St. Thomas Aquinas

The Summa Theologica

(Benziger Bros. edition, 1947)
Translated by
Fathers of the English Dominican Province

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THIRD PART (TP) OF THE SUMMA THEOLOGICA (Questions [1]-90)

PROLOGUE

Quia salvator noster dominus Iesus Christus, teste Angelo, populum suum salvum faciens a peccatis eorum, viam veritatis nobis in seipso demonstravit, per quam ad beatitudinem immortalis vitae resurgendo pervenire possimus, necesse est ut, ad consummationem totius theologici negotii, post considerationem ultimi finis humanae vitae et virtutum ac vitiorum, de ipso omnium salvatore ac beneficiis eius humano generi praestitis nostra consideratio subsequatur. Forasmuch as our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to "save His people from their sins" (Mt. 1:21), as the angel announced, showed unto us in His own Person the way of truth, whereby we may attain to the bliss of eternal life by rising again, it is necessary, in order to complete the work of theology, that after considering the last end of human life, and the virtues and vices, there should follow the consideration of the Saviour of all, and of the benefits bestowed by Him on the human race.
Circa quam,
  • primo considerandum occurrit de ipso salvatore;
  • secundo, de sacramentis eius, quibus salutem consequimur;
  • tertio, de fine immortalis vitae, ad quem per ipsum resurgendo pervenimus.
Concerning this we must consider
  • (1) the Saviour Himself;
  • (2) the sacraments by which we attain to our salvation;
  • (3) the end of immortal life to which we attain by the resurrection.
Circa primum duplex consideratio occurrit,
  • prima est de ipso incarnationis mysterio, secundum quod Deus pro nostra salute factus est homo;
  • secunda de his quae per ipsum salvatorem nostrum, idest Deum incarnatum, sunt acta et passa.
Concerning the first, a double consideration occurs:
  • the first, about the mystery of the Incarnation itself, whereby God was made man for our salvation;
  • the second, about such things as were done and suffered by our Saviour---i.e. God incarnate.
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