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Summa Theologiae · III, q. 2

Question 2. Of the Mode of Union of the Word Incarnate

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Third Part. 12 articles.

Read in the reading room → This question at New Advent

Text: Summa Theologiae, Project Gutenberg #19950, Third Part (Tertia Pars), translated by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province. The Third Part of the Summa in the English Dominican translation (first printed 1911 to 1925; second and revised edition from 1920). A sample check on 2026-11-09 against pre-1931 printings at the Internet Archive (first printings of 1915 and 1916 and the second and revised edition of the 1920s) found that the article text matches, with no 1947 introduction, synopsis, or index. The phrase “From the Complete American Edition” in Gutenberg's catalog title is a provenance note only. Question and article numbers were added by the transcriber. The Gutenberg text ends at question 90 of the Third Part, where Aquinas stopped writing; the Supplement is a separate edition here, transcribed from 1917 to 1922 printings of the same translation. Rights: Public domain (US)

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Now we must consider the mode of union of the Incarnate Word; and, first, the union itself; secondly, the Person assuming; thirdly, the nature assumed.

Under the first head there are twelve points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the union of the Word Incarnate took place in the nature?

(2) Whether it took place in the Person?

(3) Whether it took place in the suppositum or hypostasis?

(4) Whether the Person or hypostasis of Christ is composite after the Incarnation?

(5) Whether any union of body and soul took place in Christ?

(6) Whether the human nature was united to the Word accidentally?

(7) Whether the union itself is something created?

(8) Whether it is the same as assumption?

(9) Whether the union of the two natures is the greatest union?

(10) Whether the union of the two natures in Christ was brought about by grace?

(11) Whether any merits preceded it?

(12) Whether the grace of union was natural to the man Christ?

Articles

  1. Whether the Union of the Incarnate Word Took Place in the Nature?
  2. Whether the Union of the Incarnate Word Took Place in the Person?
  3. Whether the Union of the Word Incarnate Took Place in the Suppositum or Hypostasis?
  4. Whether After the Incarnation the Person or Hypostasis of Christ Is Composite?
  5. Whether in Christ There Is Any Union of Soul and Body?
  6. Whether the Human Nature Was United to the Word of God Accidentally?
  7. Whether the Union of the Divine Nature and the Human Is Anything Created?
  8. Whether Union Is the Same As Assumption?
  9. Whether the Union of the Two Natures in Christ Is the Greatest of All Unions?
  10. Whether the Union of the Incarnation Took Place by Grace?
  11. Whether Any Merits Preceded the Union of the Incarnation?
  12. Whether the Grace of Union Was Natural to the Man Christ?

Also online, linked only: the same translation at New Advent and the Latin text at Corpus Thomisticum. Neither is copied here.

Source: Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, Third Part. Project Gutenberg #19950. Project Gutenberg record. Public domain in the USA. Outside the U.S., check local copyright rules. Project Gutenberg notices retained. The full Project Gutenberg license is kept in the hosted text.