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Dist. 16, Art. 1, Q. 2

Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 16

Textus Latinus
p. 348

Quaestio II. Utrum in Christo fuerit acerbissimus dolor.

Secundo quaeritur de doloris acerbitate, et est quaestio, utrum in Christo fuerit dolor acerbissimus. Et quod sic, videtur.

1. Threnorum primop348-1: O vos omnes, qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte, si est dolor, sicut dolor meus; hoc dicitur in persona Christi: ergo videtur, quod nullus alius dolor habeat illi aequari.

2. Item, in Psalmop348-2: Omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me, dicitur in persona Christi; sed non omnes induxit quantum ad varietatem: ergo omnes induxit quantum ad aequivalentiam et acerbitatem.

3. Item, ratione videtur. Quanto complexio nobilior est, tanto passio doloris in ea est acerbior; sed Christus nobilissimam habuit complexionem — nobilitas enim complexionis respondet nobilitati animaep348-3 — ergo cum Christus nobilissimam animam habuerit, habuit ergo in patiendo maximam doloris afflictionem.

4. Item, quanto sensus tactus est vivacior, tanto dolor, qui est secundum sensum, est acutior, unde in illis membris, in quibus viget sensus tactus, est dolor acutissimus; sed in Christo fuit sensus tactus vivacissimus; « prudentissimum enim animalium est homo », ut dicit Philosophusp348-4, et inter omnes Christus, cum fuerit optime dispositus: ergo dolor, quem sensit, super omnes dolores fuit acutissimus.

5. Item, quanto maius est bonum, quod amittitur, tanto maiorem infert dolorem ei qui cognoscit et habet usum rationis; sed vita Christi erat nobilissima, et passio illa vitam perimebat: ergo dolorem illi animae acutissimum inferebatp348-5.

6. Item, tanto poena est acerbior, quanto velocius virtutem naturae deiicit, maxime ubi aliquod membrorum principalium non corrumpit; sed Christus in Cruce suspensus adeo cito fuit mortuus, ut etiam miraretur Pilatusp348-6: ergo videtur, quod dolor eius gravissimus fuisset.

Sed contra hoc: 1. Primo obiicitur a parte generis poenae, quia poena ignis acutius affligit quam poena ferri; sed Laurentius et Vincentius exusti fuerunt in igne: ergo videtur, quod maiorem dolorem senserint quam Christus.

2. Item, hoc ipsum ostenditur a parte voluntatis patiendi, quia, quanto aliquis magis desiderat pati, tanto minus dolet in patiendo; sed Christus vehementer desiderabat pati pro genere humano, sicut dicitur in Lucae duodecimop348-7: Baptismo habeo baptizari, et quomodo coarctor, usque dum perficiatur etc.: ergo videtur, quod dolor eius valde parum de acerbitate habuit.

3. Item, hoc ipsum ostenditur a parte adiutorii, quia quanto homo maiorem habet caritatem, tanto facilius sustinet cruciatum poenae; sed Christus maximae caritatis fuit: ergo facillime tormenta portavit: ergo valde parum doluit.

4. Item, hoc ipsum videtur a parte boni amissi, quia, quanto maius est bonum, quod perditur, tanto maior dolor est ei qui amittit; sed peccator perdidit Deum, qui est maius bonum, quam sit vita ista corporalis: ergo videtur, quod acerbior dolor sit in viro contrito et poenitente, quam fuerit in Christo patiente.

5. Item, hoc ipsum ostenditur a parte recompensationis, quia, quanto alicui fit maior et melior recompensatio de bono amisso, tanto mitiorp348-8 est dolor; sed Christo pro dolore passionis et expositione vitae suae restituebatur stola gloriae in se et in ceteris membris suis: ergo etc.

6. Item, hoc ipsum ostenditur ex parte spei, quia quanto aliquis certius exspectat liberationem, tanto minus affligitur in passione; sed Christus certissimus erat de liberatione proxima: ergo videtur, quod afflictio eius erat valde modica.

Conclusio

Dolor passionis Christi inter ceteros dolores fuit acerbissimus et acutissimus.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod dolor passionis Christi inter ceteros dolores et passiones fuit acerbissimus et acutissimus. Et hoc patet, si illa considerentur, quae doloris passionem acerbiorem reddunt. Haec autem sunt tria, videlicet causa passionis et modus patiendi et conditio patientis.

p. 349

Si consideretur causa, ob quam Christus passus est, fuit in eo doloris afflictio magna. Non enim patiebatur pro culpa propria, immo pro aliena; non pro amicis tantum, sed etiamp349-1 pro inimicis, et etiam pro his quos videbat ingratos. — Si autem consideretur modus patiendi, fuit in eo passio doloris acerbior, tum propter generalitatem, quia in omnibus membris affligebatur, tum etiam propter continuitatem, quia suspendium eius continuabatur, et clavi adeo affligebant pendentem, sicut afflixerunt, quando manus eius et pedes confodiebantur, in quibus maxima erat afflictio propter nervos et musculosp349-2 ibidem concurrentes, in quibus praecipue viget sensus. — Si autem consideretur qualitas sive conditio patientis, maxima erat afflictio propter maximam complexionis aequalitatem et propter sensus vivacitatem. Unde quia nullus potuit ei aequari nec in aequalitate complexionis nec in vivacitate sensus, dolor illius omnium dolorum fuit acutissimusp349-3.

Et ideo rationes, quae hoc ostendunt, concedamus; et ei gratias, quantas possumus et supra quam possumus, referamus, si quo modo donetur nobis, ut tam graviter patienti compatiamur. — Rationes vero, quae obiiciuntur ad contrarium, quae ostendunt mitigationem doloris Christi, non obviant veritati, si recte intelligantur. Contingit enim esse acerbitatem in dolore quantum ad duo, videlicet quantum ad experientiam sensus et quantum ad repugnationemp349-4 rationis. Licet autem in Christo fuerit maxima doloris afflictio quantum ad experientiam sensus; ratio tamen Christi modicos reputabat omnes illos cruciatus, hoc tamen non auferebat acerbitatem, sed rationis subversionem.

Ad opposita: Ad 2, 3, 5, 6. Et per hoc patet responsio ad illas quatuor rationes, quae sumuntur ex parte voluntatis desiderantis, ex parte caritatis adiuvantis, ex parte recompensationis et ex parte exspectationis.

Ad 1. Ad illud quod obiicitur ex parte generis poenae, dicendum, quod ratio illa procedit ex insufficienti. Acerbitas enim poenae non tantum pensatur ex parte agentis, quantum ex parte patientis. « Actus enim activorum est in patiente dispositop349-5 »; et quia qualitas in Christo reddebat ipsum ad maiorem dolorem dispositum, ideo bene concedo, quod clavus ferreus multo plus afflixit Christum, quam ignis Laurentium.

Ad 4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod dolor in contrito excedit dolorem in Christo propter quantitatem boni amissi; dicendum, quod damnificatio per se non infert dolorem, sed sensus damnificationisp349-6; quamvis autem peccator maius bonum amittat, quia tamen non magis sentit, sed minus, non sequitur, quod magis doleat, ut plurimum. Valde enim parum affligitur, quamvis magnam dolendi habeat rationem et causamp349-7.

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English Translation

Question II. Whether in Christ there was a most bitter pain.

Secondly it is asked concerning the bitterness of pain, and the question is whether in Christ there was a most bitter pain. And that there was, it seems.

1. Lamentations, chapter onep348-1: O all you who pass by the way, attend and see, if there is any sorrow like my sorrow; this is said in the person of Christ: therefore it seems that no other pain can be equaled to his.

2. Likewise, in the Psalmp348-2: You have brought in upon me all your billows, is said in the person of Christ; but he did not bring them all in as regards variety: therefore he brought them all in as regards equivalence and bitterness.

3. Likewise, it seems so by reason. The nobler the complexion, the more bitter is the suffering of pain in it; but Christ had the noblest complexion — for the nobility of the complexion corresponds to the nobility of the soulp348-3 — therefore since Christ had the noblest soul, he had therefore in suffering the greatest affliction of pain.

4. Likewise, the more lively the sense of touch, the sharper is the pain which is according to sense, whence in those members in which the sense of touch is vigorous, the pain is sharpest; but in Christ the sense of touch was most lively; for « man is the most prudent of the animals », as the Philosopher saysp348-4, and among all men Christ, since he was the best disposed: therefore the pain which he felt was sharpest above all pains.

5. Likewise, the greater the good which is lost, the greater the pain it brings on him who knows it and has the use of reason; but the life of Christ was the noblest, and that suffering was destroying his life: therefore it inflicted the sharpest pain on that soulp348-5.

6. Likewise, a penalty is the more bitter the more swiftly it casts down the strength of nature, especially where it does not destroy any of the principal members; but Christ, suspended on the Cross, died so quickly that even Pilate marveledp348-6: therefore it seems that his pain was most grievous.

On the contrary: 1. First it is objected on the part of the kind of penalty, because the penalty of fire afflicts more sharply than the penalty of iron; but Lawrence and Vincent were burned in fire: therefore it seems that they felt greater pain than Christ.

2. Likewise, the same is shown on the part of the will to suffer, because, the more one desires to suffer, the less he grieves in suffering; but Christ vehemently desired to suffer for the human race, as is said in Luke chapter twelvep348-7: I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished etc.: therefore it seems that his pain had very little of bitterness.

3. Likewise, the same is shown on the part of the aid, because the greater the charity a man has, the more easily he bears the torment of penalty; but Christ was of the greatest charity: therefore he bore the torments most easily: therefore he grieved very little.

4. Likewise, the same seems so on the part of the good lost, because, the greater the good which is lost, the greater the pain to him who loses it; but the sinner lost God, who is a greater good than this bodily life: therefore it seems that there is more bitter pain in a contrite and penitent man than there was in the suffering Christ.

5. Likewise, the same is shown on the part of the recompense, because, the greater and better the recompense made to someone for the good lost, the milderp348-8 the pain; but to Christ, for the pain of the passion and the exposing of his life, there was being restored the robe of glory in himself and in his other members: therefore etc.

6. Likewise, the same is shown on the part of hope, because the more certainly one expects deliverance, the less he is afflicted in suffering; but Christ was most certain of his deliverance soon to come: therefore it seems that his affliction was very moderate.

Conclusion

The pain of Christ's passion among other pains was most bitter and most sharp.

I respond: It must be said that the pain of Christ's passion, among other pains and sufferings, was most bitter and most sharp. And this is plain if those things are considered which render the suffering of pain more bitter. These are three, namely the cause of the suffering and the manner of suffering and the condition of the sufferer.

If the cause is considered, on account of which Christ suffered, there was in him a great affliction of pain. For he was not suffering for his own fault, but rather for another's; not for friends only, but alsop349-1 for enemies, and even for those whom he saw to be ungrateful. — But if the manner of suffering is considered, there was in him a more bitter suffering of pain, both on account of its generality, because he was afflicted in all his members, and also on account of its continuity, because his hanging was continuous, and the nails afflicted him hanging as much as they afflicted him when his hands and feet were pierced, in which the affliction was greatest on account of the nerves and musclesp349-2 meeting there, in which sense is especially vigorous. — But if the quality or condition of the sufferer is considered, the affliction was greatest on account of the greatest evenness of complexion and on account of the liveliness of sense. Whence, because no one could be equaled to him either in evenness of complexion or in liveliness of sense, his pain was the sharpest of all painsp349-3.

And therefore let us grant the reasons which show this; and let us return him thanks, as much as we can and beyond what we can, if in any way it be granted us to suffer along with one suffering so grievously. — But the reasons which are objected to the contrary, which show a mitigation of Christ's pain, do not oppose the truth, if they are rightly understood. For it happens that there is bitterness in pain in two respects, namely as regards the experience of sense and as regards the repugnancep349-4 of reason. But although there was in Christ the greatest affliction of pain as regards the experience of sense; nevertheless the reason of Christ reckoned all those torments slight — yet this did not take away the bitterness, but the overthrow of reason.

To the opposing arguments: To 2, 3, 5, 6. And by this is plain the response to those four reasons which are taken on the part of the desiring will, on the part of the aiding charity, on the part of the recompense, and on the part of expectation.

To 1. To that which is objected on the part of the kind of penalty, it must be said that that reason proceeds from an insufficient ground. For the bitterness of a penalty is not weighed so much on the part of the agent as on the part of the patient. « For the act of agents is in a disposed patientp349-5 »; and because the quality in Christ rendered him disposed to greater pain, therefore I grant well that the iron nail afflicted Christ much more than the fire afflicted Lawrence.

To 4. To that which is objected, that the pain in the contrite man exceeds the pain in Christ on account of the quantity of the good lost; it must be said that damage of itself does not bring on pain, but the sense of damagep349-6; and although the sinner loses a greater good, yet because he does not feel it more, but less, it does not follow that he grieves more, for the most part. For he is afflicted very little, although he has a great ground and cause for grievingp349-7.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. Vers. 12.
    Verse 12.
  2. Psal. 87, 8. — In minori post varietatem, pro quo cod. H substituit numerositatem et edd. 1, 2 cum aliquot codd. veritatem, Vat. addit seu multitudinem.
    Psalm 87:8. — In the minor premise, after varietatem, in place of which codex H substitutes numerositatem and editions 1, 2 with some codices read veritatem, the Vatican edition adds seu multitudinem.
  3. Secundum Aristot., II. de Generat. animal. c. 3. Ipsa verba vide tom. II. pag. 380, nota 1.
    According to Aristotle, II On the Generation of Animals c. 3. See the words themselves in tom. II, page 380, note 1.
  4. Libr. II. de Anima, text. 94. (c. 9.): Certiorem habemus gustum, propterea quod ipse quidam tactus est; hunc autem habet sensum homo certissimum. In aliis enim superatur ab animalibus multis, secundum autem tactum multo quam cetera excellentius percipit; unde et prudentissimum animalium est. Lib. II. de Partib. animal. c. 16. asserit, « quod [homo] maxime omnium animalium valet sensu tactus »; et ibid. IV. c. 10. dicit: Anaxagoras igitur hominem prudentissimum omnium animalium esse ait, quoniam unus omnium manus obtinet; sed recta ratio exigit, ut quoniam prudentissimus omnium est, ideo manus receperit; manus enim instrumentum sunt... qui enim prudentissimus est, recte plurimis uti instrumentis potest; manus autem esse videtur non unum instrumentum, sed multa etc. — Pro prudentissimum enim Vat. substituit temperatissimus enim et deinde post et inter omnes interiicit homines temperatissimus fuit.
    Book II On the Soul, text 94 (c. 9): We have a more certain taste, because it itself is a certain kind of touch; and this sense man has most certain. For in the other senses he is surpassed by many animals, but according to touch he perceives much more excellently than the rest; whence also he is the most prudent of the animals. Book II On the Parts of Animals c. 16 asserts that « [man] is strongest of all animals in the sense of touch »; and ibid. IV, c. 10, he says: Anaxagoras therefore says that man is the most prudent of all animals, because alone of all he possesses hands; but right reason requires that, since he is the most prudent of all, he therefore received hands; for hands are an instrument... for he who is most prudent can rightly use very many instruments; and the hand seems to be not one instrument but many etc. — For prudentissimum enim the Vatican edition substitutes temperatissimus enim and then after et inter omnes inserts homines temperatissimus fuit.
  5. Homo virtuosus et probus, ut Aristot., IX. Ethic. c. 4. docet, diligit vitam suam; « probo enim viro esse bonum est... At qui multa et gravia scelera perpetrarunt et ob pravitatem odio habentur et vitam fugiunt seque ipsos interficiunt ». — In maiori pro qui cognoscit codd. F G I K L N U Z aa quod cognoscit. In minori pro passio illa vitam codd. A E bb passio illam vitam.
    The virtuous and upright man, as Aristotle teaches in IX Ethics c. 4, loves his own life; « for to the upright man it is good to be... But those who have perpetrated many and grievous crimes and on account of their depravity are held in hatred both flee life and kill themselves ». — In the major premise, for qui cognoscit codices F G I K L N U Z aa read quod cognoscit. In the minor premise, for passio illa vitam codices A E bb read passio illam vitam.
  6. Marc. 15, 44.
    Mark 15:44.
  7. Vers. 50.
    Verse 50.
  8. Pro mitior codd. N U S minor. Paulo inferius codd. G H I L T Z aa bb omittunt et post dolore passionis, qua omissione admissa, pro expositione legendum erit ex positione.
    For mitior codices N U S read minor. A little below, codices G H I L T Z aa bb omit et after dolore passionis, and if that omission is admitted, for expositione one must read ex positione.
  9. Cod. U immo etiam.
    Codex U reads immo etiam (rather, even).
  10. Cod. Z articulos.
    Codex Z reads articulos (joints).
  11. Cod. K verbo acutissimus praemittit acerbissimus et.
    Codex K prefixes to the word acutissimus the words acerbissimus et.
  12. Cod. T repugnantiam, codd. A H K Y (bb a prima manu) reputationem. Paulo inferius ante tamen non cum codd. A Z bb inseruimus hoc, et deinde pro desiderantis non pauci codd. substituunt deficientis, cod. Z considerantis.
    Codex T reads repugnantiam, codices A H K Y (bb in the first hand) reputationem. A little below, before tamen non, with codices A Z bb we inserted hoc, and then for desiderantis not a few codices substitute deficientis, codex Z considerantis.
  13. Aristot., II. de Anima, text. 21. (c. 2.). Cfr. tom. II. pag. 361, nota 3. — Paulo inferius pro afflixit cod. A afflixerit.
    Aristotle, II On the Soul, text 21 (c. 2). Cf. tom. II, page 361, note 3. — A little below, for afflixit codex A reads afflixerit.
  14. Sicut generatim dolor non est ipsa passio, sed passionis sensus. Cfr. tom. II. pag. 482, nota 3.
    Just as pain in general is not the suffering itself, but the sense of the suffering. Cf. tom. II, page 482, note 3.
  15. Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.
    See the scholion to the preceding question.
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