Commentaria in Primam Partem Summae Theologiae
Tommaso de Vio Cajetan (1469–1534)
First published 1507
Cajetan's Commentaria in Primam Partem Summae Theologiae offers an article-by-article exposition of Aquinas's Prima Pars. Its discussions of sacred doctrine, analogy, divine knowledge, and creation became important reference points in the later Thomist tradition. The present digital edition follows the Latin text of the Leonine edition and includes English and Spanish translations. Coverage is currently partial.
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Praefatio ad Oliverium Carrafam
In Prooemium Summae Theologiae
Quaestio I: De sacra doctrina, qualis sit, et ad quae se extendat
Articulus I: Utrum sit necessarium, praeter philosophicas disciplinas, aliam doctrinam haberi
Articulus II: Utrum sacra doctrina sit scientia
Articulus III: Utrum sacra doctrina sit una scientia
Articulus IV: Utrum sacra doctrina sit scientia practica
Articulus V: Utrum sacra doctrina sit dignior aliis scientiis
Articulus VI: Utrum haec doctrina sit sapientia
Articulus VII: Utrum deus sit subiectum huius scientiae
Articulus VIII: Utrum haec doctrina sit argumentativa
Articulus IX: Utrum sacra scriptura debeat uti metaphoris
Articulus X: Utrum sacra scriptura sub una littera habeat plures sensus
Quaestio II: De Deo, an Deus sit
Articulus I: Utrum Deum esse sit per se notum
Articulus II: Utrum Deum esse sit demonstrabile
Articulus III: Utrum Deus sit
Quaestio III: De Dei simplicitate
Articulus I: Utrum Deus sit corpus
Articulus II: Utrum in Deo sit compositio formae et materiae
Articulus III: Utrum sit idem Deus quod sua essentia vel natura
Articulus IV: Utrum in Deo sit idem essentia et esse
Articulus V: Utrum Deus sit in genere aliquo
Articulus VI: Utrum in Deo sint aliqua accidentia
Articulus VII: Utrum Deus sit omnino simplex
Articulus VIII: Utrum Deus in compositionem aliorum veniat
Quaestio IV: De Dei perfectione
Articulus I: Utrum Deus sit perfectus
Articulus II: Utrum in Deo sint perfectiones omnium rerum
Articulus III: Utrum aliqua creatura possit esse similis Deo
Quaestio V: De bono in communi
Articulus I: Utrum bonum differat secundum rem ab ente
Articulus II: Utrum bonum secundum rationem sit prius quam ens
Articulus III: Utrum omne ens sit bonum
Articulus IV: Utrum bonum habeat rationem causae finalis
Articulus V: Utrum ratio boni consistat in modo, specie et ordine
Articulus VI: Utrum convenienter dividatur bonum per honestum, utile et delectabile
Quaestio VI: De bonitate Dei
Articulus I: Utrum esse bonum Deo conveniat
Articulus II: Utrum Deus sit summum bonum
Articulus III: Utrum esse bonum per essentiam sit proprium Dei
Articulus IV: Utrum omnia sint bona bonitate divina
Quaestio VII: De infinitate Dei
Articulus I: Utrum Deus sit infinitus
Articulus II: Utrum aliquid aliud quam Deus possit esse infinitum per essentiam
Articulus III: Utrum possit esse aliquid infinitum actu secundum magnitudinem
Articulus IV: Utrum possit esse infinitum in rebus secundum multitudinem
Quaestio VIII: De existentia Dei in rebus
Articulus I: Utrum Deus sit in omnibus rebus
Articulus II: Utrum Deus sit ubique
Articulus III: Utrum Deus sit ubique per essentiam, praesentiam et potentiam
Articulus IV: Utrum esse ubique sit proprium Dei
Quaestio IX: De Dei immutabilitate
Articulus I: Utrum Deus sit omnino immutabilis
Articulus II: Utrum esse immutabile sit Dei proprium
Quaestio X: De Dei aeternitate
Articulus I: Utrum convenienter definiatur aeternitas, quod est interminabilis vitae tota simul et perfecta possessio
Articulus II: Utrum Deus sit aeternus
Articulus III: Utrum esse aeternum sit proprium Dei
Articulus IV: Utrum aeternitas differat a tempore
Articulus V: De differentia aevi et temporis
Articulus VI: Utrum sit unum aevum tantum
Quaestio XI: De unitate Dei
Articulus I: Utrum unum addat aliquid supra ens
Articulus II: Utrum unum et multa opponantur
Articulus III: Utrum Deus sit unus
Articulus IV: Utrum Deus sit maxime unus
Quaestio XII: Quomodo Deus a nobis cognoscatur
Articulus I: Utrum aliquis intellectus creatus possit Deum videre per essentiam
Articulus II: Utrum essentia Dei ab intellectu creato per aliquam similitudinem videatur
Articulus III: Utrum essentia Dei videri possit oculis corporalibus
Articulus IV: Utrum aliquis intellectus creatus per sua naturalia divinam essentiam videre possit
Articulus V: Utrum intellectus creatus ad videndum Dei essentiam aliquo creato lumine indigeat
Articulus VI: Utrum videntium essentiam Dei unus alio perfectius videat
Articulus VII: Utrum videntes Deum per essentiam ipsum comprehendant
Articulus VIII: Utrum videntes Deum per essentiam omnia in Deo videant
Articulus IX: Utrum ea quae videntur in Deo a videntibus divinam essentiam per aliquas similitudines videantur
Articulus X: Utrum videntes Deum per essentiam simul videant omnia quae in ipso vident
Articulus XI: Utrum aliquis in hac vita possit videre Deum per essentiam
Articulus XII: Utrum per rationem naturalem Deum in hac vita cognoscere possimus
In the title, to know does not mean to see, as above, but to know, that is, to understand, however this may come about. By natural reason, that is, by a light acquirable through nature.
II. In the body, one conclusion, answering the question affirmatively, with a corollary1 The conclusion is: In this life we can know God by natural reason, insofar as he is the first and most excellent cause of all things. – It is proved. Our natural knowledge arises from the senses; therefore it extends only as far as sensible things lead us by the hand; therefore it extends not to a vision of God, but to knowledge of him insofar as he is the first and most excellent cause of all things.
The antecedent, together with the first consequence, is evident. The second, however, is proved as to its first part: sensible things are not an adequate effect of the divine power; therefore from them the whole divine power cannot be known; therefore neither can its essence be seen. As to the second part, it is proved: sensible things are effects dependent on God, namely, as first cause; therefore from them God can be known as first cause.
III. The corollary is: we know three things about God from sensible things, causal, negative and supereminent. To causality belong, according to the threefold genus of cause, not only predicates that import causality, such as exemplar, maker, end, etc.; but also absolute predicates that are inferred from causality a posteriori, such as being (esse), living, knowing, etc. And to these all that is relative to creatures is reduced. – The negatives, however, follow from the aforementioned conditions: for instance, that He is incorporeal, infinite, immutable. – Those pertaining to supereminence likewise follow from the same: for instance, that He is above every being (ens), above everything intelligible, and above everything understood.
For all these things follow of necessity from the relation between God and sensible things. The rest, however, are naturally obscure to us in this life.