Summa summae S. Thomae, Tomus III

[I answer: affirmative.

Proof. Holy Scripture, which most frequently invokes prophecies as proof of the truth of revelation. Christ himself says, John, v, 39: Search the Scriptures, for you think that in them you have life everlasting. And they are they that testify of me. So that he might prove to the disciples going to the town called Emmaus that all things that had happened of him had come to pass by the divine will, Luke, XXIV, 27, beginning from Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things that were concerning him. St. Peter, after narrating the prodigious transfiguration of Christ, in which the heavenly Father proclaimed him his own Son with an audible voice, adds, to refute more fully the unbelief of the Jews, 2 Pet., I, 19: And we have a firmer prophetic word, whereunto you do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn. St. Paul expounded to the Jews the heavenly doctrine, Acts, XXVIII, 23, testifying the kingdom of God and persuading them concerning Jesus out of the law of Moses and the prophets. Therefore.

Proof. by a second argument. Prophecy properly so called cannot be except from God; for, as the Angelic Doctor says, 2a 2ae, q. 171, a. 2, c., « the principle of those things that pertain to supernatural knowledge, which are made manifest through prophecy, is God himself, who is not seen by the prophets through essence. » Therefore, whenever a true prophecy is had as confirmed by the event, so often an unavoidable argument arises for divine and supernatural revelation. — The antecedent follows from the very notion of prophecy itself. — The consequent therefore cannot be denied.

It is confirmed from this, that a true prophecy is a true miracle, and below it will be proved that a miracle demonstrates the truth of the doctrine in whose favor it is wrought.

Proof. thirdly from the Fathers, of whom it will suffice to cite one and another. Tertullian, Apologet., c. 20: « A fitting testimony of divinity, I think, is the truth of divination. Hence among us faith in things to come also is safe, because they were foretold along with those things which are daily proved. » Splendid is this passage of Augustine, serm. 43 de Script., n. 5. Having recounted out of St. Peter the transfiguration of Christ, and having cited these words: And we have a more certain prophetic word, he says: « That voice sounded from heaven, and the prophetic word is more certain... Who among us does not marvel that, the voice having been brought down from heaven, the Apostle said the prophetic word was more certain? He said indeed more certain: more certain, not better, not truer. For that voice from heaven was as true as the prophetic word, as good, as useful. What then is more certain, except that in which the hearer is more confirmed? Why this? Because there are unbelieving men who so disparage Christ as to say that he did what he did by magical arts... But the prophets were before: I do not say before that voice, but before the flesh of Christ. Christ was not yet when he sent the prophets... Behold why the Apostle Peter says: We have a more certain prophetic word. A voice from heaven, whereby the faithful are admonished; a prophetic word, whereby the unbelieving are convinced. » Therefore.]