Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that to baptize is not part of the priestly office, but proper to that of bishops. Because, as stated above (Article 1, Objection 1), the duties of teaching and baptizing are enjoined in the same precept (Mt. 28:19). But to teach, which is "to perfect," belongs to the office of bishop, as Dionysius declares (Eccl. Hier. v, vi). Therefore to baptize also belongs to the episcopal office.

Objection 2: Further, by Baptism a man is admitted to the body of the Christian people: and to do this seems consistent with no other than the princely office. Now the bishops hold the position of princes in the Church, as the gloss observes on Lk. 10:1: indeed, they even take the place of the apostles, of whom it is written (Ps. 44:17): "Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth." Therefore it seems that to baptize belongs exclusively to the office of bishops.

Objection 3: Further, Isidore says (Epist. ad Ludifred.) that "it belongs to the bishop to consecrate churches, to anoint altars, to consecrate the chrism; he it is that confers the ecclesiastical orders, and blesses the consecrated virgins." But the sacrament of Baptism is greater than all these. Therefore much more reason is there why to baptize should belong exclusively to the episcopal office.

On the contrary, Isidore says (De Officiis. ii): "It is certain that Baptism was entrusted to priests alone."

I answer that, Priests are consecrated for the purpose of celebrating the sacrament of Christ's Body, as stated above (Question 65, Article 3). Now that is the sacrament of ecclesiastical unity, according to the Apostle (1 Cor. 10:17): "We, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread and one chalice." Moreover, by Baptism a man becomes a participator in ecclesiastical unity, wherefore also he receives the right to approach our Lord's Table. Consequently, just as it belongs to a priest to consecrate the Eucharist, which is the principal purpose of the priesthood, so it is the proper office of a priest to baptize: since it seems to belong to one and the same, to produce the whole and to dispose the part in the whole.

Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord enjoined on the apostles, whose place is taken by the bishops, both duties, namely, of teaching and of baptizing, but in different ways. Because Christ committed to them the duty of teaching, that they might exercise it themselves as being the most important duty of all: wherefore the apostles themselves said (Acts 6:2): "It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables." On the other hand, He entrusted the apostles with the office of baptizing, to be exercised vicariously; wherefore the Apostle says (1 Cor. 1:17): "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel." And the reason for this was that the merit and wisdom of the minister have no bearing on the baptismal effect, as they have in teaching, as may be seen from what we have stated above (Question 64, Article 1, ad 2; Articles 5,9). A proof of this is found also in the fact that our Lord Himself did not baptize, but His disciples, as John relates (4:2). Nor does it follow from this that bishops cannot baptize; since what a lower power can do, that can also a higher power. Wherefore also the Apostle says (1 Cor. 1:14,16) that he had baptized some.

Reply to Objection 2: In every commonwealth minor affairs are entrusted to lower officials, while greater affairs are restricted to higher officials; according to Ex. 18:22: "When any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only." Consequently it belongs to the lower officials of the state to decide matters concerning the lower orders; while to the highest it belongs to set in order those matters that regard the higher orders of the state. Now by Baptism a man attains only to the lowest rank among the Christian people: and consequently it belongs to the lesser officials of the Church

to baptize, namely, the priests, who hold the place of the seventy-two disciples of Christ, as the gloss says in the passage quoted from Luke 10.

Reply to Objection 3: As stated above (Question 65, Article 3), the sacrament of Baptism holds the first place in the order of necessity; but in the order of perfection there are other greater sacraments which are reserved to bishops.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod baptizare non pertineat ad officium presbyterorum, sed solum episcoporum.

Quia, sicut dictum est, sub eodem praecepto iniungitur, Matth. Ult., officium docendi et baptizandi.

Sed docere, quod est perficere, pertinet ad officium episcopi, ut patet per dionysium, V et VI cap. Eccl. Hier..

Ergo et baptizare pertinet tantum ad officium episcopi.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, per baptismum annumeratur aliquis populo christiano, quod quidem videtur ad officium solius principis pertinere.

Sed principatum in ecclesia tenent episcopi, ut dicitur in Glossa Luc. X, qui etiam tenent locum apostolorum, de quibus dicitur in Psalmo, constitues eos principes super omnem terram.

Ergo videtur quod baptizare pertineat solum ad officium episcopi.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, Isidorus dicit quod ad episcopum pertinet basilicarum consecratio, unctio altaris, et confectio chrismatis, ipse ordines ecclesiasticos distribuit, et sacras virgines benedicit.

Sed his omnibus maius est sacramentum baptismi. Ergo videtur quod multo magis ad officium solius episcopi pertinet baptizare.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Isidorus dicit, in libro de officiis, constat baptisma solis sacerdotibus esse traditum.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod sacerdotes ad hoc consecrantur ut sacramentum corporis christi conficiant, sicut supra dictum est.

Illud autem est sacramentum ecclesiasticae unitatis, secundum illud apostoli, I Cor. X, unus panis et unum corpus multi sumus, omnes qui de uno pane et de uno calice participamus.

Per baptismum autem aliquis fit particeps ecclesiasticae unitatis, unde et accipit ius accedendi ad mensam domini. Et ideo, sicut ad sacerdotem pertinet consecrare eucharistiam, ad quod principaliter ordinatur sacerdotium, ita ad proprium officium sacerdotis pertinet baptizare, eiusdem enim videtur esse operari totum, et partem in toto disponere.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod utrumque officium, scilicet docendi et baptizandi, dominus apostolis iniunxit, quorum vicem gerunt episcopi, aliter tamen et aliter. Nam officium docendi commisit eis christus ut ipsi per se illud exercerent, tanquam principalissimum, unde et ipsi apostoli dixerunt, Act. VI, non est aequum nos relinquere verbum dei et ministrare mensis.

Officium autem baptizandi commisit apostolis ut per alios exercendum, unde et apostolus dicit, I Cor. I, non misit me christus baptizare, sed evangelizare.

Et hoc ideo quia in baptizando nihil operatur meritum et sapientia ministri, sicut in docendo, ut patet ex supra dictis.

In cuius etiam signum, nec ipse dominus baptizavit, sed discipuli eius, ut dicitur Ioan. IV.

Nec tamen per hoc excluditur quin episcopi possint baptizare, quia quod potest potestas inferior, potest et superior.

Unde et apostolus ibidem dicit se quosdam baptizasse.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod in qualibet republica ea quae sunt minora, pertinent ad minora officia, maiora vero maioribus reservantur, secundum illud Exod. XVIII, quidquid maius fuerit, referent ad te, et ipsi tantummodo minora iudicent.

Et ideo ad minores principes civitatis pertinet disponere de infimo populo, ad summos autem pertinet disponere ea quae pertinent ad maiores civitatis. Per baptismum autem non adipiscitur aliquis nisi infimum gradum in populo christiano.

Et ideo baptizare pertinet ad minores principes ecclesiae, idest presbyteros, qui tenent locum septuaginta duorum discipulorum christi, ut dicit Glossa Luc. X.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, sacramentum baptismi est potissimum necessitate, sed quantum ad perfectionem, sunt quaedam alia potiora, quae episcopis reservantur.