ys (Ep. cxl).

Reply Obj. 1: It is indeed a wicked and cruel act to hand over an
innocent man to torment and to death against his will. Yet God the
Father did not so deliver up Christ, but inspired Him with the will
to suffer for us. God's "severity" (cf. Rom. 11:22) is thereby shown,
for He would not remit sin without penalty: and the Apostle indicates
this when (Rom. 8:32) he says: "God spared not even His own Son."
Likewise His "goodness" (Rom. 11:22) shines forth, since by no
penalty endured could man pay Him enough satisfaction: and the
Apostle denotes this when he says: "He delivered Him up for us all":
and, again (Rom. 3:25): "Whom"--that is to say, Christ--God "hath
proposed to be a propitiation through faith in His blood."

Reply Obj. 2: Christ as God delivered Himself up to death by the same
will and action as that by which the Father delivered Him up; but as
man He gave Himself up by a will inspired of the Father. Consequently
there is no contrariety in the Father delivering Him up and in Christ
delivering Himself up.

Reply Obj. 3: The same act, for good or evil, is judged differently,
accordingly as it proceeds from a different source. The Father
delivered up Christ, and Christ surrendered Himself, from charity,
and consequently we give praise to both: but Judas betrayed Christ
from greed, the Jews from envy, and Pilate from worldly fear, for he
stood in fear of Caesar; and these accordingly are held guilty.
_______________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 47, Art. 4]

Whether It Was Fitting for Christ to Suffer at the Hands of the
Gentiles?

Objection 1: It would seem unfitting that Christ should suffer at the
hands of the Gentiles. For since men were to be freed from sin by
Christ's death, it would seem fitting that very few should sin in His
death. But the Jews sinned in His death, on whose behalf it is said
(Matt. 21:38): "This is the heir; come, let us kill him." It seems
fitting, therefore, that the Gentiles should not be implicated in the
sin of Christ's slaying.

Obj. 2: Further, the truth should respond to the figure. Now it was
not the Gentiles but the Jews who offered the figurative sacrifices
of the Old Law. Therefore neither ought Christ's Passion, which was a
true sacrifice, to be fulfilled at the hands of the Gentiles.

Obj. 3: Further, as related John 5:18, "the Jews sought to kill"
Christ because "He did not only break the sabbath, but also said God
was His Father, making Himself