SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS’ THE PERSONS IN RELATION TO THE ESSENCE

11/20/2025

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Whether in God the essence is the same as the person?

When we say the “person” of the Son, we mean nothing else but the substance of the Son. When we say the “person” of the Holy Spirit, we mean nothing else but the substance of the Holy Spirit. When we say the “person” of the Father, we mean nothing else but the substance of the Father. This is because of the Divine Simplicity of God. Now, because of the Divine Substance (Godhead/Holy Trinity), and although the Divine Persons are multiplied because of their real relations (Paternity to Filiation identifies the Person of the Father, while Filiation to Paternity identifies the Person of the Son, and Common Spiration (From the Father and Son) identifies the Person of the Holy Spirit), they maintain their unity of essence in relation to one another because of the supreme order to which it is likened to. In humans and in creatures this is not so because we are beings in potentiality (we live through God’s life giving agency) who are multiplied into many persons throughout history with separate essences of our being (This is Joe. This is Sally. This is Tom. This is Rob. This is Nancy. This is Phil. This is Ronda, etc.). This is why we should never reduce God alone down to the rules and laws of our own species, for what is of a separate order has separate rules and to apply the rules of what is lesser to what is above would not be proper or even accurate.

Whether it must be said that the three persons are of one essence?

The Church Fathers agree that the Holy Trinity, Who is God, are Three Persons in One Essence. Furthermore, The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit are mentioned all throughout scripture as being One, while it is also that of what the faithful are baptized into (the starting line of a Christian). This is a mystery but not completely unattainable to understand, although we do not understand it fully because what is finite (the human intellect) cannot comprehend everything that is in infinity (Godhead from the Divine Substance). The mysteries of Creation are supposed to be received by faith; for we hope in what is not seen, thus merit (which the Saints earned as wages for their labor and were highly glorified for) is credited to our account. Those who maintain their faith even without signs, afford themselves much merit because of loyalty.

Whether essential names should be predicated in the singular of the three persons?

There are different ways to describe the essence of God depending upon the context which is used: One, a descriptive term signifying the essence directly which addresses the substance. When this is done, God is signified in the singular and not the plural. For example; God is supremely One or God is One Supreme Being. Two, a descriptive term signifying the subject which addresses an imperfect way to describe something which is infinite, but can be understood through human reason which falls into the categories of order. When this is done, God is signified in the plural and not the singular. For example, in God, there are Three Powerful, Intelligent, and Good Beings whom we know as Persons - the Godhead (which signifies plurality in God, even though God is One). These are modes of expression in language. Some have taken these terms the wrong way by way of the heresy of Modalism which believes in different modes of God and not persons. Some have also denied the Three Persons while only acknowledging God the Father as being God (the heresy of Arius).

Whether the concrete essential names can stand for the person?

Yes, absolutely! As the creed says - WHAT WE BELIEVE:

The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe

Whether abstract essential names can stand for the person?

Abstract forms cannot stand in place for the person when using modes of expression to describe things. For example, the abstract name of “essence” signifies what is abstract and not distinct. This is so for several reasons: One, when we say “A person’s essence,” we are referring to the essence of that specific person. We do not say “An essence’s essence,” for that would imply another essence distinct from the original essence (the bat’s bat (now two bats), the ball’s ball (now two balls), the car’s car (now two cars)) or it could imply the same thing (the bat’s bat (one bat), the ball’s ball (one ball), the car’s car (one car)) by way of improper use of words - thus causing confusion. Two, it would be false to say that there are multiple essences in the Holy Trinity, for there is only One Divine Essence who are Three Persons, not one divine essence who are three essences, for this would imply three separate essences or multiple gods which is false. Three, if we were to replace personal names with abstract essential names, then the error of our words would imply multiple gods, thus nullifying scripture (Mark 12:29, Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:6, James 2:19, Galatians 3:20), 2,000 year old Church teaching on theology, our creeds which are the professions of our faith (The Apostle and Nicene Creed), and the articles of faith found in our Catechism.

Whether the persons can be predicated of the essential terms?

The names of God which signify His essence (substance) which are known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Godhead) through the divine simplicity of the Three Persons are accurate and true, as the Church boldly proclaims.

Whether the essential names should be appropriated to the persons?

The essential attributes and names of God should be given to the Divine Persons for the manifestation of truth. When we describe something in matter, we choose words which most accurately describe the thing being described according to our intellect as this is the basis for communication which conveys something that is true. If we were to call a horse a cat, then we would be wrong. If we were to call a horse an animal, then we would be correct but vague in our description of what is being described. If we were to call a horse a horse (of course), then we would be using an essential name that is being properly appropriated to what is being described. So it is for the essential names which describe the Divine Persons in the Holy Trinity for the sake of the truth and they are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which is also known as the Holy Trinity and God which is owed the highest reverence and due worship. Now, in the Moderni Age, there are those preachers with a following in digital and public spaces who use improper names to describe God which sows confusion and division. For example, clergy who choose to refer to the Holy Spirit as “she” or “her” in an attempt to confuse the faithful and lead them to scandal (spiritual death). It is important to use the proper essential names when referring to God in order to avoid the destructive appearance of trinitarian heresy through the improper use of words.

Whether the essential attributes are appropriated to the persons in a fitting manner by the holy doctors?

The attributes and knowledge of God must be described to men in similitude of creatures in order for us to understand what is being described. For although men did know God according to their own limited ability (because the Lord always makes His presence known by the things made and through creatures), they did not know everything about Him. Of course, The Son who is divine came into the world in our human nature to bring us into deeper union and knowledge of The One Who Formed Us by way of our own understanding by taking on a body just as ours so we could understand Him better by the example of creature, although The Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity (Christ Jesus) is more than just a creature. Furthermore, this lesson of knowledge in knowing Him continues through the Saints and Doctors of the Church who have described Him accurately in different ways among various contexts, metaphors, authoritative interpretations and the like. They are to be trusted and true because they have the seal of Christ’s Church which was brought into the world by the Divine Will for the building up of society and salvation for all mankind so that what was written shall come to pass. We also know this to be true because the Lord has not ceased to reach out to His people through others constantly throughout the past 2,000 years the Church has endured the trials and tribulations of the world nor has He denied the spreading of His Word (Son) throughout the entire world. This too is self-evident by the things made from creatures such as Churches in the city, the suburbs, and the isolated countryside including cityscapes seen from a distance which bears the cross and hospitals that hold the names of biblical figures and the Saints. Surely, a Just God who loves truth, would not allow lies and untruth to spread for too long, nor would He glorify those Holy Doctors and Saints who have supposedly lied (as some falsely proclaim to their own destruction) about Him when describing His effects and attributes; but rather He glorified them through miracles both in life and after death - this too is another seal of approval that He and His flames of fire (ministers) can be deemed tried, trusted, and found true by the faithful! Now, Saint Thomas Aquinas outlines the four considerations when determining what creature is.

They are:

-Consideration one; what something is shall be considered in being.
-Consideration two; this being is considered as one.
-Consideration three; the being’s intrinsic power of operation.
-Consideration four; the beings’ ability to cause effects in itself, others, and its surroundings and what that relationship means.

Understanding these four points leads us to understanding who God is by our own intellect and limited understanding. To the first point, we as creatures know the difference between finite and infinite; for we as human beings are finite in our bodily lives and our understanding of things while the Holy Trinity (Godhead) is infinite in the one essence of their being and understanding of all things; in other words - God is pure, true, ultimate beauty, eternal, and perfect in every way for if this wasn’t so then He wouldn’t be God and we would be describing a creature. The Doctors of the Church have used these essential terms for our own understanding to accurately describe The God of Everything throughout the ages. Second point, as the Saints proclaim - God is Three Persons in One Essence, therefore God is One, as the Holy Scriptures proclaim to all flesh in the world. These essential terms that were used are accurate, true, and is what is needed for us to hear in order for us to understand what the finite mind attempts to grasp which is the infinity of God. Third point, we understand God’s authority by way of His power, His wisdom, and His design which always brings about the highest good for all things in being. These too are words given by the holy Doctors and Saints of the Church to introduce to men most accurately the deeds and capability of the Hand Who Formed Them so mankind should know that there is always a Higher Authority above them whom they must account to (so their actions and words should be considered carefully in relation to others to whom their decisions affect). Fourth point, God works in the world by way of Paternity (Father), Filiation (Son), and Love (Holy Spirit) which spirates from both Father and Son; for nobody can receive the Holy Spirit without acknowledging the Father’s Son and accepting the First Principle without a Principle (Father) for who He is, and through these means, His relation to creatures and the things in matter by way of His wisdom bring people to the knowledge of the truth according to His will. Simply put; God may give the power of speech to a man to convert someone in spiritual poverty, or God may use the wind to teach a wicked city a lesson, or He may allow evil for a time so good may come of it, He may allow war to proceed to purify the sins of men, and He may also give us those who are suffering so we may learn how to love so as to turn our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh and to practice the virtue of charity so our souls may be healed from corruption and selfishness. The Saints have used these words in the past to describe His effects in the world in relation to creation and they are to be trusted. After all, why reinvent the wheel?

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

Commentary regarding Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae derived from: ST part (I), Q. 27-49 from newadvent.org with permission.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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