would have
contracted original sin; which is unbecoming in His purity. Therefore
the body of Christ was not formed of matter derived from Adam.

_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Heb. 2:16): "Nowhere doth
He"--that is, the Son of God--"take hold of the angels: but of the
seed of Abraham He taketh hold." But the seed of Abraham was derived
from Adam. Therefore Christ's body was formed of matter derived from
Adam.

_I answer that,_ Christ assumed human nature in order to cleanse it
of corruption. But human nature did not need to be cleansed save in
as far as it was soiled in its tainted origin whereby it was
descended from Adam. Therefore it was becoming that He should assume
flesh of matter derived from Adam, that the nature itself might be
healed by the assumption.

Reply Obj. 1: The second man, i.e. Christ, is said to be of heaven,
not indeed as to the matter from which His body was formed, but
either as to the virtue whereby it was formed; or even as to His very
Godhead. But as to matter, Christ's body was earthly, as Adam's body
was.

Reply Obj. 2: As stated above (Q. 29, A. 1, ad 2) the mystery of
Christ's Incarnation is miraculous, not as ordained to strengthen
faith, but as an article of faith. And therefore in the mystery of
the Incarnation we do not seek that which is most miraculous, as in
those miracles that are wrought for the confirmation of faith, but
what is most becoming to Divine wisdom, and most expedient to the
salvation of man, since this is what we seek in all matters of faith.

It may also be said that in the mystery of the Incarnation the
miracle is not only in reference to the matter of the conception, but
rather in respect of the manner of the conception and birth; inasmuch
as a virgin conceived and gave birth to God.

Reply Obj. 3: As stated above (Q. 15, A. 1, ad 2), Christ's body was
in Adam in respect of a bodily substance--that is to say, that the
corporeal matter of Christ's body was derived from Adam: but it was
not there by reason of seminal virtue, because it was not conceived
from the seed of man. Thus it did not contract original sin, as
others who are descended from Adam by man's seed.
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 31, Art. 2]

Whether Christ Took Flesh of the Seed of David?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not take flesh of the seed
of David. For Matthew, in tracing the genealogy of Christ, brings it
down to Joseph. But Joseph was not Chr