Monday, March 27, 2006

Q12 A4: Whether any created intellect by its natural powers can see the Divine essence?

No. To see the essence of God is possible to the created intellect by grace, and not by nature, because the knowledge of every knower is ruled according to its own nature.

To know self-subsistent being is natural to the divine intellect alone; and this is beyond the natural power of any created intellect (for no creature is its own existence, since its existence is participated).

Therefore the created intellect cannot see the essence of God, unless God by His grace unites Himself to the created intellect, as an object made intelligible to it.