9]

Whether Christ Suffered at a Suitable Time?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not suffer at a suitable
time. For Christ's Passion was prefigured by the sacrifice of the
Paschal lamb: hence the Apostle says (1 Cor. 5:7): "Christ our Pasch
is sacrificed." But the paschal lamb was slain "on the fourteenth day
at eventide," as is stated in Ex. 12:6. Therefore it seems that
Christ ought to have suffered then; which is manifestly false: for He
was then celebrating the Pasch with His disciples, according to
Mark's account (14:12): "On the first day of the unleavened bread,
when they sacrificed the Pasch"; whereas it was on the following day
that He suffered.

Obj. 2: Further, Christ's Passion is called His uplifting, according
to John 3:14: "So must the Son of man be lifted up." And Christ is
Himself called the Sun of Justice, as we read Mal. 4:2. Therefore it
seems that He ought to have suffered at the sixth hour, when the sun
is at its highest point, and yet the contrary appears from Mk. 15:25:
"It was the third hour, and they crucified Him."

Obj. 3: Further, as the sun is at its highest point in each day at
the sixth hour, so also it reaches its highest point in every year at
the summer solstice. Therefore Christ ought to have suffered about
the time of the summer solstice rather than about the vernal equinox.

Obj. 4: Further, the world was enlightened by Christ's presence in
it, according to John 9:5: "As long as I am in the world I am the
light of the world." Consequently it was fitting for man's salvation
that Christ should have lived longer in the world, so that He should
have suffered, not in young, but in old, age.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (John 13:1): "Jesus, knowing that
His hour was come for Him to pass out of this world to the Father";
and (John 2:4): "My hour is not yet come." Upon which texts Augustine
observes: "When He had done as much as He deemed sufficient, then
came His hour, not of necessity, but of will, not of condition, but
of power." Therefore Christ died at an opportune time.

_I answer that,_ As was observed above (A. 1), Christ's Passion was
subject to His will. But His will was ruled by the Divine wisdom
which "ordereth all things" conveniently and "sweetly" (Wis. 8:1).
Consequently it must be said that Christ's Passion was enacted at an
opportune time. Hence it is written in De Qq. Vet. et Nov. Test., qu.
lv: "The Saviour did everything in its proper place and sea