LE [III, Q. 47, Art. 5]

Whether Christ's Persecutors Knew Who He Was?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's persecutors did know who He
was. For it is written (Matt. 21:38) that the husbandmen seeing the
son said within themselves: "This is the heir; come, let us kill
him." On this Jerome remarks: "Our Lord proves most manifestly by
these words that the rulers of the Jews crucified the Son of God, not
from ignorance, but out of envy: for they understood that it was He
to whom the Father says by the Prophet: 'Ask of Me, and I will give
Thee the Gentiles for Thy inheritance.'" It seems, therefore, that
they knew Him to be Christ or the Son of God.

Obj. 2: Further, our Lord says (John 15:24): "But now they have both
seen and hated both Me and My Father." Now what is seen is known
manifestly. Therefore the Jews, knowing Christ, inflicted the Passion
on Him out of hatred.

Obj. 3: Further, it is said in a sermon delivered in the Council of
Ephesus (P. iii, cap. x): "Just as he who tears up the imperial
message is doomed to die, as despising the prince's word; so the Jew,
who crucified Him whom he had seen, will pay the penalty for daring
to lay his hands on God the Word Himself." Now this would not be so
had they not known Him to be the Son of God, because their ignorance
would have excused them. Therefore it seems that the Jews in
crucifying Christ knew Him to be the Son of God.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (1 Cor. 2:8): "If they had known it,
they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." And (Acts 3:17),
Peter, addressing the Jews, says: "I know that you did it through
ignorance, as did also your rulers." Likewise the Lord hanging upon
the cross said: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do" (Luke 23:34).

_I answer that,_ Among the Jews some were elders, and others of
lesser degree. Now according to the author of De Qq. Nov. et Vet.
Test., qu. lxvi, the elders, who were called "rulers, knew," as did
also the devils, "that He was the Christ promised in the Law: for
they saw all the signs in Him which the prophets said would come to
pass: but they did not know the mystery of His Godhead." Consequently
the Apostle says: "If they had known it, they would never have
crucified the Lord of glory." It must, however, be understood that
their ignorance did not excuse them from crime, because it was, as it
were, affected ignorance. For they saw manifest signs of His Godhead;
yet they perverted