m Adam and the other
patriarchs. Nor is this kinship affected by the matter whence this
blood is taken, as neither is it in the generation of other men, as
stated in the First Part (Q. 119, A. 2, ad 3).
_______________________

SEVENTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 31, Art. 7]

Whether Christ's Flesh in the Patriarchs Was Infected by Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's flesh was not infected by
sin in the patriarchs. For it is written (Wis. 7:25) that "no defiled
thing cometh into" Divine Wisdom. But Christ is the Wisdom of God
according to 1 Cor. 1:24. Therefore Christ's flesh was never defiled
by sin.

Obj. 2: Further, Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii) that Christ
"assumed the first-fruits of our nature." But in the primitive state
human flesh was not infected by sin. Therefore Christ's flesh was not
infected either in Adam or in the other patriarchs.

Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. x) that "human nature
ever had, together with the wound, the balm with which to heal it."
But that which is infected cannot heal a wound; rather does it need
to be healed itself. Therefore in human nature there was ever
something preserved from infection, from which afterwards Christ's
body was formed.

_On the contrary,_ Christ's body is not related to Adam and the other
patriarchs, save through the medium of the Blessed Virgin's body, of
whom He took flesh. But the body of the Blessed Virgin was wholly
conceived in original sin, as stated above (Q. 14, A. 3, ad 1), and
thus, as far as it was in the patriarchs, it was subject to sin.
Therefore the flesh of Christ, as far as it was in the patriarchs,
was subject to sin.

_I answer that,_ When we say that Christ or His flesh was in Adam and
the other patriarchs, we compare Him, or His flesh, to Adam and the
other patriarchs. Now, it is manifest that the condition of the
patriarchs differed from that of Christ: for the patriarchs were
subject to sin, whereas Christ was absolutely free from sin.
Consequently a twofold error may occur on this point. First, by
attributing to Christ, or to His flesh, that condition which was in
the patriarchs; by saying, for instance, that Christ sinned in Adam,
since after some fashion He was in him. But this is false; because
Christ was not in Adam in such a way that Adam's sin belonged to
Christ: forasmuch as He is not descended from him according to the
law of concupiscence, or according to seminal virtue; as stated above
(A. 1, ad 3