Dist. 34, Part 1, Dubia
Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 34
# DUBIA CIRCA LITTERAM MAGISTRI.
Dub. I.
In parte ista sunt quaestiones circa litteram, et primo quaeritur de hoc quod dicit in verbo Isaiae: Replebit eum spiritus timoris Domini. Cum enim ita bene fuerit plenus aliis donis, sicut dono timoris; quare1 magis illo dono dicit fuisse repletum? — Item, cum Spiritus Domini requiescat in humili, sicut alibi idem dicit sexagesimo sexto2; videtur, quod potius debuisset attribuere dono timoris verbum requiescendi; fecit autem e converso: quaeritur, unde hoc?
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod quia donum timoris videtur esse cuiusdam imperfectionis3, ne quis crederet, in ipso donum illud non fuisse perfecte; ideo ad excludendum errorem magis posuit ibi verbum replendi quam circa aliud donum. — Alia est etiam ratio, quia dona dabantur Christo, ut perfecte disponeretur ad patiendum et sustinendum humilitatem passionis, quam ipse principaliter in hoc mundo
venit ostendere et docere. Ut ergo manifestaretur veritas, dicit, eum spiritu timoris repletum fuisse, quia timor inter omnia dona maxime expedit ad humilitatem4. Duplici ergo ex causa verbum illud dono timoris appropriat, quamvis omnibus conveniat, videlicet propter erroris exclusionem et propter veritatis manifestationem, quae sunt duae causae faciendi appropriationem5.
Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod magis deberet isti appropriari verbum requiescendi; dicendum, quod donum timendi praeparat locum alii6; et quia locus non dicitur proprie quiescere, sed magis locatum in loco: hinc est, quod verbum quiescendi magis attribuit Spiritui in aliis donis quam in dono timoris.
Dub. II.
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Servilis timor principium est sapientiae. Hoc enim videtur falsum, quia sapientia non est in peccatore, servilis autem timor in peccatoribus reperitur7: ergo male dicitur, quod timor servilis sit principium sapientiae. — Item, nobilius est principium quam principiatum, vel saltem aeque nobile8; sed timor servilis non est magis nobilis nec tantum, quantum sapientia: ergo male dicitur, quod sit principium sapientiae.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod timor dicitur esse principium sapientiae, pro eo quod disponit ad suscipiendam sapientiam et recedendum a culpa. Unde sicut dispositio potest quodam modo dici principium respectu eius, ad quod disponit; sic etiam timor dicitur sapientiae esse principium9.
Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod principium et principiatum possunt se compati in eodem; dicendum, quod est principium intra et principium extra. De principio intra habet veritatem; de eo autem, quod est principium extra, solummodo locum praeparans, veritatem non habet. Et hoc modo, non primo dicitur timor principium sapientiae10.
Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod principium est magis nobile, vel aeque quam principiatum; dicendum, quod est principium disponens et principium efficiens et perficiens; illud autem verum est de principio perficiente, non autem verum est de principio disponente11.
Dub. III.
Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Quidam tantum secundum effectum timorem in Christo et in Angelis esse contendunt. Et videtur, quod dicant veritatem, quia, secundum quod dicitur primae Ioannis quarto12, affectus timoris poenam habet; sed in Christo iam glorificato et in Angelis beatis nulla est affectio poenalis: ergo non est timor quantum ad affectum, sed solum quantum ad effectum, ut dicunt. — Sed in contrarium huius arguitur: quia unumquodque donum nobilius est quantum ad sui essentiam quam quantum ad effectum: si ergo donum timoris est in Christo et in Angelis quantum ad effectum, multo fortius est in illis quantum ad affectum.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod in timore duplex est affectus et duplex etiam effectus. Est enim affectus unus, qui attenditur in quadam resilitione mentis a malo; alius, qui attenditur in quadam resilitione a summe arduo. Primi timoris effectus est malum respuere; secundi timoris effectus est facere Deo subiacere et eidem obedire. Unus autem solus istorum affectuum convenit patriae, licet uterque affectus conveniat isti statui13. Et sic rationes ad utramque partem possunt dissolvi.
# DOUBTS ON THE LETTER OF THE MASTER.
Doubt I.
In this part there are questions concerning the letter, and first it is asked about that which he says in the word of Isaiah: The spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him. For since he was just as fully full of the other gifts as of the gift of fear, why1 does he say that he was filled rather with that gift? — Likewise, since the Spirit of the Lord rests upon the lowly, as the same prophet says elsewhere in the sixty-sixth2 chapter, it seems that he ought rather to have attributed to the gift of fear the word "resting"; but he did the contrary: it is asked, whence is this?
I respond: It must be said that, because the gift of fear seems to be of a certain imperfection3, lest anyone should believe that in him that gift was not present perfectly, therefore, in order to exclude the error, he placed there the word "filling" rather than with regard to another gift. — There is also another reason, namely that the gifts were given to Christ that he might be perfectly disposed to suffer and to endure the humility of the passion, which he chiefly came into this world
to show and to teach. Therefore, that the truth might be made manifest, he says that he was filled with the spirit of fear, because fear among all the gifts most of all conduces to humility4. By a twofold cause, therefore, he appropriates that word to the gift of fear, although it is fitting to all, namely on account of the exclusion of error and on account of the manifestation of truth, which are the two causes of making an appropriation5.
To that which is objected, that the word "resting" ought rather to be appropriated to this one; it must be said that the gift of fearing prepares a place for another6; and because a place is not properly said to rest, but rather that which is placed in the place: hence it is that he attributes the word "resting" to the Spirit in the other gifts rather than in the gift of fear.
Doubt II.
Likewise it is asked about that which he says: Servile fear is the beginning of wisdom. For this seems false, because wisdom is not in the sinner, but servile fear is found in sinners7: therefore it is ill said that servile fear is the beginning of wisdom. — Likewise, the beginning is more noble than that which begins from it, or at least equally noble8; but servile fear is neither more noble nor as much so as wisdom: therefore it is ill said that it is the beginning of wisdom.
I respond: It must be said that fear is said to be the beginning of wisdom, in that it disposes one to receive wisdom and to withdraw from fault. Hence, just as a disposition can in a certain way be called a beginning with respect to that to which it disposes, so also fear is said to be the beginning of wisdom9.
To that, therefore, which is objected, that the beginning and that which begins from it can coexist together in the same thing; it must be said that there is a beginning within and a beginning without. Of a beginning within it holds true; but of that which is a beginning without, only preparing the place, it does not hold true. And in this way, fear is not said to be the beginning of wisdom in the primary sense10.
To that which is objected, that the beginning is more noble than, or equal to, that which begins from it; it must be said that there is a disposing beginning and an efficient and perfecting beginning; that, however, is true of a perfecting beginning, but not true of a disposing beginning11.
Doubt III.
Likewise it is asked about that which he says: Some contend that fear is in Christ and in the Angels only according to its effect. And it seems that they speak the truth, because, according to what is said in the first letter of John, chapter four12, the affection of fear has punishment; but in Christ already glorified and in the blessed Angels there is no penal affection: therefore there is no fear as to affection, but only as to effect, as they say. — But against this it is argued: that every gift is more noble as to its essence than as to its effect: if therefore the gift of fear is in Christ and in the Angels as to its effect, much more strongly is it in them as to its affection.
I respond: It must be said that in fear there is a twofold affection and likewise a twofold effect. For there is one affection, which is regarded in a certain recoiling of the mind from evil; another, which is regarded in a certain recoiling from what is supremely arduous. The effect of the first fear is to spurn evil; the effect of the second fear is to make one submit to God and obey him. But only one of these affections belongs to the heavenly fatherland, although both affections belong to this present state13. And thus the reasons on either side can be resolved.
- Codd. WZ quaeritur, quare.Codices WZ read it is asked, why.
- Vers. 2: Ad quem autem respiciam, nisi ad pauperculum et contritum spiritu etc. Cfr. ibid. 57, 15.Verse 2: But to whom shall I look, except to the poor little one and to him contrite in spirit, etc. Cf. ibid. 57, 15 [Isaiah 66:2; 57:15].
- Cfr. infra p. II. a. 1. q. 1. seqq. — Mox pro in ipso cod. U in Christo, et paulo inferius post replendi idem cod. U supplet circa donum timoris.Cf. below, part II, art. 1, q. 1 and following. — Shortly after, for in him codex U reads in Christ, and a little further down, after filling, the same codex U supplies with regard to the gift of fear.
- Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 3. circa finem, et supra a. 2. q. 3. ad 8. nec non p. II. a. 2. q. 2. in corp.Cf. the Master's letter here, ch. 3, near the end, and above, art. 2, q. 3, reply to 8, as well as part II, art. 2, q. 2, in the body.
- Vide I. Sent. d. 34. q. 3.See Sentences, Book I, d. 34, q. 3.
- Ut insinuat August., hic in lit. Magistri, c. 5. — De posit. seq. cfr. Aristot., IV. Phys. text. 30. seqq. (c. 4.). — Cfr. de hoc dubio B. Albert., hic a. 5. quaestiunc. 2; Petr. a Tar., hic circa lit.As Augustine suggests, here in the Master's letter, ch. 5. — On the following proposition cf. Aristotle, Physics IV, text 30 and following (ch. 4). — Cf. on this doubt Blessed Albert, here, art. 5, little-question 2; Peter of Tarentaise, here, on the letter.
- Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 5, et 7. nec non infra p. II dub. 5.Cf. the Master's letter here, chs. 5 and 7, as well as below, part II, doubt 5.
- Cfr. supra pag. 722, nota 8.Cf. above, p. 722, note 8.
- Eccli. 1, 27: Timor Domini expellit peccatum. Vide infra p. II. a. 1. q. 1. ad 1. — Mox verbo obiicitur cod. X praefigit primo.Ecclesiasticus 1:27: The fear of the Lord drives out sin. See below, part II, art. 1, q. 1, reply to 1. — Shortly after, before the word is objected codex X prefixes first.
- Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 5, et 7. nec non infra p. II dub. 5.Cf. the Master's letter here, chs. 5 and 7, as well as below, part II, doubt 5.
- De hoc dubio cfr. S. Thom., hic circa lit.; Petr. a Tar., hic circa lit.On this doubt cf. St. Thomas, here, on the letter; Peter of Tarentaise, here, on the letter.
- Vers. 18: Timor poenam habet. — In minori pro affectio poenalis cod. K affectio poenae.Verse 18: Fear has punishment [1 John 4:18]. — In the minor premise, for penal affection codex K reads affection of punishment.
- Vide infra p. II. a. 2. q. 3. et dub. 1. — Pro istorum affectuum edd. istorum effectuum. — De hoc dubio cfr. B. Albert., hic a. 3.See below, part II, art. 2, q. 3, and doubt 1. — For of these affections the editions read of these effects. — On this doubt cf. Blessed Albert, here, art. 3.