?" Now
it is manifest that the miraculous works done by Christ related to
health of body and soul.
Thirdly, because this precept does not forbid works pertaining to the
worship of God. Wherefore He says (Matt. 12:5): "Have ye not read in
the Law that on the Sabbath-days the priests in the Temple break the
Sabbath, and are without blame?" And (John 7:23) it is written that a
man receives circumcision on the Sabbath-day. Now when Christ
commanded the paralytic to carry his bed on the Sabbath-day, this
pertained to the worship of God, i.e. to the praise of God's power.
And thus it is clear that He did not break the Sabbath: although the
Jews threw this false accusation in His face, saying (John 9:16):
"This man is not of God, who keepeth not the Sabbath."
Reply Obj. 2: By those words Christ wished to show that man is made
unclean as to his soul, by the use of any sort of foods considered
not in their nature, but only in some signification. And that certain
foods are in the Law called "unclean" is due to some signification;
whence Augustine says (Contra Faust. vi): "If a question be raised
about swine and lambs, both are clean by nature, since 'all God's
creatures are good'; but by a certain signification lambs are clean
and swine unclean."
Reply Obj. 3: The disciples also, when, being hungry, they plucked
the ears of corn on the Sabbath, are to be excused from transgressing
the Law, since they were pressed by hunger: just as David did not
transgress the Law when, through being compelled by hunger, he ate
the loaves which it was not lawful for him to eat.
_______________________
QUESTION 41
OF CHRIST'S TEMPTATION
(In Four Articles)
We have now to consider Christ's temptation, concerning which there
are four points of inquiry:
(1) Whether it was becoming that Christ should be tempted?
(2) Of the place;
(3) Of the time;
(4) Of the mode and order of the temptation.
_______________________
FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 41, Art. 1]
Whether It Was Becoming That Christ Should Be Tempted?
Objection 1: It would seem that it was not becoming for Christ to be
tempted. For to tempt is to make an experiment, which is not done
save in regard to something unknown. But the power of Christ was
known even to the demons; for it is written (Luke 4:41) that "He
suffered them not to speak, for they knew that He was Christ."
Therefore it seems that it was unbecoming for Christ to be tempted.
Obj. 2: Further, Christ wa
|