he Resurrection: thus womankind
has procured absolution from ignominy, and removal of the curse."
Hereby, moreover, it is shown, so far as the state of glory is
concerned, that the female sex shall suffer no hurt; but if women
burn with greater charity, they shall also attain greater glory from
the Divine vision: because the women whose love for our Lord was more
persistent--so much so that "when even the disciples withdrew" from
the sepulchre "they did not depart" [*Gregory, Hom. xxv in
Evang.]--were the first to see Him rising in glory.
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 55, Art. 2]

Whether It Was Fitting That the Disciples Should See Him Rise Again?

Objection 1: It would seem fitting that the disciples should have
seen Him rise again, because it was their office to bear witness to
the Resurrection, according to Acts 4:33: "With great power did the
apostles give testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our
Lord." But the surest witness of all is an eye-witness. Therefore it
would have been fitting for them to see the very Resurrection of
Christ.

Obj. 2: Further, in order to have the certainty of faith the
disciples saw Christ ascend into heaven, according to Acts 1:9:
"While they looked on, He was raised up." But it was also necessary
for them to have faith in the Resurrection. Therefore it seems that
Christ ought to have risen in sight of the disciples.

Obj. 3: Further, the raising of Lazarus was a sign of Christ's coming
Resurrection. But the Lord raised up Lazarus in sight of the
disciples. Consequently, it seems that Christ ought to have risen in
sight of the disciples.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Mk. 16:9): The Lord "rising early
the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen." Now Mary
Magdalen did not see Him rise; but, while searching for Him in the
sepulchre, she heard from the angel: "He is risen, He is not here."
Therefore no one saw Him rise again.

_I answer that,_ As the Apostle says (Rom. 13:1): "Those things that
are of God, are well ordered [Vulg.: 'Those that are, are ordained of
God]." Now the divinely established order is this, that things above
men's ken are revealed to them by angels, as Dionysius says (Coel.
Hier. iv). But Christ on rising did not return to the familiar manner
of life, but to a kind of immortal and God-like condition, according
to Rom. 6:10: "For in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." And
therefore it was fitting for Christ's