Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that the angels know mysteries of grace. For, the mystery of the Incarnation is the most excellent of all mysteries. But the angels knew of it from the beginning; for Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. v, 19): "This mystery was hidden in God through the ages, yet so that it was known to the princes and powers in heavenly places." And the Apostle says (1 Tim. 3:16): "That great mystery of godliness appeared unto angels*." Therefore the angels know the mysteries of grace.

Objection 2: Further, the reasons of all mysteries of grace are contained in the Divine wisdom. But the angels behold God's wisdom, which is His essence. Therefore they know the mysteries of grace.

Objection 3: Further, the prophets are enlightened by the angels, as is clear from Dionysius (Coel. Hier. iv). But the prophets knew mysteries of grace; for it is said (Amos 3:7): "For the Lord God doth nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets." Therefore angels know the mysteries of grace.

On the contrary, No one learns what he knows already. Yet even the highest angels seek out and learn mysteries of grace. For it is stated (Coel. Hier. vii) that "Sacred Scripture describes some heavenly essences as questioning Jesus, and learning from Him the knowledge of His Divine work for us; and Jesus as teaching them directly": as is evident in Is. 63:1, where, on the angels asking, "Who is he who cometh up from Edom?" Jesus answered, "It is I, Who speak justice." Therefore the angels do not know mysteries of grace.

I answer that, There is a twofold knowledge in the angel. The first is his natural knowledge, according to which he knows things both by his essence, and by innate species. By such knowledge the angels cannot know mysteries of grace. For these mysteries depend upon the pure will of God: and if an angel cannot learn the thoughts of another angel, which depend upon the will of such angel, much less can he ascertain what depends entirely upon God's will. The Apostle reasons in this fashion (1 Cor. 2:11): "No one knoweth the things of a man , but the spirit of a man that is in him." So, "the things also that are of God no man knoweth but the Spirit of God."

There is another knowledge of the angels, which renders them happy; it is the knowledge whereby they see the Word, and things in the Word. By such vision they know mysteries of grace, but not all mysteries: nor do they all know them equally; but just as God wills them to learn by revelation; as the Apostle says (1 Cor. 2:10): "But to us God hath revealed them through His Spirit"; yet so that the higher angels beholding the Divine wisdom more clearly, learn more and deeper mysteries in the vision of God, which mysteries they communicate to the lower angels by enlightening them. Some of these mysteries they knew from the very beginning of their creation; others they are taught afterwards, as befits their ministrations.

Reply to Objection 1: One can speak in two ways of the mystery of the Incarnation. First of all, in general; and in this way it was revealed to all from the commencement of their beatitude. The reason of this is, that this is a kind of general principle to which all their duties are ordered. For "all are ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation (Heb. 1:14)"; and this is brought by the mystery of the Incarnation. Hence 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 to Objection 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 to Objection 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.).

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod Angeli mysteria gratiae cognoscant. Quia inter omnia mysteria excellentius est mysterium incarnationis christi. Sed hoc Angeli cognoverunt a principio, dicit enim Augustinus, V super Gen. Ad litt., quod sic fuit hoc mysterium absconditum a saeculis in deo, ut tamen innotesceret principibus et potestatibus in caelestibus.

Et dicit apostolus, I ad Tim. III, quod apparuit Angelis illud magnum sacramentum pietatis.

Ergo Angeli mysteria gratiae cognoscunt.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, rationes omnium mysteriorum gratiae in divina sapientia continentur. Sed Angeli vident ipsam dei sapientiam, quae est eius essentia.

Ergo Angeli mysteria gratiae cognoscunt.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, prophetae per Angelos instruuntur, ut patet per dionysium, IV cap. Angel. Hier..

Sed prophetae mysteria gratiae cognoverunt, dicitur enim Amos III, non faciet dominus verbum, nisi revelaverit secretum ad servos suos, prophetas.

Ergo Angeli mysteria gratiae cognoscunt.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod nullus discit illud quod cognoscit.

Sed Angeli, etiam supremi, quaerunt de divinis mysteriis gratiae, et ea discunt, dicitur enim VII cap. Cael. Hier., quod sacra Scriptura inducit quasdam caelestes essentias ad ipsum iesum quaestionem facientes, et addiscentes scientiam divinae eius operationis pro nobis, et iesum eas sine medio docentem; ut patet Isaiae LXIII, ubi quaerentibus Angelis, quis est iste qui venit de edom? respondit iesus, ego, qui loquor iustitiam.

Ergo Angeli non cognoscunt mysteria gratiae.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod in Angelis est cognitio duplex. Una quidem naturalis, secundum quam cognoscunt res tum per essentiam suam, tum etiam per species innatas. Et hac cognitione mysteria gratiae Angeli cognoscere non possunt.

Haec enim mysteria ex pura dei voluntate dependent, si autem unus Angelus non potest cognoscere cogitationes alterius ex voluntate eius dependentes, multo minus potest cognoscere ea quae ex sola dei voluntate dependent.

Et sic argumentatur apostolus, I Cor. II, quae sunt hominis, nemo novit nisi spiritus hominis, qui in ipso est. Ita et quae sunt dei, nemo novit nisi spiritus dei.

Est autem alia Angelorum cognitio, quae eos beatos facit, qua vident verbum et res in verbo. Et hac quidem visione cognoscunt mysteria gratiae, non quidem omnia, nec aequaliter omnes sed secundum quod deus voluerit eis revelare; secundum illud apostoli, I Cor. II, nobis autem revelavit deus per spiritum suum.

Ita tamen quod superiores Angeli, perspicacius divinam sapientiam contemplantes, plura mysteria et altiora in ipsa dei visione cognoscunt, quae inferioribus manifestant, eos illuminando. Et horum etiam mysteriorum quaedam a principio suae creationis cognoverunt; quaedam vero postmodum, secundum quod eorum officiis congruit, edocentur.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod de mysterio incarnationis christi dupliciter contingit loqui. Uno modo, in generali, et sic omnibus revelatum est a principio suae beatitudinis. Cuius ratio est, quia hoc est quoddam generale principium, ad quod omnia eorum officia ordinantur, omnes enim sunt administratorii spiritus, ut dicitur Heb. I, in ministerium missi propter eos qui haereditatem capiunt salutis; quod quidem fit per incarnationis mysterium. Unde oportuit de hoc mysterio omnes a principio communiter edoceri.

Alio modo possumus loqui de mysterio incarnationis quantum ad speciales conditiones. Et sic non omnes Angeli a principio de omnibus sunt edocti, immo quidam, etiam superiores Angeli, postmodum didicerunt, ut patet per auctoritatem dionysii inductam.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod, licet Angeli beati divinam sapientiam contemplentur, non tamen eam comprehendunt. Et ideo non oportet quod cognoscant quidquid in ea latet.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod quidquid prophetae cognoverunt de mysteriis gratiae per revelationem divinam, multo excellentius est Angelis revelatum. Et licet prophetis ea quae deus facturus erat circa salutem humani generis, in generali revelaverit; quaedam tamen specialia apostoli circa hoc cognoverunt, quae prophetae non cognoverant; secundum illud Ephes. III, potestis, legentes, intelligere prudentiam meam in mysterio christi, quod aliis generationibus non est agnitum, sicut nunc revelatum est sanctis apostolis eius.

Inter ipsos etiam prophetas, posteriores cognoverunt quod priores non cognoverant; secundum illud Psalmi CXVIII, super senes intellexi.

Et Gregorius dicit quod per successiones temporum, crevit divinae cognitionis augmentum.