Thomas Aquinas · 2539 of 3516
Article. 3 - Whether Christ's predestination is the exemplar of ours?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's is not the exemplar of ours. For the exemplar exists before the exemplate. But nothing exists before the eternal. Since, therefore, our is eternal, it seems that Christ's is not the exemplar of ours.
Objection 2: Further, the exemplar leads us to knowledge of the exemplate. But there was no need for God to be led from something else to knowledge of our ; since it is written (Rom. 8:29): "Whom He foreknew, He also ." Therefore Christ's is not the exemplar of ours.
Objection 3: Further, the exemplar is conformed to the exemplate. But Christ's seems to be of a different nature from ours: because we are to the sonship of , whereas Christ was "Son of God in power," as is written (Rom. 1:4). Therefore His is not the exemplar of ours.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Praedest. Sanct. xv): "The Saviour Himself, the of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus is the most splendid light of and ." Now He is called the light of and , inasmuch as our is made manifest by His and ; and this seems to pertain to the nature of an exemplar. Therefore Christ's is the exemplar of ours.
I answer that, may be considered in two ways. First, on the part of the act of : and thus Christ's cannot be said to be the exemplar of ours: for in the same way and by the same eternal act God us and Christ.
Secondly, may be considered on the part of that to which anyone is , and this is the term and effect of . In this sense Christ's is the exemplar of ours, and this in two ways. First, in respect of the good to which we are : for He was to be the natural Son of God, whereas we are to the of sons, which is a participated likeness of natural sonship. it is written (Rom. 8:29): "Whom He foreknew, He also to be made conformable to the image of His Son." Secondly, in respect of the manner of obtaining this good---that is, by . This is most manifest in Christ; because human nature in Him, without any antecedent merits, was united to the Son of God: and of the fulness of His we all have received, as it is written (Jn. 1:16).
Reply to Objection 1: This argument considers the aforesaid act of the predestinator.
The same is to be said of the second objection.
Reply to Objection 3: The exemplate need not be conformed to the exemplar in all respects: it is sufficient that it imitate it in some.