e it was necessary for all of
them to be instructed in this mystery from the very beginning.

We can speak of the mystery of the Incarnation in another way, as to
its special conditions. Thus not all the angels were instructed on
all points from the beginning; even the higher angels learned these
afterwards, as appears from the passage of Dionysius already quoted.

Reply Obj. 2: Although the angels in bliss behold the Divine wisdom,
yet they do not comprehend it. So it is not necessary for them to
know everything hidden in it.

Reply Obj. 3: Whatever the prophets knew by revelation of the
mysteries of grace, was revealed in a more excellent way to the
angels. And although God revealed in general to the prophets what He
was one day to do regarding the salvation of the human race, still
the apostles knew some particulars of the same, which the prophets
did not know. Thus we read (Eph. 3:4, 5): "As you reading, may
understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other
generations was not known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed
to His holy apostles." Among the prophets also, the later ones knew
what the former did not know; according to Ps. 118:100: "I have had
understanding above ancients," and Gregory says: "The knowledge of
Divine things increased as time went on" (Hom. xvi in Ezech.).
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QUESTION 58

OF THE MODE OF ANGELIC KNOWLEDGE
(In Seven Articles)

After the foregoing we have now to treat of the mode of the angelic
knowledge, concerning which there are seven points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the angel's intellect be sometimes in potentiality, and
sometimes in act?

(2) Whether the angel can understand many things at the same time?

(3) Whether the angel's knowledge is discursive?

(4) Whether he understands by composing and dividing?

(5) Whether there can be error in the angel's intellect?

(6) Whether his knowledge can be styled as morning and evening?

(7) Whether the morning and evening knowledge are the same, or do
they differ?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 58, Art. 1]

Whether the Angel's Intellect Is Sometimes in Potentiality, Sometimes
in Act?

Objection 1: It would seem that the angel's intellect is sometimes in
potentiality and sometimes in act. For movement is the act of what is
in potentiality, as stated in _Phys._ iii, 6. But the angels' minds
are moved by understanding, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv).
Therefore the angelic