Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that prophecy is a habit. For according to Ethic. ii, 5, "there are three things in the soul, power, passion, and habit." Now prophecy is not a power, for then it would be in all men, since the powers of the soul are common to them. Again it is not a passion, since the passions belong to the appetitive faculty, as stated above (1.2, Question 22, Article 2); whereas prophecy pertains principally to knowledge, as stated in the foregoing Article. Therefore prophecy is a habit.

Objection 2: Further, every perfection of the soul, which is not always in act, is a habit. Now prophecy is a perfection of the soul; and it is not always in act, else a prophet could not be described as asleep. Therefore seemingly prophecy is a habit.

Objection 3: Further, prophecy is reckoned among the gratuitous graces. Now grace is something in the soul, after the manner of a habit, as stated above (1.2, Question 110, Article 2). Therefore prophecy is a habit.

On the contrary, A habit is something "whereby we act when we will," as the Commentator says (De Anima iii). But a man cannot make use of prophecy when he will, as appears in the case of Eliseus (4 Kgs. 3:15), "who on Josaphat inquiring of him concerning the future, and the spirit of prophecy failing him, caused a minstrel to be brought to him, that the spirit of prophecy might come down upon him through the praise of psalmody, and fill his mind with things to come," as Gregory observes (Hom. i super Ezech.). Therefore prophecy is not a habit.

I answer that, As the Apostle says (Eph. 5:13), "all that is made manifest is light," because, to wit, just as the manifestation of the material sight takes place through material light, so too the manifestation of intellectual sight takes place through intellectual light. Accordingly manifestation must be proportionate to the light by means of which it takes place, even as an effect is proportionate to its cause. Since then prophecy pertains to a knowledge that surpasses natural reason, as stated above (Article 1), it follows that prophecy requires an intellectual light surpassing the light of natural reason. Hence the saying of Micah 7:8: "When I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light." Now light may be in a subject in two ways: first, by way of an abiding form, as material light is in the sun, and in fire; secondly, by way of a passion, or passing impression, as light is in the air. Now the prophetic light is not in the prophet's intellect by way of an abiding form, else a prophet would always be able to prophesy, which is clearly false. For Gregory says (Hom. i super Ezech.): "Sometimes the spirit of prophecy is lacking to the prophet, nor is it always within the call of his mind, yet so that in its absence he knows that its presence is due to a gift." Hence Eliseus said of the Sunamite woman (4 Kgs. 4:27): "Her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me." The reason for this is that the intellectual light that is in a subject by way of an abiding and complete form, perfects the intellect chiefly to the effect of knowing the principle of the things manifested by that light; thus by the light of the active intellect the intellect knows chiefly the first principles of all things known naturally. Now the principle of things pertaining to supernatural knowledge, which are manifested by prophecy, is God Himself, Whom the prophets do not see in His essence, although He is seen by the blessed in heaven, in whom this light is by way of an abiding and complete form, according to Ps. 35:10, "In Thy light we shall see light."

It follows therefore that the prophetic light is in the prophet's soul by way of a passion or transitory impression. This is indicated Ex. 33:22: "When my glory shall pass, I will set thee in a hole of the rock," etc., and 3 Kgs. 19:11: "Go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord; and behold the Lord passeth," etc. Hence it is that even as the air is ever in need of a fresh enlightening, so too the prophet's mind is always in need of a fresh revelation; thus a disciple who has not yet acquired the principles of an art needs to have every detail explained to him. Wherefore it is written (Is. 1:4): "In the morning He wakeneth my ear, so that I may hear Him as a master." This is also indicated by the very manner in which prophecies are uttered: thus it is stated that "the Lord spake to such and such a prophet," or that "the word of the Lord," or "the hand of the Lord was made upon him."

But a habit is an abiding form. Wherefore it is evident that, properly speaking, prophecy is not a habit.

Reply to Objection 1: This division of the Philosopher's does not comprise absolutely all that is in the soul, but only such as can be principles of moral actions, which are done sometimes from passion, sometimes from habit, sometimes from mere power, as in the case of those who perform an action from the judgment of their reason before having the habit of that action.

However, prophecy may be reduced to a passion, provided we understand passion to denote any kind of receiving, in which sense the Philosopher says (De Anima iii, 4) that "to understand is, in a way, to be passive." For just as, in natural knowledge, the possible intellect is passive to the light of the active intellect, so too in prophetic knowledge the human intellect is passive to the enlightening of the Divine light.

Reply to Objection 2: Just as in corporeal things, when a passion ceases, there remains a certain aptitude to a repetition of the passion---thus wood once ignited is more easily ignited again, so too in the prophet's intellect, after the actual enlightenment has ceased, there remains an aptitude to be enlightened anew---thus when the mind has once been aroused to devotion, it is more easily recalled to its former devotion. Hence Augustine says (De orando Deum. Ep. cxxx, 9) that our prayers need to be frequent, "lest devotion be extinguished as soon as it is kindled."

We might, however, reply that a person is called a prophet, even while his prophetic enlightenment ceases to be actual, on account of his being deputed by God, according to Jer. 1:5, "And I made thee a prophet unto the nations."

Reply to Objection 3: Every gift of grace raises man to something above human nature, and this may happen in two ways. First, as to the substance of the act---for instance, the working of miracles, and the knowledge of the uncertain and hidden things of Divine wisdom---and for such acts man is not granted a habitual gift of grace. Secondly, a thing is above human nature as to the mode but not the substance of the act---for instance to love God and to know Him in the mirror of His creatures---and for this a habitual gift of grace is bestowed.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod prophetia sit habitus.

Quia ut dicitur in II ethic., tria sunt in anima, potentia, passio et habitus.

Sed prophetia non est potentia, quia sic inesset omnibus hominibus, quibus potentiae animae sunt communes. Similiter etiam non est passio, quia passiones pertinent ad vim appetitivam, ut supra habitum est; prophetia autem pertinet principaliter ad cognitionem, ut dictum est.

Ergo prophetia est habitus.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, omnis perfectio animae quae non semper est in actu, est habitus. Sed prophetia est quaedam animae perfectio, non autem semper est in actu, alioquin non diceretur dormiens propheta.

Ergo videtur quod prophetia sit habitus.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, prophetia computatur inter gratias gratis datas.

Sed gratia est habituale quiddam in anima, ut supra habitum est.

Ergo prophetia est habitus.

Sed Contra

Sed contra, habitus est quo quis agit cum voluerit, ut dicit Commentator, in III de anima.

Sed aliquis non potest uti prophetia cum voluerit, sicut patet IV Reg. III, de eliseo, quem cum iosaphat de futuris requireret, et prophetiae spiritus ei deesset, psaltem fecit applicari, ut prophetiae ad hunc spiritus per laudem psalmodiae descenderet, atque eius animum de venturis repleret, ut Gregorius dicit, super Ezech..

Ergo prophetia non est habitus.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut apostolus dicit, ad Ephes. V, omne quod manifestatur, lumen est, quia videlicet, sicut manifestatio corporalis visionis fit per lumen corporale, ita etiam manifestatio visionis intellectualis fit per lumen intellectuale. Oportet ergo ut manifestatio proportionetur lumini per quod fit, sicut effectus proportionatur suae causae. Cum ergo prophetia pertineat ad cognitionem quae supra naturalem rationem existit, ut dictum est; consequens est quod ad prophetiam requiratur quoddam lumen intelligibile excedens lumen naturalis rationis, unde dicitur Mich. VII, cum sedero in tenebris, dominus lux mea est.

Lumen autem dupliciter alicui inesse potest, uno modo, per modum formae permanentis, sicut lumen corporale est in sole et in igne; alio modo, per modum cuiusdam passionis sive impressionis transeuntis, sicut lumen est in aere. Lumen autem propheticum non inest intellectui prophetae per modum formae permanentis, alias oporteret quod semper prophetae adesset facultas prophetandi, quod patet esse falsum, dicit enim Gregorius, super Ezech., aliquando prophetiae spiritus deest prophetis, nec semper eorum mentibus praesto est, quatenus, cum hunc non habent, se hunc agnoscant ex dono habere cum habent.

Unde eliseus dixit de muliere sunamite, IV Reg., anima eius in amaritudine est, et dominus celavit a me et non indicavit mihi.

Et huius ratio est quia lumen intellectuale in aliquo existens per modum formae permanentis et perfectae, perficit intellectum principaliter ad cognoscendum principium eorum quae per illud lumen manifestantur, sicut per lumen intellectus agentis praecipue intellectus cognoscit prima principia omnium eorum quae naturaliter cognoscuntur. Principium autem eorum quae ad supernaturalem cognitionem pertinent, quae per prophetiam manifestantur, est ipse deus, qui per essentiam a prophetis non videtur. Videtur autem a beatis in patria, in quibus huiusmodi lumen inest per modum cuiusdam formae permanentis et perfectae, secundum illud Psalmi, in lumine tuo videbimus lumen.

Relinquitur ergo quod lumen propheticum insit animae prophetae per modum cuiusdam passionis vel impressionis transeuntis.

Et hoc significatur Exod. XXXIII, cumque transibit gloria mea, ponam te in foramine petrae, etc..

Et III Reg. XIX, dicitur ad eliam, egredere, et sta in monte coram domino, et ecce, dominus transit, etc..

Et inde est quod, sicut aer semper indiget nova illuminatione, ita etiam mens prophetae semper indiget nova revelatione, sicut discipulus qui nondum est adeptus principia artis, indiget ut de singulis instruatur.

Unde et Isaiae L dicitur, mane erigit mihi aurem, et audiam quasi magistrum.

Et hoc etiam ipse modus loquendi prophetiam designat, secundum quod dicitur quod locutus est dominus ad talem vel talem prophetam, aut quod factum est verbum domini, sive manus domini super eum.

Habitus autem est forma permanens. Unde manifestum est quod prophetia, proprie loquendo, non est habitus.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod illa divisio philosophi non comprehendit absolute omnia quae sunt in anima, sed ea quae possunt esse principia Moralium actuum, qui quandoque fiunt ex passione, quandoque autem ex habitu, quandoque autem ex potentia nuda, ut patet in his qui ex iudicio rationis aliquid operantur antequam habeant habitum. Potest tamen prophetia ad passionem reduci, si tamen nomen passionis pro qualibet receptione accipiatur; prout philosophus dicit, in III de anima, quod intelligere pati quoddam est.

Sicut enim in cognitione naturali intellectus possibilis patitur ex lumine intellectus agentis, ita etiam in cognitione prophetica intellectus humanus patitur ex illustratione divini luminis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod, sicut in rebus corporalibus, abeunte passione, remanet quaedam habilitas ad hoc quod iterum patiatur, sicut lignum semel inflammatum facilius iterum inflammatur; ita etiam in intellectu prophetae, cessante actuali illustratione, remanet quaedam habilitas ad hoc quod facilius iterato illustretur. Sicut etiam mens semel ad devotionem excitata, facilius postmodum ad devotionem pristinam revocatur, propter quod Augustinus, in libro de orando deum, dicit esse necessarias crebras orationes, ne concepta devotio totaliter exstinguatur.

Potest tamen dici quod aliquis dicitur propheta etiam cessante actuali prophetica illustratione, ex deputatione divina, secundum illud Ierem. I, et prophetam in gentibus dedi te.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod omne donum gratiae hominem elevat ad aliquid quod est supra naturam humanam. Quod quidem potest esse dupliciter. Uno modo, quantum ad substantiam actus, sicut miracula facere, et cognoscere incerta et occulta divinae sapientiae. Et ad hos actus non datur homini donum gratiae habituale. Alio modo est aliquid supra naturam humanam quantum ad modum actus, non autem quantum ad substantiam ipsius, sicut diligere deum, et cognoscere eum in speculo creaturarum. Et ad hoc datur donum gratiae habituale.