37. Christ's Infused Knowledge and Its Perfection

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

Infused Knowledge (Scientia Indita) #

• Supernatural knowledge poured directly into Christ’s soul by divine action
• Distinct from both beatific vision (seeing God as He is) and natural human knowledge
• Represents a middle ground between natural human reasoning and divine comprehension
• The forms by which Christ knew through infused knowledge were created forms, not God Himself

Christ’s Dual Status: Viator and Comprehensor #

• Viator (one on the road): Christ’s body was not yet glorified before the Passion
• Comprehensor (one who grasps): Christ’s soul possessed the beatific vision
• Christ existed simultaneously in both states, creating a unique epistemic status
• This explains how He could possess knowledge exceeding normal human capacity while remaining subject to bodily conditions

The Scope of Infused Knowledge #

Christ knew through infused knowledge:

• All things knowable through natural human reason (all human sciences)
• All things revealed through divine revelation (wisdom, prophecy, gifts of the Holy Spirit)
• All singulars—past, present, and future—through the gift of counsel (gift of prudence)

Christ did not know through infused knowledge:

• The divine essence itself (known only through the beatific vision)

Key Arguments #

Article 1: Whether Christ Knew All Things Through Infused Knowledge #

Objections:

• The human soul’s passive power is limited to what natural agents can actualize; infused knowledge cannot extend to separated substances (angels)
• Knowledge of singulars does not pertain to the perfection of understanding

Thomas’s Response:

• The human soul has two passive powers:
  1. Relative to natural agents (normal human knowledge)
  2. Relative to God (potency of obedience—potentia obedientialis)
• Through infused knowledge, Christ’s second power was actualized, enabling knowledge exceeding natural limits
• The gift of counsel provides knowledge of all singulars
• The divine essence remained known only through the beatific vision

Article 2: Whether Christ Could Understand Without Turning to Phantasms #

Objections:

• Aristotle teaches that phantasms (images) are to understanding as colors are to sight—a necessary proportion
• Christ’s soul is of the same nature as ours; we cannot understand without images
• If Christ understood without images, the senses would serve no purpose in Him

Thomas’s Response:

• A soul in the state of comprehension (as Christ’s was) is not subject to its body and can understand without phantasms
• Blessed souls separated from bodies can understand without images
• The Aristotelian proportion applies to souls bound to bodies in the state of pilgrimage (viatio)
• Christ, though having a human soul, possessed the faculties of a comprehensor
• Nevertheless, Christ could use images when appropriate (e.g., in teaching), and the senses served animal life and natural knowledge

Article 3: Whether This Knowledge Was Collative and Discursive #

Key Distinction: Discursive knowledge operates in two ways:

1. As to acquisition: proceeding from one thing to another to gain new knowledge (discursio)
2. As to use: drawing conclusions from already-possessed knowledge (drawing forth meaning)

Thomas’s Response:

• Christ’s infused knowledge was not acquired discursively (it was given divinely)
• Christ’s infused knowledge was discursive as to use (He could draw conclusions and reason when He chose)
• The rational soul’s proper operation is discursive, so it is fitting that Christ could use this faculty
• Example from Scripture: Christ’s reasoning with Peter about tribute (Matthew 17) demonstrates discursive use: “From whom do the kings take tribute? From their sons or from aliens?” → “Therefore the sons are free”

Article 4: Comparison to Angelic Knowledge #

The Dual Comparison:

• As to source and content: Christ’s infused knowledge exceeded angelic knowledge (more abundant light, more things known, greater clarity)
• As to mode: Angelic knowledge is superior (angels do not require conversion to images)

Thomas’s Response:

• The multitude and clarity of things Christ knew through infused knowledge exceeded what any angel knows
• But angels know in a more immaterial and immediate manner
• Christ, as incarnate, retained human characteristics in His knowing (dependence on images when used)
• Yet Christ is placed above all creatures including angels through the fullness of His knowledge

Important Definitions #

Viator #

One in the state of pilgrimage or “on the road” (from via = way). Subject to bodily conditions and the state of hope rather than possession. Applied to Christ before the Resurrection because His body was not yet glorified.

Comprehensor #

One who grasps or comprehends, particularly one who possesses the beatific vision. In the state of possession rather than hope. Applied to Christ’s soul because it enjoyed immediate vision of God as He is.

Phantasm (Greek: phantasma) #

An image or representation in the imagination. The proper object of human understanding in this life according to Aristotle. Necessary for human reasoning because the intellect understands through phantasms.

Potency of Obedience (potentia obedientialis) #

The capacity of a creature to be elevated by God beyond its natural powers. Distinct from natural passive power. Allows the human soul to receive supernatural knowledge and grace that exceed natural limitations.

Collatio and Discursio #

• Collatio: bringing together (uniting premises, comparing)
• Discursio: running through or proceeding from one thing to another
• Together they describe discursive reasoning characteristic of human intellect

Intelligible Species/Forms (species intelligibiles) #

The means by which the intellect knows things. In infused knowledge, these are divinely given rather than abstracted from phantasms. They are created forms that allow knowledge of created things but not of God Himself.

Examples & Illustrations #

Peter and the Tribute Money (Matthew 17) #

Christ asks Peter: “From whom do the kings of the earth take tribute, from their sons or from aliens?” Peter answers: “From aliens.” Christ concludes: “Therefore the sons are free.” This exemplifies Christ using discursive reasoning—drawing a conclusion from premises—showing He could use this faculty when appropriate.

The Problem of Understanding Separated Substances #

The human intellect cannot naturally know angels or separated substances because there are no phantasms of them. Yet Christ knew the names and natures of angels (Raphael, Gabriel, Michael) through infused knowledge, demonstrating that this knowledge transcended natural human limitations.

Habitual Knowledge vs. Actual Knowledge #

Berquist uses the example of reading Aristotle’s Metaphysics. One can possess the text and understanding habitually (the knowledge is “in there”), yet one does not always think about it actually. Similarly, Christ possessed infused knowledge habitually, which could be actualized at His will, just as one can recall and think about learned material.

Notable Quotes #

“Christ in his status before the Passion was at the same time viator, on the road, and comprehensor, one who has grasped the divinity.”

“The soul of Christ, which is filled with a more abundant light, more perfectly knows the divine essence than the other blessed.”

“The forms by which he knows, huh? These infused forms by which he knows are above the forms that we get from the images. But they’re still created forms, huh? And therefore, through them, he can’t see God as he is.”

“Images are to the human understanding as colors are to sight.” (Aristotle, De Anima III, quoted by Thomas)

Questions Addressed #

Q1: Did Christ Know All Things Through Infused Knowledge? #

Answer: Christ knew all things that are knowable through natural reason and all things revealed through divine revelation. However, the divine essence itself was known only through the beatific vision, not through infused knowledge.

Q2: Could Christ Understand Without Images? #

Answer: Yes. Because Christ’s soul possessed the status of comprehensor (enjoying the beatific vision), it was not subject to the limitations of a body in pilgrimage. His soul could understand infused knowledge without turning to phantasms. However, He could also use images when appropriate for teaching or other purposes.

Q3: Was Christ’s Knowledge Discursive? #

Answer: Not as to acquisition (divinely given), but yes as to use. Christ could draw conclusions and reason discursively when He chose, as shown in His teaching and interactions with the apostles.

Q4: How Did Infused Knowledge Compare to Angelic Knowledge? #

Answer: Christ’s infused knowledge exceeded angelic knowledge in source, multitude of things known, and clarity. However, angels possess a more immaterial and immediate manner of knowing that does not require conversion to images.