God - “The Inaugural Sermons”
Thomas Aquinas writes, “The authority of this Scripture is shown in three things. First, its origin, because God is the Origin. Hence it says, ‘the commandments of God’. God is the most Supreme Being and an authoritative figure who communicates His desires through the Bible. Aquinas emphasizes God’s transcendence throughout his writings.
Angels - “Exposition of the Angelic Salutation (Ave Maria)”
Thomas Aquinas explains, “The reason why in antiquity the angel did not reverence man but man the angel is that the angel was greater than man…First with respect to dignity, since the angel is of spiritual nature.” The angels are spiritual beings who serve God. They often appear to human beings to relay God's message.
Rulers and servants - “The Love of Wisdom. Exposition of Metaphysics”
Thomas Aquinas elucidates, "For, as the Philosopher also says in the work mentioned, men strong in intellect are naturally rulers and lords of others, but men robust in body but of less intellect are naturally servants." The Philosopher referred to is Aristotle. Higher intellectual capacity is typical among the rulers whereas those whose intellectual capacity is low are destined to occupy the rank of servants.
Christ - “The Logic of the Incarnation"
Thomas Aquinas concludes, “But it is proper to the man Christ that the person subsisting in his human nature is not caused by the principles of human nature, but is eternal. Therefore, in one way he is a person as man, in another way he is not, as been said.” Christ is not an ordinary human being. He takes the body of a human being but his persona is mystical.
Boethius and Plato - “On the eternity of the World”
Aquinas remarks, “But these and similar authorities can be understood by means of what Boethius says in the Consolation of Philosophy 5.6: ‘ They are incorrect who, when they hear that Plato that this world neither had a beginning in time nor will have an end, understand him to mean that this made world becomes coeternal with its maker.” Boethius refutes Plato’s argument concerning the eternity of the World. According to Plato, the world has existed in the same duration that its creator has existed. Therefore, if the Creator has always existed, then the world has also been in existence.
