Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that, while in this state, Paul's soul was wholly separated from his body. For the Apostle says (2 Cor. 5:6,7): "While we are in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, and not by sight" . Now, while in that state, Paul was not absent from the Lord, for he saw Him by a species, as stated above (Article 3). Therefore he was not in the body.

Objection 2: Further, a power of the soul cannot be uplifted above the soul's essence wherein it is rooted. Now in this rapture the intellect, which is a power of the soul, was withdrawn from its bodily surroundings through being uplifted to divine contemplation. Much more therefore was the essence of the soul separated from the body.

Objection 3: Further, the forces of the vegetative soul are more material than those of the sensitive soul. Now in order for him to be rapt to the vision of God, it was necessary for him to be withdrawn from the forces of the sensitive soul, as stated above (Article 4). Much more, therefore, was it necessary for him to be withdrawn from the forces of the vegetative soul. Now when these forces cease to operate, the soul is no longer in any way united to the body. Therefore it would seem that in Paul's rapture it was necessary for the soul to be wholly separated from the body.

On the contrary, Augustine says (Ep. CXLVII, 13, ad Paulin.; de videndo Deum): "It is not incredible that this sublime revelation" (namely, that they should see God in His essence) "was vouchsafed certain saints, without their departing this life so completely as to leave nothing but a corpse for burial." Therefore it was not necessary for Paul's soul, when in rapture, to be wholly separated from his body.

I answer that, As stated above (Article 1, Objection 1), in the rapture of which we are speaking now, man is uplifted by God's power, "from that which is according to nature to that which is above nature." Wherefore two things have to be considered: first, what pertains to man according to nature; secondly, what has to be done by God in man above his nature. Now, since the soul is united to the body as its natural form, it belongs to the soul to have a natural disposition to understand by turning to phantasms; and this is not withdrawn by the divine power from the soul in rapture, since its state undergoes no change, as stated above (Article 3, ad 2,3). Yet, this state remaining, actual conversion to phantasms and sensible objects is withdrawn from the soul, lest it be hindered from being uplifted to that which transcends all phantasms, as stated above (Article 4). Therefore it was not necessary that his soul in rapture should be so separated from the body as to cease to be united thereto as its form; and yet it was necessary for his intellect to be withdrawn from phantasms and the perception of sensible objects.

Reply to Objection 1: In this rapture Paul was absent from the Lord as regards his state, since he was still in the state of a wayfarer, but not as regards the act by which he saw God by a species, as stated above (Article 3, ad 2,3).

Reply to Objection 2: A faculty of the soul is not uplifted by the natural power above the mode becoming the essence of the soul; but it can be uplifted by the divine power to something higher, even as a body by the violence of a stronger power is lifted up above the place befitting it according to its specific nature.

Reply to Objection 3: The forces of the vegetative soul do not operate through the soul being intent thereon, as do the sensitive forces, but by way of nature. Hence in the case of rapture there is no need for withdrawal from them, as from the sensitive powers, whose operations would lessen the intentness of the soul on intellective knowledge.

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod anima Pauli in statu illo fuerit totaliter a corpore separata.

Dicit enim apostolus, II ad Cor. V, quandiu sumus in corpore, peregrinamur a domino, per fidem enim ambulamus, et non per speciem.

Sed Paulus in statu illo non peregrinabatur a domino, quia videbat deum per speciem, ut dictum est.

Ergo non erat in corpore.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, potentia animae non potest elevari supra eius essentiam, in qua radicatur. Sed intellectus, qui est potentia animae, in raptu fuit a corporalibus abstractus per elevationem ad divinam contemplationem.

Ergo multo magis essentia animae fuit separata a corpore.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, vires animae vegetabilis sunt magis materiales quam vires animae sensitivae. Sed oportebat intellectum abstrahi a viribus animae sensitivae, ut dictum est, ad hoc quod rapiatur ad videndum divinam essentiam. Ergo multo magis oportebat quod abstraheretur a viribus animae vegetabilis. Quarum operatione cessante, iam nullo modo anima remanet corpori coniuncta. Ergo videtur quod oportuit in raptu Pauli animam totaliter a corpore esse separatam.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in epistola ad Paulinam de videndo deum, non est incredibile, sic quibusdam sanctis nondum ita defunctis ut sepelienda eorum cadavera remanerent, istam excellentiam revelationis fuisse concessam, ut scilicet viderent deum per essentiam. Non igitur fuit necessarium ut in raptu Pauli anima eius totaliter separaretur a corpore.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, in raptu de quo nunc loquimur, virtute divina elevatur homo ab eo quod est secundum naturam in id quod est supra naturam.

Et ideo duo considerare oportet, primo quidem, quid sit homini secundum naturam; secundo, quid divina virtute sit in homine fiendum supra naturam. Ex hoc autem quod anima corpori unitur tanquam naturalis forma ipsius, convenit animae naturalis habitudo ad hoc quod per conversionem ad phantasmata intelligat.

Quod ab ea non aufertur divina virtute in raptu, quia non mutatur status eius, ut dictum est.

Manente autem hoc statu, aufertur ab anima actualis conversio ad phantasmata et sensibilia, ne impediatur eius elevatio in id quod excedit omnia phantasmata, ut dictum est.

Et ideo in raptu non fuit necessarium quod anima sic separaretur a corpore ut ei non uniretur quasi forma, fuit autem necessarium intellectum eius abstrahi a phantasmatibus et sensibilium perceptione.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Paulus in raptu illo peregrinabatur a domino quantum ad statum, quia adhuc erat in statu viatoris, non autem quoad actum, quo videbat deum per speciem, ut ex supra dictis patet.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod potentia animae virtute naturali non elevatur supra modum convenientem essentiae eius. Virtute tamen divina potest in aliquid altius elevari, sicut corpus per violentiam fortioris virtutis elevatur supra locum convenientem sibi secundum speciem suae naturae.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod vires animae vegetabilis non operantur ex intentione animae, sicut vires sensitivae, sed per modum naturae. Et ideo non requiritur ad raptum abstractio ab eis, sicut a potentiis sensitivis, per quarum operationes minueretur intentio animae circa intellectivam cognitionem.