wn to them may reflect on their Master." Consequently, by
honoring the martyrs' relics we do not fall into the error of the
Gentiles, who gave the worship of _latria_ to dead men.

Reply Obj. 2: We worship that insensible body, not for its own sake,
but for the sake of the soul, which was once united thereto, and now
enjoys God; and for God's sake, whose ministers the saints were.

Reply Obj. 3: The dead body of a saint is not identical with that
which the saint had during life, on account of the difference of
form, viz. the soul: but it is the same by identity of matter, which
is destined to be reunited to its form.
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QUESTION 26

OF CHRIST AS CALLED THE MEDIATOR OF GOD AND MAN
(In Two Articles)

We have now to consider how Christ is called the Mediator of God and
man, and under this head there are two points of inquiry:

(1) Whether it is proper to Christ to be the Mediator of God and man?

(2) Whether this belongs to Him by reason of His human nature?
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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 26, Art. 1]

Whether It Is Proper to Christ to Be the Mediator of God and Man?

Objection 1: It would seem that it is not proper to Christ to be the
Mediator of God and man. For a priest and a prophet seem to be
mediators between God and man, according to Deut. 5:5: "I was the
mediator and stood between God [Vulg.: 'the Lord'] and you at that
time." But it is not proper to Christ to be a priest and a prophet.
Neither, therefore, is it proper to Him to be Mediator.

Obj. 2: Further, that which is fitting to angels, both good and bad,
cannot be said to be proper to Christ. But to be between God and man
is fitting to the good angels, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv). It
is also fitting to the bad angels--that is, the demons: for they have
something in common with God--namely, _immortality;_ and something
they have in common with men--namely, _passibility of soul_ and
consequently unhappiness; as appears from what Augustine says (De
Civ. Dei ix, 13, 15). Therefore it is not proper to Christ to be a
Mediator of God and man.

Obj. 3: Further, it belongs to the office of Mediator to beseech one
of those, between whom he mediates, for the other. But the Holy
Ghost, as it is written (Rom. 8:26), "asketh" God "for us with
unspeakable groanings." Therefore the Holy Ghost is a Mediator
between God and man. Therefore this is not proper to Christ.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (1 Tim. 2:5): "T