Christ the Priest: An Exploration of Summa Theologiae III, Question 22

The Thomist 71 (2007): 379-417 CHRIST THE PRIEST: AN EXPLORATION OF SUMMA THEOLOGIAE III, QUESTION 22 MATTHEW LEVERING Ave Maria University Ave Maria, Florida IN HIS INFLUENTIAL Jesus and the Victory of God, N. T. Wright comments on the relationship between historicalcritical biblical scholarship and theology: It is a measure of the extent to which the split between history and theology has dominated recent western Christian thought that writers of all shades of opinion, from extreme orthodox to extreme radical, have tacitly affirmed that it is difficult, if not impossible, to hold the two together, especially in talking about Jesus.1 He finds that those committed to theology often favor a historically implausible "iconic" Jesus, while those committed to history tend to assume that their research will "at least seriously undermine" traditional Christology.2 By contrast, Wright hopes to show that rigorous historical research and rigorous theology (which in his view must begin without presuppositions) belong together. The thesis to which Wright's historical research leads him is that Jesus went up to Jerusalem at the outset of the feast of Passover in order to offer his life as the sacrificial tribulation that would trigger the eschatological inauguration of the kingdom of YHWH in holiness. His sacrificial death "would be the new exodus, the renewal of the covenant, the forgiveness of sins, the 1 N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996), 7-8. 2 Ibid., 8. 379 380 MATTHEW LEVERING end of exile. It would do for Israel what Israel could not do for herself. It would thereby fulfil Israel's vocation, that she should be the servant people, the light of the world. "3 According to Wright, Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem sought to "enact, symbolize and personify" the return of YHWH to Zion, to Jerusalem and the Temple mount.4 Jesus planned to enactYHWH's judgment upon Israel by his suffering and death, and expected to be vindicated by YHWH in a manner that would leave neither Israel nor the world as it was before. Wright argues that, in Jesus' view, "the moment had arrived for the great renewal, in which Torah would be written on people's hearts."5 If Wright is correct, then one can distinguish four interrelated ways in which Jesus understood his death. First and foremost, his death would accomplish the eschatological restoration of Israel. Second, by freely giving himself up to death, he intended to offer himself as the perfect sacrifice. Third, his sacrificial death would restore the holiness (and end the exile) of Israel. Fourth, and correspondingly, his death would unify Israel and make it the "light of the world." Wright observes that Jesus acted as though "all that the Temple had stood for was now available through Jesus and his movement."6 Jesus fulfills Israel's Temple through his priestly Pasch. Given Wright's interest in the relationship of historical research and theological inquiry, his project offers an opportunity for examining anew Aquinas's theological treatment of Christ's priesthood in question 22 of the Tertia Pars. Certainly Aquinas brings to his analysis a number of doctrinal presuppositions about Jesus, and he lacks Wright's knowledge of the Second-Temple context in which the Gospels were written. Should Aquinas's 3 Ibid., 597. For Wright's historical approach see also his The New Testament and the People ofGod (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992). 4 Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, 615. As Wright later puts it, "he acted upon a vocation to do and be for Israel and the world what, according to scripture, only Israel's god can do and be" (ibid., 649). 5 Ibid., 646. 6 Ibid., 436. For interesting, ifoccasionally overreaching, discussion oflsrael's Temple, see MargaretBarker, The Gate ofHeaven: The History and Symbolism ofthe Temple inJerusalem (London: SPCK, 1991). CHRIST THE PRIEST 381 theology of Christ's priesthood be relegated therefore to the history of medieval thought, or does it still instruct contemporary theologians about Jesus' "priestly" role? In seeking to answer this question, I will first ask why Aquinas considers Jesus to fulfill the role of "priest." Second, I will examine Aquinas's theology of Christ's priesthood from the...