Dist. 12, Dubia
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/3/d/12/q/bon-sent-III-d12-dubia
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### Doubt (the only one).

In this part few things are to be inquired concerning the text, for the reason that they are sufficiently clear, these things having been seen which have been said before. Nevertheless it can be doubted concerning that distinction which the Master there makes: *Here there is need of a distinction, whether it be understood of the nature* etc. For it seems that that distinction is null, because, since that nature was united, it could not not be united; but that united nature could not sin: therefore it does not seem that it could in any way sin. — Likewise, that soul is blessed and cannot not be blessed: therefore if a blessed soul simply and absolutely cannot sin, it seems likewise that neither [can] the soul of Christ: therefore no distinction seems to be needed.

**I respond:** It must be said that, according to the understanding of the question which the one proposing the question has in view, no distinction need be made, on account of this, that the question is about the united soul of Christ, whether it had mutability of choice; nevertheless the Master, out of abundance, distinguishes in order to remove the importunity of those who object sophistically; and reasonably enough. When it is asked whether that man could sin; since the verb *to be able* is of past tense, it can extend itself indeterminately to all that is past: therefore to the time *before* the union, or to the time *after* the union. If to the time *before* the union, since before the union it was possible that that man be created and yet not united to the Word; it was possible that he should have the mutability of free choice, and so that he could sin. But if for the time *after* the union, he could not sin, because he could not not be blessed, or not be God, neither of which permits there to be any sin in Christ. And thus the whole [matter] is clear.