- Whether it was necessary for Christ to rise again?
Whether it was necessary for Christ to rise again?
Objections
❌ Objection 1 : It would seem that it was not necessary for Christ to rise again. For Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iv): "Resurrection is the rising again of an animate being, which was disintegrated and fallen." But Christ did not fall by sinning, nor was His body dissolved, as is manifest from what was stated above (Question [51], Article [3]). Therefore, it does not properly belong to Him to rise again.
❌ Objection 2 : Further, whoever rises again is promoted to a higher state, since to rise is to be uplifted. But after death Christ's body continued to be united with the Godhead, hence it could not be uplifted to any higher condition. Therefore, it was not due to it to rise again.
❌ Objection 3 : Further, all that befell Christ's humanity was ordained for our salvation. But Christ's Passion sufficed for our salvation, since by it we were loosed from guilt and punishment, as is clear from what was said above (Question [49], Article [1],3). Consequently, it was not necessary for Christ to rise again from the dead.