on of predestination. For a person is properly
said to be predestinated by reason of his being directed to the end
of beatitude: but the beatitude of Christ does not depend on our
knowledge thereof.

It is therefore better to say that the antecedence implied in the
participle "predestinated" is to be referred to the Person not in
Himself, but by reason of the human nature: since, although that
Person was the Son of God from eternity, it was not always true that
one subsisting in human nature was the Son of God. Hence Augustine
says (De Praedest. Sanct. xv): "Jesus was predestinated, so that He
Who according to the flesh was to be the son of David, should be
nevertheless Son of God in power."

Moreover, it must be observed that, although the participle
"predestinated," just as this participle "made," implies antecedence,
yet there is a difference. For "to be made" belongs to the thing in
itself: whereas "to be predestinated" belongs to someone as being in
the apprehension of one who pre-ordains. Now that which is the
subject of a form or nature in reality, can be apprehended either as
under that form or absolutely. And since it cannot be said absolutely
of the Person of Christ that He began to be the Son of God, yet this
is becoming to Him as understood or apprehended to exist in human
nature, because at one time it began to be true that one existing in
human nature was the Son of God; therefore this proposition--"Christ
was predestinated the Son of God"--is truer than this--"Christ was
made the Son of God."
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 24, Art. 2]

Whether This Proposition Is False: "Christ As Man Was Predestinated
to Be the Son of God"?

Objection 1: It would seem that this proposition is false: "Christ as
man was predestinated to be the Son of God." For at some time a man
is that which he was predestinated to be: since God's predestination
does not fail. If, therefore, Christ as man was predestinated the Son
of God, it seems to follow that as man He is the Son of God. But the
latter is false. Therefore the former is false.

Obj. 2: Further, what is befitting to Christ as man is befitting to
any man; since He belongs to the same species as other men. If,
therefore, Christ, as man, was predestinated the Son of God, it will
follow that this is befitting to any other man. But the latter is
false. Therefore the former is false.

Obj. 3: Further, that is predestinated from eternity which is to