Sect. 204Christs Glorification—his Resurrection and AscensionChrists Glorification—his Resurrection and Ascension
I. The Resurrection of Christ has many points in common with the general resurrection of mankind. Of this we shall treat in the Eighth Book. His Resurrection, however, has the following peculiarities: 1. It is necessarily a glorious Resurrection, implying not only the restoration of life through the reunion of body and soul, but also the glorification or transfiguration of the body and the bodily life: it is a new birth, the beginning of a higher life. 2. It happened very shortly after death, viz. as soon as sufficient time had elapsed to leave no doubt as to the reality of His death. 3. It was the first resurrection unto life immortal (Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 15:20). 4. Christ rose, or was raised, from the dead by the power of the Father, that is, the power of God. But as the power of God is Christ’s own power, He rose, or raised Himself, from the dead by His own power (John 2:19; 10:7, 18). 5. Lastly, the Resurrection having been predicted and promised as the principal proof of His preaching, it has a greater dogmatic importance than any other fact: “If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Cor. 15:14, et passim; see also the Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part I., ch. 6).
II. The transfiguration of Christ’s body and bodily life was of the same kind as that which awaits the Blessed at their resurrection. Both are described in the same words (1 Cor. 15:42–44): “So also is the resurrection of the dead: it (the body) is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory; it is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power; it is sown an animal body, it shall rise a spiritual body.” Yet there is between the two a specific difference: the very constitution of Christ requires the glorious transfiguration of His body, whereas the constitution of man naturally tends to corruption. The transfiguration of Christ is a manifestation of His own Divine power, and therefore a guarantee of the transfiguration of the Elect, the members of His mystic body. Read St. Thomas, 3, q. 56.
III. According to the clear teaching of Scripture, the Ascension of Christ into heaven must be looked upon as a local change of His glorified humanity from this earth to a place outside of it. The expression “He ascended above all the heavens” (Eph. 4:10), used to be taken literally until astronomy transformed our ideas of the heavens. In St. Paul the “ascension above all the heavens” is identical with an exaltation above all the choirs of Angels and with sitting at the right hand of God: it may therefore not refer to any definite place at all, for the right hand of God is everywhere and nowhere.
Christ “was taken up” into heaven by the same Divine power that raised Him from the dead, to which, however, must be added the power which His glorified soul had over the likewise glorified body. In heaven Christ occupies a place in keeping with His Majesty and Beatitude, and with the functions He continues to perform. He sits enthroned over all creatures as their perfect Head; as perfect Mediator He stands nearest the throne of God; or, rather, as Highest King and plenipotentiary Dispenser of graces, He sits on the right hand of God on the same throne. As the Resurrection is the ground of our faith, so the Ascension of Christ our Head is the foundation of our hope, and a potent incentive to a godly life. The sending of the Holy Ghost was a first and striking proof of Christ’s continued life and work in perfect communion with the Father.
IV. The sitting of Christ on the right hand of God (Ps. 109:1 sqq.; Heb. 1:3, 4), with which is connected the subjection of all things under His feet and an excellence above that of the Angels, implies His equality with God, as the Fathers often point out. Henceforth on His Divine Throne (Ps. 44:7) Christ receives the adoration of mankind, and all due honour from God, with Whom He shares, by nature and by merit, the royal power, the dominion over the Divine treasures, the authority over all creatures, and the juridical power. On Christ’s Death, Descent into Hell, Resurrection, and Ascension, see St. Thomas, 3, qq. 50–58.
I. The Resurrection of Christ has many points in common with the general resurrection of mankind. Of this we shall treat in the Eighth Book. His Resurrection, however, has the following peculiarities: 1. It is necessarily a glorious Resurrection, implying not only the restoration of life through the reunion of body and soul, but also the glorification or transfiguration of the body and the bodily life: it is a new birth, the beginning of a higher life. 2. It happened very shortly after death, viz. as soon as sufficient time had elapsed to leave no doubt as to the reality of His death. 3. It was the first resurrection unto life immortal (Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 15:20). 4. Christ rose, or was raised, from the dead by the power of the Father, that is, the power of God. But as the power of God is Christ’s own power, He rose, or raised Himself, from the dead by His own power (John 2:19; 10:7, 18). 5. Lastly, the Resurrection having been predicted and promised as the principal proof of His preaching, it has a greater dogmatic importance than any other fact: “If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Cor. 15:14, et passim; see also the Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part I., ch. 6).
II. The transfiguration of Christ’s body and bodily life was of the same kind as that which awaits the Blessed at their resurrection. Both are described in the same words (1 Cor. 15:42–44): “So also is the resurrection of the dead: it (the body) is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory; it is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power; it is sown an animal body, it shall rise a spiritual body.” Yet there is between the two a specific difference: the very constitution of Christ requires the glorious transfiguration of His body, whereas the constitution of man naturally tends to corruption. The transfiguration of Christ is a manifestation of His own Divine power, and therefore a guarantee of the transfiguration of the Elect, the members of His mystic body. Read St. Thomas, 3, q. 56.
III. According to the clear teaching of Scripture, the Ascension of Christ into heaven must be looked upon as a local change of His glorified humanity from this earth to a place outside of it. The expression “He ascended above all the heavens” (Eph. 4:10), used to be taken literally until astronomy transformed our ideas of the heavens. In St. Paul the “ascension above all the heavens” is identical with an exaltation above all the choirs of Angels and with sitting at the right hand of God: it may therefore not refer to any definite place at all, for the right hand of God is everywhere and nowhere.
Christ “was taken up” into heaven by the same Divine power that raised Him from the dead, to which, however, must be added the power which His glorified soul had over the likewise glorified body. In heaven Christ occupies a place in keeping with His Majesty and Beatitude, and with the functions He continues to perform. He sits enthroned over all creatures as their perfect Head; as perfect Mediator He stands nearest the throne of God; or, rather, as Highest King and plenipotentiary Dispenser of graces, He sits on the right hand of God on the same throne. As the Resurrection is the ground of our faith, so the Ascension of Christ our Head is the foundation of our hope, and a potent incentive to a godly life. The sending of the Holy Ghost was a first and striking proof of Christ’s continued life and work in perfect communion with the Father.
IV. The sitting of Christ on the right hand of God (Ps. 109:1 sqq.; Heb. 1:3, 4), with which is connected the subjection of all things under His feet and an excellence above that of the Angels, implies His equality with God, as the Fathers often point out. Henceforth on His Divine Throne (Ps. 44:7) Christ receives the adoration of mankind, and all due honour from God, with Whom He shares, by nature and by merit, the royal power, the dominion over the Divine treasures, the authority over all creatures, and the juridical power. On Christ’s Death, Descent into Hell, Resurrection, and Ascension, see St. Thomas, 3, qq. 50–58.
Seção 69% da obra, de A Manual of Catholic Theology (Wilhelm & Scannell, sobre a Dogmatik de Scheeben). Ver o original.