Commentaria in Summam contra Gentiles, Liber IV
Francesco Silvestri (1474–1528)
Commentaria in Summam contra Gentiles
First published 1918
In Book IV of the Commentaria in Summam contra Gentiles, Francesco Silvestri of Ferrara (Ferrariensis) examines Aquinas's treatment of revealed mysteries: the Trinity, the Incarnation, the sacraments, and the resurrection. The commentary accompanies the Leonine text in volume XV (1930). The present digital edition includes the Latin text and an English translation.
Prooemium
Caput I: Quod sit generatio, paternitas et filiatio in divinis
Caput II: Quod filius Dei sit Deus
Because Sacred Scripture also uses the aforementioned names to show the creation of things, as is clear in Job 38, Who is the father of rain? etc.; lest it be believed that nothing other than the efficiency of creation is understood from the aforementioned names,1 St. Thomas shows, from passages of Sacred Scripture, that generation gives us to understand something more than creation: namely, from the fact that the one whom it called Son and begotten, it does not keep silent that He is also God.2
Concerning this, however, he does two things: first, he shows the proposition; second, he recounts the opinions of the heretics, in the following chapters.
With respect to the first point, he argues by the authority of John 1, In the beginning was the Word etc. For that the Son is understood by the name of the Word is shown from what follows, when it is said, The Word was made flesh etc. Likewise by Paul, in Titus 3, The kindness appeared etc. — The same is shown from the Old Testament, in which Christ is named God, as in the Psalm, Thy throne, O God, etc. That this is said of Christ appears from what is added, Therefore God hath anointed thee etc.
Note that, because Christ is said to be the anointed one, from the fact that Scripture subjoins that He whom it says is God was also anointed by God, it is fittingly shown that this was said of Christ.
It is also confirmed by the authority of Isaiah 9, A child is given etc.
From these St. Thomas infers that, since from Sacred Scripture we are taught that the Son of God, begotten of God, is God; and Peter confessed Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God: it follows that Christ is both the Only-begotten and God.