Commentaria in Summam contra Gentiles, Liber IV

The preface having been laid down, St. Thomas proceeds to the determination of those things that are known by us concerning God through revelation, according to the proposed order:¹ for first, he determines concerning the things pertaining to the Trinity; second, concerning those pertaining to the Incarnation, ch. xxvii; third, concerning those that regard the future resurrection, ch. lxxix.

Concerning the first he does two things: first, he shows that in the divine there are generation, paternity, and filiation; second, he shows also that the Holy Spirit is in the divine, ch. xv.

Concerning the first he does two things: first, he shows from the authority of Sacred Scripture that these are in the divine; second, he sets down arguments against divine generation, and resolves them, ch. x ff.

Concerning the first he does two things: first, he shows what has been said; second, he proves in the following chapter that the Son of God is God.

I. As to the first, this conclusion is posited: Sacred Scripture hands down to us in the divine the names of paternity and filiation and generation, bearing witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Concerning paternity and filiation, it is proved first by the authority of the New Testament: namely, Matt. xi, No one knoweth the Son etc.; Mark i, The beginning of the Gospel etc.; John iii, The Father loveth the Son etc.; John v, As the Father etc.; Paul, Rom. 1, Separated etc.; Heb. 1, In many ways etc.

Second, it is proved by the authority of the Old Testament: namely, Prov. xxx, What is his name etc.; Psalm ii, The Lord hath said to me etc.; and Psalm lxxxviii, He shall cry out to me etc.

If, however, it be said that the first words of the Psalm refer to David, but the last to Solomon:—the first point is indeed evident to be false, because there is added in the same place, This day have I begotten thee, and, I will give thee the gentiles for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession: which the history of the Book of Kings makes clear does not suit David, from which it is apparent that his kingdom was not expanded to the ends of the earth. The second point is also evident to be false, because there is added, I will make his throne as the days of heaven for ever and ever etc.: which cannot suit Solomon. From this St. Thomas infers that, since certain things annexed to the aforesaid words can fit David or Solomon, while certain things by no means can, they are spoken of them, according to the custom of Scripture, as a figure of another in whom all things are fulfilled.