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of Christ, which may appear incomparable, since it would seem that in Advaita there is nothing like the Passion, in fact or in principle. |
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After locating the Passion within the more comprehensive frame of Christ's departure from the world, Aquinas outlines ST III.46-49 as follows: "With regard to the Passion [ST III.46-49], there arises a threefold consideration: 1. The Passion itself (46); 2. the efficient cause of the Passion (47); 3. the fruits of the Passion (48-49)." ST III.46 explores the Passion by inquiring into its necessity, appropriateness, and efficacy: |
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1. Whether it was necessary for Christ to suffer for men's deliverance; 2. whether there was any other possible means of delivering men; 3. whether this was the more suitable means; 4. whether it was fitting for Christ to suffer on the cross; 5. the extent of His sufferings. 6. whether the pain which He endured was the greatest; 7. whether His entire soul suffered; 8. whether His Passion hindered the joy of fruition; 9. the time of the Passion; 10. the place; 11. whether it was fitting for Him to be crucified with robbers; 12. whether Christ's Passion is to be attributed to the Godhead. |
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In support of the view that the Passion was the most suitable way for the deliverance of the human race (ST 111.46.3) Aquinas explains: |
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St. Augustine says, "There was no other more suitable way of healing our misery than by the Passion of Christ." (On the Trinity XIII.10.) I answer that among means to an end that one is the more suitable whereby the various concurring means employed are themselves helpful to such end. But in this that man was delivered by Christ's Passion, many other things besides deliverance from sin concurred for man's salvation. In the first place, man knows thereby how much God loves him, and is thereby stirred to love him in return, and herein lies the perfection of human salvation; hence the Apostle says (Romans 5.8): "God commended his charity toward us; for when as yet we were sinners . . . Christ died for us." Secondly, because thereby he set us an example of obedience, humility, constancy, justice, and other virtues displayed in the Passion, which are requisite for |
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