Monday, August 07, 2006

Q34 A3: Whether the name "Word" imports relation to creatures?

Yes. Word implies relation to creatures because "the name Word signifies not only relation to the Father, but also relation to those beings which are made through the Word, by His operative power." (Augustine QQ. lxxxiii, qu. 63)

God by knowing Himself, knows every creature. Now the word conceived in the mind is representative of everything that is actually understood.

Hence there are in ourselves different words for the different things which we understand. But because God by one act understands Himself and all things, His one only Word is expressive not only of the Father, but of all creatures.

And as the knowledge of God is only cognitive as regards God, whereas as regards creatures, it is both cognitive and operative, so the Word of God is only expressive of what is in God the Father, but is both expressive and operative of creatures.

The Word is implied the operative idea of what God makes.

Creatures are known to God not by a knowledge derived from the creatures themselves, but by His own essence. Hence it is not necessary that the Word should proceed from creatures, although the Word is expressive of creatures.

The name of Word is imposed chiefly to signify the speaker, and consequently, relation to creatures, inasmuch as God, by understanding Himself, understands every creature; and so there is only one Word in God, and that is a personal one.