ccore/rhetoric-saint-thomas-aquinas · Datasets at Hugging Face

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Now it can be shown how God is not, by denying Him whatever is opposed
to the idea of Him, viz. composition, motion, and the like. Therefore

(1) we must discuss His simplicity, whereby we deny composition in
Him; and because whatever is simple in material things is imperfect
and a part of something else, we shall discuss (2) His perfection;
(3) His infinity; (4) His immutability; (5) His unity.

Concerning His simplicity, there are eight points of inquiry:

(1) Whether God is a body?

(2) Whether He is composed of matter and form?

(3) Whether in Him there is composition of quiddity, essence
or nature, and subject?

(4) Whether He is composed of essence and existence?

(5) Whether He is composed of genus and difference?

(6) Whether He is composed of subject and accident?

(7) Whether He is in any way composite, or wholly simple?

(8) Whether He enters into composition with other things?
_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 3, Art. 1]

Whether God Is a Body?

Objection 1: It seems that God is a body. For a body is that which has
the three dimensions. But Holy Scripture attributes the three
dimensions to God, for it is written: "He is higher than Heaven, and
what wilt thou do? He is deeper than Hell, and how wilt thou know? The
measure of Him is longer than the earth and broader than the sea" (Job
11:8, 9). Therefore God is a body.

Objection 2: Further, everything that has figure is a body, since
figure is a quality of quantity. But God seems to have figure, for it
is written: "Let us make man to our image and likeness" (Gen. 1:26).
Now a figure is called an image, according to the text: "Who being the
brightness of His glory and the figure," i.e. the image, "of His
substance" (Heb. 1:3). Therefore God is a body.

Objection 3: Further, whatever has corporeal parts is a body. Now
Scripture attributes corporeal parts to God. "Hast thou an arm like
God?" (Job 40:4); and "The eyes of the Lord are upon the just" (Ps.
33:16); and "The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength" (Ps.
117:16). Therefore God is a body.

Objection 4: Further, posture belongs only to bodies. But something
which supposes posture is said of God in the Scriptures: "I saw the
Lord sitting" (Isa. 6:1), and "He standeth up to judge" (Isa. 3:13).
Therefore God is a body.

Objection 5: Further, only bodies or things corporeal can be a local
term _wherefrom_ or _whereto._ But in the Scriptures God is spoken of
as a local term _whereto,_ according to the words, "Come ye to Him and
be enlightened" (Ps. 33:6), and as a term _wherefrom_: "All they that
depart from Thee shall be written in the earth" (Jer. 17:13).
Therefore God is a body.

Contrary: It is written in the Gospel of St. John (John 4:24):
"God is a spirit."

Response: It is absolutely true that God is not a body; and this
can be shown in three ways. First, because no body is in motion unless
it be put in motion, as is evident from induction. Now it has been
already proved (Q. 2, A. 3), that God is the First Mover, and is
Himself unmoved. Therefore it is clear that God is not a body.
Secondly, because the first being must of necessity be in act, and in
no way in potentiality. For although in any single thing that passes
from potentiality to actuality, the potentiality is prior in time to
the actuality; nevertheless, absolutely speaking, actuality is prior
to potentiality; for whatever is in potentiality can be reduced into
actuality only by some being in actuality. Now it has been already
proved that God is the First Being. It is therefore impossible that in
God there should be any potentiality. But every body is in
potentiality because the continuous, as such, is divisible to
infinity; it is therefore impossible that God should be a body.
Thirdly, because God is the most noble of beings. Now it is impossible
for a body to be the most noble of beings; for a body must be either
animate or inanimate; and an animate body is manifestly nobler than
any inanimate body. But an animate body is not animate precisely as
body; otherwise all bodies would be animate. Therefore its animation
depends upon some other thing, as our body depends for its animation
on the soul. Hence that by which a body becomes animated must be
nobler than the body. Therefore it is impossible that God should be a
body.

Reply Objection 1: As we have said above (Q. 1, A. 9), Holy Writ
puts before us spiritual and divine things under the comparison of
corporeal things. Hence, when it attributes to God the three
dimensions under the comparison of corporeal quantity, it implies His
virtual quantity; thus, by depth, it signifies His power of knowing
hidden things; by height, the transcendence of His excelling power; by
length, the duration of His existence; by breadth, His act of love for
all. Or, as says Dionysius (Div. Nom. ix), by the depth of God is

Now it can be shown how God is not, by denying Him whatever is opposed

to the idea of Him, viz. composition, motion, and the like. Therefore

(1) we must discuss His simplicity, whereby we deny composition in

Him; and because whatever is simple in material things is imperfect

and a part of something else, we shall discuss (2) His perfection;

(3) His infinity; (4) His immutability; (5) His unity.

Concerning His simplicity, there are eight points of inquiry:

(1) Whether God is a body?

(2) Whether He is composed of matter and form?

(3) Whether in Him there is composition of quiddity, essence

or nature, and subject?

(4) Whether He is composed of essence and existence?

(5) Whether He is composed of genus and difference?

(6) Whether He is composed of subject and accident?

(7) Whether He is in any way composite, or wholly simple?

(8) Whether He enters into composition with other things?

_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 3, Art. 1]

Whether God Is a Body?

Objection 1: It seems that God is a body. For a body is that which has

the three dimensions. But Holy Scripture attributes the three

dimensions to God, for it is written: "He is higher than Heaven, and

what wilt thou do? He is deeper than Hell, and how wilt thou know? The

measure of Him is longer than the earth and broader than the sea" (Job

11:8, 9). Therefore God is a body.

Objection 2: Further, everything that has figure is a body, since

figure is a quality of quantity. But God seems to have figure, for it

is written: "Let us make man to our image and likeness" (Gen. 1:26).

Now a figure is called an image, according to the text: "Who being the

brightness of His glory and the figure," i.e. the image, "of His

substance" (Heb. 1:3). Therefore God is a body.

Objection 3: Further, whatever has corporeal parts is a body. Now

Scripture attributes corporeal parts to God. "Hast thou an arm like

God?" (Job 40:4); and "The eyes of the Lord are upon the just" (Ps.

33:16); and "The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength" (Ps.

117:16). Therefore God is a body.

Objection 4: Further, posture belongs only to bodies. But something

which supposes posture is said of God in the Scriptures: "I saw the

Lord sitting" (Isa. 6:1), and "He standeth up to judge" (Isa. 3:13).

Therefore God is a body.

Objection 5: Further, only bodies or things corporeal can be a local

term _wherefrom_ or _whereto._ But in the Scriptures God is spoken of

as a local term _whereto,_ according to the words, "Come ye to Him and

be enlightened" (Ps. 33:6), and as a term _wherefrom_: "All they that

depart from Thee shall be written in the earth" (Jer. 17:13).

Therefore God is a body.

Contrary: It is written in the Gospel of St. John (John 4:24):

"God is a spirit."

Response: It is absolutely true that God is not a body; and this

can be shown in three ways. First, because no body is in motion unless

it be put in motion, as is evident from induction. Now it has been

already proved (Q. 2, A. 3), that God is the First Mover, and is

Himself unmoved. Therefore it is clear that God is not a body.

Secondly, because the first being must of necessity be in act, and in

no way in potentiality. For although in any single thing that passes

from potentiality to actuality, the potentiality is prior in time to

the actuality; nevertheless, absolutely speaking, actuality is prior

to potentiality; for whatever is in potentiality can be reduced into

actuality only by some being in actuality. Now it has been already

proved that God is the First Being. It is therefore impossible that in

God there should be any potentiality. But every body is in

potentiality because the continuous, as such, is divisible to

infinity; it is therefore impossible that God should be a body.

Thirdly, because God is the most noble of beings. Now it is impossible

for a body to be the most noble of beings; for a body must be either

animate or inanimate; and an animate body is manifestly nobler than

any inanimate body. But an animate body is not animate precisely as

body; otherwise all bodies would be animate. Therefore its animation

depends upon some other thing, as our body depends for its animation

on the soul. Hence that by which a body becomes animated must be

nobler than the body. Therefore it is impossible that God should be a

body.

Reply Objection 1: As we have said above (Q. 1, A. 9), Holy Writ

puts before us spiritual and divine things under the comparison of

corporeal things. Hence, when it attributes to God the three

dimensions under the comparison of corporeal quantity, it implies His

virtual quantity; thus, by depth, it signifies His power of knowing

hidden things; by height, the transcendence of His excelling power; by

length, the duration of His existence; by breadth, His act of love for

all. Or, as says Dionysius (Div. Nom. ix), by the depth of God is