Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ ought not to have suffered on the cross. For the truth ought to conform to the figure. But in all the sacrifices of the Old Testament which prefigured Christ the beasts were slain with a sword and afterwards consumed by fire. Therefore it seems that Christ ought not to have suffered on a cross, but rather by the sword or by fire.

Objection 2: Further, Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii) that Christ ought not to assume "dishonoring afflictions." But death on a cross was most dishonoring and ignominious; hence it is written (Wis. 2:20): "Let us condemn Him to a most shameful death." Therefore it seems that Christ ought not to have undergone the death of the cross.

Objection 3: Further, it was said of Christ (Mt. 21:9): "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." But death upon the cross was a death of malediction, as we read Dt. 21:23: "He is accursed of God that hangeth on a tree." Therefore it does not seem fitting for Christ to be crucified.

On the contrary, It is written (Phil. 2:8): "He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

I answer that, It was most fitting that Christ should suffer the death of the cross.

First of all, as an example of virtue. For Augustine thus writes (Questions. lxxxiii, qu. 25): "God's Wisdom became man to give us an example in righteousness of living. But it is part of righteous living not to stand in fear of things which ought not to be feared. Now there are some men who, although they do not fear death in itself, are yet troubled over the manner of their death. In order, then, that no kind of death should trouble an upright man, the cross of this Man had to be set before him, because, among all kinds of death, none was more execrable, more fear-inspiring, than this."

Secondly, because this kind of death was especially suitable in order to atone for the sin of our first parent, which was the plucking of the apple from the forbidden tree against God's command. And so, to atone for that sin, it was fitting that Christ should suffer by being fastened to a tree, as if restoring what Adam had purloined; according to Ps. 68:5: "Then did I pay that which I took not away." Hence Augustine says in a sermon on the Passion : "Adam despised the command, plucking the apple from the tree: but all that Adam lost, Christ found upon the cross."

The third reason is because, as Chrysostom says in a sermon on the Passion (De Cruce et Latrone i, ii): "He suffered upon a high rood and not under a roof, in order that the nature of the air might be purified: and the earth felt a like benefit, for it was cleansed by the flowing of the blood from His side." And on Jn. 3:14: "The Son of man must be lifted up," Theophylact says: "When you hear that He was lifted up, understand His hanging on high, that He might sanctify the air who had sanctified the earth by walking upon it."

The fourth reason is, because, by dying on it, He prepares for us an ascent into heaven, as Chrysostom says. Hence it is that He says (Jn. 12:32): "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to Myself."

The fifth reason is because it is befitting the universal salvation of the entire world. Hence Gregory of Nyssa observes (In Christ. Resurr., Orat. i) that "the shape of the cross extending out into four extremes from their central point of contact denotes the power and the providence diffused everywhere of Him who hung upon it." Chrysostom also says that upon the cross "He dies with outstretched hands in order to draw with one hand the people of old, and with the other those who spring from the Gentiles."

The sixth reason is because of the various virtues denoted by this class of death. Hence Augustine in his book on the grace of the Old and New Testament (Ep. cxl) says: "Not without purpose did He choose this class of death, that He might be a teacher of that breadth, and height, and length, and depth," of which the Apostle speaks (Eph. 3:18): "For breadth is in the beam, which is fixed transversely above; this appertains to good works, since the hands are stretched out upon it. Length is the tree's extent from the beam to the ground; and there it is planted---that is, it stands and abides---which is the note of longanimity. Height is in that portion of the tree which remains over from the transverse beam upwards to the top, and this is at the head of the Crucified, because He is the supreme desire of souls of good hope. But that part of the tree which is hidden from view to hold it fixed, and from which the entire rood springs, denotes the depth of gratuitous grace." And, as Augustine says (Tract. cxix in Joan.): "The tree upon which were fixed the members of Him dying was even the chair of the Master teaching."

The seventh reason is because this kind of death responds to very many figures. For, as Augustine says in a sermon on the Passion (Serm. ci De Tempore), an ark of wood preserved the human race from the waters of the Deluge; at the exodus of God's people from Egypt, Moses with a rod divided the sea, overthrew Pharaoh and saved the people of God. the same Moses dipped his rod into the water, changing it from bitter to sweet; at the touch of a wooden rod a salutary spring gushed forth from a spiritual rock; likewise, in order to overcome Amalec, Moses stretched forth his arms with rod in hand; lastly, God's law is entrusted to the wooden Ark of the Covenant; all of which are like steps by which we mount to the wood of the cross.

Reply to Objection 1: The altar of holocausts, upon which the sacrifices of animals were immolated, was constructed of timbers, as is set forth Ex. 27:, and in this respect the truth answers to the figure; but "it is not necessary for it to be likened in every respect, otherwise it would not be a likeness," but the reality, as Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii). But. in particular, as Chrysostom says: "His head is not cut off, as was done to John; nor was He sawn in twain, like Isaias, in order that His entire and indivisible body might obey death, and that there might be no excuse for them who want to divide the Church." While, instead of material fire, there was the spiritual fire of charity in Christ's holocaust.

Reply to Objection 2: Christ refused to undergo dishonorable sufferings which are allied with defects of knowledge, or of grace, or even of virtue, but not those injuries inflicted from without---nay, more, as is written Heb. 12:2: "He endured the cross, despising the shame."

Reply to Objection 3: As Augustine says (Contra Faust. xiv), sin is accursed, and, consequently, so is death, and mortality, which comes of sin. "But Christ's flesh was mortal, 'having the resemblance of the flesh of sin'"; and hence Moses calls it "accursed," just as the Apostle calls it "sin," saying (2 Cor. 5:21): "Him that knew no sin, for us He hath made sin"---namely, because of the penalty of sin. "Nor is there greater ignominy on that account, because he said: 'He is accursed of God.'" For, "unless God had hated sin, He would never have sent His Son to take upon Himself our death, and to destroy it. Acknowledge, then, that it was for us He took the curse upon Himself, whom you confess to have died for us." Hence it is written (Gal. 3:13): "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."

Articulus 4

Argumentum 1

Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod christus non debuerit pati in cruce. Veritas enim debet respondere figurae. Sed in figuram christi praecesserunt omnia sacrificia veteris testamenti, in quibus animalia gladio necabantur, et postmodum igni cremabantur. Ergo videtur quod christus non debuerit pati in cruce, sed magis gladio vel igne.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, Damascenus dicit quod christus non debuit assumere detractibiles passiones. Sed mors crucis videtur maxime detractibilis et ignominiosa, unde dicitur Sap. II, morte turpissima condemnemus eum.

Ergo videtur quod christus non debuit pati mortem crucis.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, de christo dicitur, benedictus qui venit in nomine domini, ut patet Matth. XXI.

Sed mors crucis erat mors maledictionis, secundum illud Deut. XXI, maledictus a deo est qui pendet in ligno.

Ergo videtur quod non fuit conveniens christum crucifigi.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur philipp. II, factus est obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod convenientissimum fuit christum pati mortem crucis. Primo quidem, propter exemplum virtutis.

Dicit enim Augustinus, in libro octogintatrium quaest., sapientia dei hominem, ad exemplum quo recte viveremus, suscepit.

Pertinet autem ad vitam rectam ea quae non sunt metuenda, non metuere. Sunt autem homines qui, quamvis mortem ipsam non timeant, genus tamen mortis horrescunt. Ut ergo nullum genus mortis recte viventi homini metuendum esset, illius hominis cruce ostendendum fuit, nihil enim erat, inter omnia genera mortis, illo genere execrabilius et formidabilius.

Secundo, quia hoc genus mortis maxime conveniens erat satisfactioni pro peccato primi parentis, quod fuit ex eo quod, contra mandatum dei, pomum ligni vetiti sumpsit. Et ideo conveniens fuit quod christus, ad satisfaciendum pro peccato illo, seipsum pateretur ligno affigi, quasi restituens quod Adam sustulerat, secundum illud Psalmi, quae non rapui, tunc exsolvebam.

Unde Augustinus dicit, in quodam sermone de passione, contemsit Adam praeceptum, accipiens ex arbore, sed quidquid Adam perdidit, christus in cruce invenit.

Tertia ratio est quia, ut chrysostomus dicit, in sermone de passione, in excelso ligno, et non sub tecto passus est, ut etiam ipsius aeris natura mundetur. Sed et ipsa terra simile beneficium sentiebat, decurrentis de latere sanguinis stillatione mundata.

Et super illud Ioan. III, oportet exaltari filium hominis, exaltari audiens, suspensionem intelligas in altum, ut sanctificaret aerem qui sanctificaverat terram ambulando in ea.

Quarta ratio est quia, per hoc quod in ea moritur, ascensum nobis parat in caelum, ut chrysostomus dicit. Et inde est quod ipse dicit, Ioan. XII, ego, si exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad meipsum.

Quinta ratio est quia hoc competit universali salvationi totius mundi.

Unde Gregorius Nyssenus dicit quod figura crucis, a medio contactu in quatuor extrema partita, significat virtutem et providentiam eius qui in ea pependit, ubique diffusam.

Chrysostomus etiam dicit quod in cruce, expansis manibus, moritur, ut altera manu veterem populum, altera eos qui ex gentibus sunt, trahat.

Sexta ratio est quia per hoc genus mortis diversae virtutes designantur. Unde Augustinus dicit, in libro de gratia vet. Et novi test., non frustra tale genus mortis elegit, ut latitudinis et altitudinis et longitudinis et profunditatis, de quibus apostolus loquitur, magister existeret. Nam latitudo est in eo ligno quod transversum desuper figitur; hoc ad bona opera pertinet, quia ibi extenduntur manus. Longitudo in eo quod ab ipso ligno usque ad terram conspicuum est, ibi enim quodammodo statur, idest, persistitur et perseveratur; quod longanimitati tribuitur.

Altitudo est in ea ligni parte quae ab illa quae transversa figitur, sursum versus relinquitur, hoc est, ad caput crucifixi, quia bene sperantium superna expectatio est. Iam vero illud ex ligno quod fixum occultatur, unde totum illud exurgit, significat profunditatem gratuitae gratiae.

Et, sicut Augustinus dicit, super Ioan., lignum in quo fixa erant membra patientis, etiam cathedra fuit magistri docentis.

Septima ratio est quia hoc genus mortis plurimis figuris respondet. Ut enim Augustinus dicit, in sermone de passione, de diluvio aquarum humanum genus arca lignea liberavit; de Aegypto dei populo recedente, Moyses mare virga divisit, et Pharaonem prostravit, et populum dei redemit; idem Moyses lignum in aquam misit et amaram aquam in dulcedinem commutavit; ex lignea virga de spirituali petra salutaris unda profertur; et, ut Amalec vinceretur, contra virgam Moyses expansis manibus extenditur; et lex dei arcae testamenti creditur ligneae; ut his omnibus ad lignum crucis, quasi per quosdam gradus, veniatur.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod altare holocaustorum, in quo sacrificia animalium offerebantur, erat factum de lignis, ut habetur Exod. XXVII, et quantum ad hoc veritas respondet figurae.

Non autem oportet quod quantum, ad omnia, quia iam non esset similitudo, sed veritas, ut Damascenus dicit, in III libro. Specialiter tamen, ut chrysostomus dicit, non caput ei amputatur, ut ioanni; neque sectus est, ut Isaias, ut corpus integrum et indivisibile morti servet, et non fiat occasio volentibus ecclesiam dividere.

Loco autem materialis ignis, fuit in holocausto christi ignis caritatis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod christus detractibiles passiones assumere renuit quae pertinebant ad defectum scientiae vel gratiae, aut etiam virtutis. Non autem illas quae pertinent ad iniuriam ab exteriori illatam, quinimmo, ut dicitur Heb. XII, sustinuit crucem confusione contempta.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut Augustinus dicit, XIV contra faustum, peccatum maledictum est et per consequens mors et mortalitas ex peccato proveniens, caro autem christi mortalis fuit, similitudinem habens carnis peccati.

Et propter hoc Moyses eam nominat maledictum, sicut et apostolus nominat eam peccatum, dicens, II Cor. V, eum qui non noverat peccatum, pro nobis peccatum fecit, scilicet per poenam peccati.

Nec ideo maior invidia est, quia dixit, maledictus est a deo.

Nisi enim deus peccatum odisset, non ad eam suscipiendam atque tollendam filium suum mitteret. Confitere ergo maledictum suscepisse pro nobis, quem confiteris mortuum esse pro nobis.

Unde et Galat. III dicitur, christus nos redemit de maledicto legis, factus pro nobis maledictum.