, or also the Son, who is the Power
of the Most High, to seed, by reason of the active power therein;
while Jerome denies that the Holy Ghost took the place of seed,
considered as a corporeal substance which is transformed in
conception.

Reply Obj. 3: As Augustine says (Enchiridion xl), Christ is said to
be conceived or born of the Holy Ghost in one sense; of the Virgin
Mary in another--of the Virgin Mary materially; of the Holy Ghost
efficiently. Therefore there was no mingling here.
_______________________

THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 32, Art. 3]

Whether the Holy Ghost Should Be Called Christ's Father in Respect of
His Humanity?

Objection 1: It would seem that the Holy Ghost should be called
Christ's father in respect of His humanity. Because, according to the
Philosopher (De Gener. Animal. i): "The Father is the active
principle in generation, the Mother supplies the matter." But the
Blessed Virgin is called Christ's Mother, by reason of the matter
which she supplied in His conception. Therefore it seems that the
Holy Ghost can be called His father, through being the active
principle in His conception.

Obj. 2: Further, as the minds of other holy men are fashioned by the
Holy Ghost, so also was Christ's body fashioned by the Holy Ghost.
But other holy men, on account of the aforesaid fashioning, are
called the children of the whole Trinity, and consequently of the
Holy Ghost. Therefore it seems that Christ should be called the Son
of the Holy Ghost, forasmuch as His body was fashioned by the Holy
Ghost.

Obj. 3: Further, God is called our Father by reason of His having
made us, according to Deut. 32:6: "Is not He thy Father, that hath
possessed thee, and made thee and created thee?" But the Holy Ghost
made Christ's body, as stated above (AA. 1, 2). Therefore the Holy
Ghost should be called Christ's Father in respect of the body
fashioned by Him.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Enchiridion xl): "Christ was born
of the Holy Ghost not as a Son, and of the Virgin Mary as a Son."

_I answer that,_ The words "fatherhood," "motherhood," and "sonship,"
result from generation; yet not from any generation, but from that of
living things, especially animals. For we do not say that fire
generated is the son of the fire generating it, except, perhaps,
metaphorically; we speak thus only of animals in whom generation is
more perfect. Nevertheless, the word "son" is not applied to
everything generated in animals, but