Commentaria in Summam contra Gentiles, Liber IV

After St. Thomas determined about the sacrament of Extreme Unction, he consequently determines about the sacrament of Order ¹.

Concerning this, however, he does three things: first, he determines about the sacrament of Order itself; second, about the distinction of the orders, Cap. seq.; third, about the minister of the sacraments to whom the power of order is conferred, Cap. LXXVII.

I. As to the first, he lays down six conclusions. The first of these is: It is necessary that the dispensation of the aforesaid sacraments be carried out by visible men having spiritual power. It is proved first thus. In all the aforesaid sacraments spiritual grace is conferred under the sacrament of visible things. Therefore etc. — The consequence is proved. Because every action must be proportioned to its agent.

II. Second. This dispensation of the sacraments does not befit angels, but only men clothed in visible flesh. Therefore etc.

The antecedent is proved in two ways. First, by the authority of the Apostle, saying in Heb. v, Every high priest etc.

2. Second, thus. It is necessary that the dispensers of the sacraments be ministers of Christ. Therefore it is necessary that they be conformed to Christ. Therefore it is necessary that they be men, and that they share in something of his divinity according to some spiritual power; concerning which the Apostle says, II ad Cor. ult., that he gave power etc.

The antecedent is proved first thus. The institution and power of the sacraments take their beginning from Christ: for according to the Apostle, ad Ephes. v, he instituted the sacrament of Baptism; he himself also gave the sacrament of his body and blood at the Supper and instituted its frequent celebration, which are the principal sacraments. Therefore it was necessary that he institute others as his ministers, who would dispense the sacraments to the faithful: because he was going to take away from the Church his bodily presence. Therefore such dispensers are his ministers.

Second, by the authority of the Apostle, saying in I ad Cor. iv, Let a man so account of us etc.

Third, because he entrusted to the disciples both the consecration of his body and blood, when he said, Do this etc.; and he granted the power of remitting sins, according to that saying of Ioan. xx, Whose sins you remit etc., and he enjoined the office of teaching and baptizing, Matth. ult., Go, teach etc.

The first consequence, however, is proved. Because the minister is compared to the lord as an instrument to the principal agent: since he is moved by the command of the lord to execute something, just as an instrument is moved by an agent to produce something. Moreover, the instrument must be proportioned to the agent.

The second consequence also is proved: as to the inference of the whole consequent, because Christ, as Lord, worked our salvation by his own authority and power, inasmuch as he was God and man; so that according to the one he might suffer for our redemption; according to the other his passion might become salutary for us. — As to the inference of the second part of the consequent, however, it is proved because the instrument participates in something of the power of the principal agent.

3. Concerning the antecedent of this argument, it must be considered, from the teaching of St. Thomas, Tertia, q. LXIV, a. 7; and in the Fourth, d. v ², a. ult. ³, that just as God did not bind his power to the sacraments, so neither did he bind the power of dispensing the sacraments to any ministers. Hence, just as he gave this power to men, so he could also give it to angels. But although it is not impossible for angels to be dispensers of the sacraments, with power divinely conceded to them, this nevertheless is not fitting, but rather that this dispensation be carried out through men, as is clear from the reason adduced. Hence St. Thomas did not say that the dispensation of the sacraments is not possible for angels, but that it does not befit them: that is, it does not accord with their nature. But it accords well with men.

III. The second conclusion is: This spiritual power was so given to the disciples of Christ that through them it would come down to others. It is proved. This power was given, according to the saying of the Apostle, for the edification of the Church. Therefore it must be perpetuated for as long as it is necessary for the Church to be built up. But this is necessary after the death of the disciples until the end of the world. Therefore etc.

It is confirmed. Because the Lord spoke to the disciples in the person of the other faithful: as is clear from Marc. XIII, What I say to you etc.; and Matth. ult., Behold, I etc.

2. The third conclusion is: In the conferral of this kind of spiritual power a certain sacrament is accomplished, which is called the sacrament of Order. It is proved. It was fitting that this spiritual power be handed over to men under certain sensible signs: which are certain forms of words, determined actions, such as the imposition of hands, anointing, and the handing over of the book or the chalice or something of this kind that pertains to the execution of spiritual power. Therefore etc. — The consequence is proved. Because whenever something spiritual is handed over under a corporal sign, this is called a sacrament. — The antecedent, however, is proved, because this spiritual power is derived from Christ into the ministers of the Church, and spiritual effects derived from Christ into us are accomplished under certain sensible signs, as is clear from what was said above ⁴.

3. The fourth conclusion is: In this sacrament grace is conferred, as in the other sacraments. It is proved. The administration of the sacraments, to which the spiritual power is ordered, is not fittingly done unless someone is aided for this by divine grace. Therefore, etc. — The consequence is proved. Because it pertains to divine liberality that to the one to whom power to operate something is conferred, there are also conferred those things without which this kind of operation cannot be fittingly exercised.

Note, from the teaching of St. Thomas in the Fourth, d. XXIV, q. 1, a. 2, qu. 1, ad 3, that grace is presupposed in one who approaches the orders in one way: and in another way, it is caused through the sacrament of order. For sufficient grace is presupposed so that one may be worthily numbered among the people of Christ. But in the reception of Orders a further gift of grace is conferred, by which he is rendered fit for greater things.

4. The fifth conclusion is: The power of Order is considered chiefly in comparison to the sacrament of the Eucharist; that is, it is principally concerned with the confection of the body of Christ. It is proved. The power of order is ordered to the dispensation of the sacraments. Therefore it is chiefly ordered to that which is the most perfect and consummates all the others: because each thing is denominated from its end. But the sacrament of the Eucharist is of this kind. Therefore etc.

5. The sixth conclusion is: It is necessary that the power of Order extend to the remission of sins through the dispensation of those sacraments which are ordered to this, of which kind are Baptism and Penance. It is proved. It seems to be of the same power to confer some perfection, and to prepare the matter for the reception of it: as is clear in the power of fire. But the power of Order extends to this, that it effects the sacrament of the body of Christ and hands it over to the faithful. Therefore it is necessary that the same power extend to this: that it renders the faithful fit and suitable for the reception of this sacrament. But the faithful is rendered fit and suitable for this through being immune from sin: since otherwise he cannot be spiritually united to Christ. Therefore etc.

It is confirmed, because the Lord gave to the disciples, to whom he committed the consecration of his body, this power understood through the keys promised to Peter. For heaven is opened and closed for each one through this: that he is subject to sin, or is cleansed from sin, of which it is a sign that the use of these keys is said to be to bind and to loose, namely from sins.

6. It must be noted that, as was said above ⁵ concerning the mind of St. Thomas, the power of effecting the sacrament of the body of Christ, and the power of remitting sins, are not two powers essentially distinct, but only in reason, in order to diverse acts. Hence if the sacrament of order consists in such power, it does not follow that the priesthood is two orders, as Scotus argues in IV Sent., d. xxiv ⁶, but perhaps that would follow, if those powers were essentially distinct.

It must be noted, moreover, that this sacrament is indeed not of necessity with respect to this or that individual man; it is nevertheless necessary for the Church that there be in her some governor.