him, had he?

[1:26] That's the argument saying, yes, right. The father had never stopped loving him, so. On his part. Yeah. Yeah. Because he had rejected his father. Yeah. Yeah. So he loved his son, but didn't love his stupidity. Yeah.

[1:45] Didn't love the obstacles the son placed. But still he had to come back to his father to be reconciled, right? Huh? We'll see what Thomas says, but just thinking of that story, that parable that we're told. More of the same is not able to be a beginning and a what effect. Whence grace, which is the beginning of meriting, it does not fall under merit. Huh? But the love of God is the beginning of the passion of Christ, according to that of John three.

[2:20] For God so loved the world, huh, that he gave his only begotten Son. Therefore, it does not seem that through the passion of Christ we are what reconciled to God. Thus, that newly we what. He would begin to love. us. He would begin to love us, huh? In a new way. Yeah. Or de novo might not mean in a new way, but just uh, well, I don't know.

[2:56] Okay. Three. Moreover, the passion of Christ is fulfilled through men killing Christ, who from this gravely offended God, right? Therefore, the passion of Christ is more the cause of indignation, or anger, than reconciliation with God.

[3:18] But against all this is what the apostle says, Romans five, chapter verse ten: We are reconciled to God through the death of His Son. huh? Seems so like Jehovah's Witness arguments. At least it seems.

[3:38] So, so you can see how theology and scripture helped here, right? Text there is brought in here, and then you read this and study about this, then you're struck when you read that again.

[3:53] I answer: It should be said that the passion of Christ is a cause of our reconciliation to God in two ways. huh? Thomas has a distinct knowledge of things compared to we who have a confused knowledge of things.

[4:15] In one way, in so far as it removes sin, through which men are constituted enemies of God, according to that of Wisdom, chapter fourteen. In like way,

[4:31] they are hateful, right, to God. The impious man and his what, Impiety. huh? Who says God doesn't hate the sinner, but just the sin, huh? Yeah. You

[4:46] have to make some distinctions there, right? In Psalm five or seven, he hates all who do bad things. Yeah, iniquity. Okay. In another way, insofar as it is a sacrifice most acceptable to God,

[5:18] for this is properly the effect of sacrifice that through it God is what. Placated, or pleased? No, not what the Greeks thought, right? There he goes.

[5:39] Must have got this from Homer, Thomas. Oh, it's interesting because one appease, placate, and reconcile—three meanings. Yeah. Just as man remits the offense committed towards him, right, on account of some service, right,

[6:03] acceptable service that is shown to him, right. Whence it is said in the first book of Kings, chapter twenty six, if the Lord what? Incite you against me. It's me. The sacrifice would be hated. Right. Let him accept the sacrifice? Oh. Oderage, sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah. And

[6:34] likewise, so good it was that Christ voluntarily suffered. That, on account of this, the good found in human nature, right? That God was what pleased or placated, you might say, maybe about all the what offense of the human race as regards those who join themselves to Christ, what suffering in the foresaid what Way, right?

[7:13] Join my faith and charity, etc. Yeah, looks back to that first article, which is about being freed from sin, right? Because that was in here, right? Mm-hmm. Entered into the the third one. Mm-hmm. Entered into the second one, right? Mm-hmm. Okay. But then, in so far as it's the most acceptable sacrifice, because the love with which Christ underwent it. So. Okay.

[7:55] To the first, therefore, it should be said that God loves all men as regards the nature which He Himself has made, right? Huh. But He hates them as regards the what guilt which men commit against Him, right? Mm-hmm. According to that of Ecclesiasticus twelve, the Most High has in hate sinners, right? Mm-hmm. Now I don't know if you want to stick this in your sermons or not.

[8:31] Good thing to put in there. Yeah. I told you I was in the bookstore there one time, and I saw a work by who is it uh Saint Bernard of Clairvaux It was a meditation to gain the fear of the Lord? Right. Now that's. Yeah. What you don't very often find nowadays, you know. St Robert Bellarmine has one on the torments of the damned. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[8:55] Fear of God in you. Yeah. That should be the standard thing in the old, you know, parish missions. You know, the the four last things. You know, It's worth thinking about? But yeah. Why is it one of the parishes? Somebody walking out after church, you know, he collapsed in his steps, and you know, heart attack or something. You know, and that was the occasion for the next sermon.

[9:22] You know. Yeah, yeah. You never, you never know when, when your time comes, you know, when you're not going to be around anymore. I think that happened in one of the Father John Ray's parishes. One Japanese man that went to his parish and he had a heart attack and died right in church.

[9:46] Not because of the sermon. We hope. not. I didn't hear that part I can't say. I guess Cotton Matha there. He's buried in. That little cemetery there in downtown Boston, you know, that kind of a historic cemetery. Cotton Mather, that's the guy with the old fire and brimstone that scared the wits out of his congregation. Yeah.

[10:16] Now, what about starting to love us and so on? To the second, it should be said that Christ is not said in this respect to reconcile us to God; that He began to what? Love us again. Yeah.

[10:32] To know, right? Since it's written, I have loved you with a perpetual what? Love. But because through the passion of Christ is taken away the cause of hate, huh?

[10:49] Both on account of the washing away of sin, right? And also on account of the recompense of a more acceptable good. I guess referring back to the yeah sacrifice aspect.

[11:14] Now, what about the the wicked people who did this and so on? How can this be reconciling us? To three, it should be said that just as those who killed Christ were men, right? Huh? So also the Christ killed was a man, huh? But greater was the charity of Christ's suffering than the iniquity of the what? Yeah. And therefore, the passion of Christ is more valuable, shall we say, to reconciling God to the whole human race than provoking to what anger.

[11:53] That's that's got very interesting, you know, because you can contrast the two, right? Huh? The iniquity of those who killed them, their sin. Even Christ Himself is sometimes angry with the. You know, He said in Scripture to be angry, right? With the hardness of their hearts, right? You see, there's one two passages at least in Scripture, you know. And yet, God is what more pleased, you know.

[12:27] That goes back to the question of charity as a kind of friendship. For the sake of this friend, if you mean love, not hatred. A Shakespeare in those last plays, the kind of mercy and forgiveness plays, I call them right. You have something like that, right? Because some man's, you know, charity, when I put it, you know, is more pleasing, you know, than than the iniquity of the man that he's.

[13:01] intercedes for. Angelo right? Which one is it? Which place? Which one is it? Which one is this one? No, measure for measure. Measure for measure. Just taking the scripture, right? The words, measure for measure, right? Yeah. Take a little break now. Now down to Article Five, I guess. Whether the Christ by His Passion opened for us the gate of heaven. to the fifth one precedes us. It seems that Christ by His Passion did not open for us the gate of heaven.

[14:05] For it is said in Proverbs eleven eighteen, to the one sowing justice, there is a faithful reward. But the reward of justice is entry into the heavenly kingdom. Therefore, it seems that the holy fathers who did the deeds of justice faithfully achieved entry into the heavenly kingdom, even without the passion of Christ. Therefore, the passion of Christ was not the cause of the opening of the gate of the gate to heaven, gate of the heavenly kingdom.

[14:52] Moreover, before the passion of Christ, Elias was taken up into heaven, as is said in the Fourth Book of Kings. But the effect does not precede the cause. Therefore, it seems that the opening of the heavenly gate was not an effect of the passion of Christ. Moreover, as is read in Matthew three, Christ,

[15:18] yeah, the heavens opened up, but the baptism precedes passion. Therefore, the opening of heaven is not an effect of the passion of Christ. Moreover,

[15:29] it is said he ascended, preparing the way before us. But nothing other seems to be preparing the way to heaven than to open the what gate. Therefore, it seems that again heaven is open for us not to the passion but to the ascension of Christ. Okay. You thoroughly confuse the matter. Yeah. So no teacher can say this teacher is to confuse the issue.

[15:59] But against this is what the apostle says Hebrews ten. We have confidence in entry of the saints, the holy places, in the blood of what Christ. I answered, it should be said that the closing of the gate, This is kind of a metaphor. Is the obstacle right? Is a certain obstacle preventing men from entering? Men are prevented from entering the heavenly kingdom on account of sin. Just as is said in Isaiah chapter thirty-five.

[16:34] That way is called holy, and there are not passed over by anyone who is polluted with sin. I guess, but there is a twofold sin impeding one from the entry into the heavenly kingdom. One is that common to the whole human race, which is the sin of the first parent, and through this sin, every man was prevented from entering into the heavenly kingdom. Whence is read in Genesis three twenty four that after the sin of the first man, God what placed there the cherubim and a flaming sword?

[17:13] Turn around, sorry, right to guard him the way to the life, the tree of life. Another is a special sin of each person through his own act, through his own act is committed. Yeah,

[17:32] but the passion of Christ through the passion of Christ, we are liberated not only from the common sin of the whole human race as regards both the guilt and the punishment. He

[17:48] paying the price for us, but also from one's own sins, right, the sins of each one who communicate to his passion through faith and charity and the sacraments of faith. And therefore, through the passion of Christ, is opened for us the door of the heavenly kingdom, and this is what the apostle says, Hebrews nine, that Christ, the

[18:17] high priest of the future goods, through his own blood entered once into the holy holies, right. Um, having found eternal what redemption, and this is signified in Numbers chapter thirty five, for it is said that the homicide will what in the city of refuge until the great priest dies, who is anointed. the holy oil Yeah. Who having died?

[19:00] Yeah, what you'll be able to go back to this house, yeah. It's interesting Yeah but the slayer will be innocent That is the man who has slain without hatred and envy. What's this, the homicide, right? Yeah.

[19:30] Okay, now what about the. The fathers, yeah. About the doing the deeds of justice, right? To the first, therefore, it should be said that the Holy Fathers doing the deeds of justice, merited entry into the heavenly kingdom through faith in the passion of Christ, according to that of Hebrews chapter eleven. The saints, through faith, conquered kingdoms. Huh? They worked justice. Through which also each one is purged from sin, as regards the cleansing of his own person, right?

[20:20] But nevertheless, the faith of one person, right, or his justice, does not suffice to remove the impediment that was present through the uh guilt you might say of the whole human creature, right? Which was removed by the price of the blood of Christ, and therefore, before the passion of Christ, no one could enter the heavenly kingdom by what obtaining eternal beatitude, which consists in the full what enjoyment of God,

[20:57] huh? To effect the original sin, there, right? The effect of the only God could do that. And what about Elias? Huh? Oh, he was raised up to the aerial heaven, right? Not to the imperium heaven, which is the place of the blessed, huh? And similarly, there Hanaka, who was carried up to the what a terrestrial paradise, where he is believed to live together with Elias, right, until the advent of the Antichrist.

[21:39] That would be the two witnesses, yeah. Interesting. When you read the life of Columbus, I guess he believed the New World there. There was going to be this. That's where the Cardinal had been, you know. Oh. And that there was a place where it raised up, you know, and then top of that's where it was.

[22:10] Okay. Now, what about baptism of Christ? When the heavens opened up, it should be said, as has been said above, that Christ being baptized, the heavens opened up. Not in the count of Christ Himself, to whom always the heaven was open, you might say, right? But to signify that the heaven is open to the baptized by the baptism of Christ, which has efficacy from his passion. I knew he was going to say that.

[22:51] To the fourth, it should be said: It's about the ascension. That Christ by his passion merited for us entry into the heavenly kingdom, and he removed impediment. But through his passion, he has already induced us into the possession of the heavenly what kingdom? And therefore it is said that ascending, he prepared the what trip before us. We're going to send it to the sky too.

[23:23] Okay. Now, whether Christ through his own passion merited to be exalted, right? To the sixth, one proceeds thus: It seems that Christ through his own passion did not. merit. To be exalted

[23:43] for just as knowledge of the truth is proper to God, so also sublimity, according to that of Psalm one twelve, raised up above all nations the Lord and above the heavens is His what glory. But Christ, according as man, had knowledge of all truth, not from some preceding merit, but from the union of God and man, according to that of John one, we saw his glory is that of the only begotten, from the Father, full of grace and truth.

[24:21] Therefore, neither exaltation did he have from the merit of passion, but from the union alone. Maybe something about his body, right? Moreover, Christ merited from the first instant of his conception, as has been said above. But there was not greater charity in him in the time of passion than what before, Christ is not? Growing in the virtues and going from virtue to virtue like the saints do.

[24:50] Um. Therefore, since charity is is a principle of meriting, it seems that he did not merit more through his his he did not merit his exaltation more through his passion than before, right? Objection. Yeah.

[25:16] Moreover, the glory of the body results in the glory of the soul, as Augustine says in the Epistle to Deoscaris. But Christ, through his passion, did not merit exaltation as regards the glory of the soul, because his soul was blessed from the first instant of his conception. Therefore, also neither through his passion did he merit exaltation as regards the glory of the body. It naturally results from the glory of the soul, right?

[25:46] But against all this is what is said in Philippians chapter two. He was made obedient, unto death, right? The death, however, of the cross, on account of which God has what exalted him.

[26:02] Well, my answer myself Thomas says, that merit implies a certain equality with, the justice. Whence Apostle says and to the one who works right, a mer reward I guess is imputed according to a kind of debt, it's kind of owed to him as it were. Now, when someone from his own unjust will attributes to himself more than he ought, right? It is just that he be diminished, right?

[26:39] As regards that which is owed to him, as who steals one sheep, is it renders four, right? As is said in Exodus twenty-two, and he is said to merit this in so far as through this he is is punished.

[27:06] One who has a bad will. Yeah. That's what Zacchaeus said about the Friday night. Yeah. Thus also, when someone from a just will takes away what he ought to have,

[27:28] takes away from himself. Yeah, yeah. He merits that something further be added above, right? As it were, the merit of his just will, and thus it is said in Luke fourteen, who humbles himself shall be what exalted.

[27:51] But Christ, however, in his passion humbled himself below his dignity in four ways. First, as regards his very passion and death, of which he was not a debtor. Second, as regards the place, because his body was placed in the what tomb, his soul in hell, right? Third, as regards the confusion and the insults, I guess, right, which he sustains. Fourth, as regards this, that he was handed over to what human power, according as he says to Pilate, "Huh, you have not having any power unless it is given to you from above."

[28:41] And therefore, through his passion, he merited exaltation, as regards four things. First, as regards his glorious resurrection, whence it is said in Psalm one thirty-eight, "You know my sitting down," that is the humility of my passion and my resurrection, right?

[29:06] Second, as regards his ascent to heaven, right, whence it is said, Ephesians four, he descended first in the lower parts of the earth, and the one who descends, he it is also who ascends over all the heavens.

[29:24] Third, as regards the concession of the right hand of the Father, right, and the manifestation of his divinity. According to that of Isaiah's chapter fifty-two, he will be exalted and elevated, and he will be very sublime, right? Just as

[29:48] many over him, thus. So and so glorious will be his aspect, his look, my man. I suppose they'll be astonished at his humility. Instead of being astonished at his glory after seeing his humility. Yeah. And Philippians two, he was made obedient unto death, the death of the cross, on account of which God has exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that to it by all he would be named God, and all would show him what reverence.

[30:30] And this is what is joined, that in the name of Jesus every knee might be bent, right? Celestial, terrestrial, and infernal. And fourth, as regards the judiciary power, for it is said in Job thirty-six, your cause is that of the what impious was judged. You receive judgment and what

[31:02] cause? Whatever that means exactly. Thy cause has been judged as that of the wicked. Cause and judgment, thou shalt recover. Yeah. Doesn't explain it.

[31:19] No, because of the false judgment, he deserves to judge, right? To say case like a court case. Yeah, you're kind of wondering, yeah. He had it in Shakespeare. Where's the direct? The man has been falsely accused, you know, and then he's made the the judge of his own case, right? You know, it's kind of. To the first, therefore, should be said that the beginning of meriting is on the side of the soul, right?

[31:57] But the body is the tool of a meritorious act, and therefore the perfection of the soul of Christ, which was the beginning of meriting, ought not in him to be acquired through what? Right. Just as the perfection of the body, which was subject to the passion, and through this was the tool of what meritor.

[32:45] So the same with soul, Christ was not perfected through its what, through its merit, right? But the body could be right, and it would would would

[33:04] depend upon the soul for this, right? But but but the actual meritorious act would be in the bodily suffering, right? I think that's what it says in the Hebrews about he learned obedience from what he suffered. Yeah. But was it impossible that the body would lack its certain perfection, right? You know, and therefore it could be in certain merit, in certain perfection, right? Or the soul already was perfect, right?

[33:34] So the Christ merited something in in his his soul because even the four things he gives in the body article: the first is the resurrection of the body, right? And the ascension heaven. That's really more the the body, right? And then sitting at the right hand, but even the judgment is is given in his human bodily presence, right?

[34:13] Now, what about being merited from the first instant of his conception? Well, I say a little different than what I said here. Through his prior merits, Christ merited exaltation from the side of his what soul, whose will was informed by charity and other virtues. But in the passion, he merited his exaltation by way of a certain what recompense, also from the side of the body, for it's just that the body, which was from love from charity, subject to passion, right?

[34:52] Would receive a compensation in what glory? Now, what about the glory of the body resulting from the glory of the soul? Well, we know that Christ did not allow that glory to flourish, right? It should be said that by a certain dispensation was made in Christ that the glory of the soul before the passion did not redound to the body.

[35:27] In order that he might obtain the glory of the body. In a what more honorable way, right? When he merited it through his what passion.

[35:42] But the glory of the soul was not suitable to be deferred, because the soul was immediately united to the Word. Hence, it was what fitting, yeah, that it be filled with glory from the Word, right? But the body is united to the Word by means of the soul, right?

[36:18] So he's talking about what meriting exaltation of his body, right? What his body underwent, huh? Commanded by soul. I should stop there, huh? Next question, Thomas doesn't leave anything untouched here, huh? Death of Christ, now. The burial, right? The death and then the burial, right? Death, burial, descent. In the descent, in fairness, we were talking about one time the forgotten article. You have it in one the creeds, not the other one.

[37:12] I don't think it's in the Nicene Creed. Yeah, it's in the Apostles' Creed, right? Yeah, Nicene Creed. Yeah, the guy that said in the in the Nicene Creed that he said that he died strictly, just as he suffered. Apostles said, "Supposed to say." I suppose his death and stuff like that, too. Did he suffer, died,

[37:37] was buried? We say it in English, but not actually in Latin. Apostles said, "Supposed to say." But I suppose you could say it includes death.