Question 194. Whether these words are fittingly added: And blessed is the fruit of your womb?

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 280

QUAESTIO CXCIV. An congrue addita sunt haec verba: Et benedictus fructus ventris tui?

Sequitur de eo quod addit Elisabeth: Et benedictus fructus ventris tui ¹.

1. De quo primo quaeritur, quare inter hoc et praecedens intercidat copulatio, cum tamen in praedictis nulla sit posita copulatio?

2. Item, Cum ista salutatio sit in textu Evangelii, et Evangelio nihil sit licitum demi vel apponi, ut prohibetur sub anathemate in fine Apocalypsis et Deuteronomii ², quare etiam Ecclesia hoc apponit?

3. Item, Aut fuit apponendum, aut non. Si fuit, ergo Angelus omisit male qui non apposuit. Si autem non apponendum fuerit: ergo Ecclesia male apposuit.

4. Item, Elisabeth licet illud apposuerit, non tamen illi conjunxit: quare tunc Ecclesia conjungit?

5. Item, Quare Elisabeth mutavit verba Evangelii, dicendo: Inter mulieres, cum tamen Angelus dixit: In mulieribus?

6. Item, Cum Deus trinitas sit hic mittens et salutans, et benedictissima Virgo sit salutata, hoc quod est, benedictus fructus ventris tui, non videtur pertinere ad salutationem, nec ad personam salutatam, nec ad salutantem: ergo ponitur ibi superflue.

7. Item, Bernardus: « Non ideo benedictus quia tu benedicta. » Ergo cum causa naturaliter praecedat effectum, debuisset sic ordinasse: Benedictus fructus ventris tui, et benedicta tu in mulieribus ³.

QUESTION 194. Whether these words are fittingly added: And blessed is the fruit of your womb?

There follows concerning what Elizabeth adds: And blessed is the fruit of your womb ¹.

1. Concerning this first it is asked why a conjunction falls between this and what precedes, when nevertheless in the foregoing no conjunction has been placed.

2. Likewise, since this salutation is in the text of the Gospel, and it is lawful neither to subtract anything from nor add anything to the Gospel, as is forbidden under anathema at the end of Apocalypse and Deuteronomy ², why does the Church also add this?

3. Likewise, either it had to be added or not. If it had to be, then the Angel omitted badly, since he did not add it. But if it did not have to be added, then the Church added it badly.

4. Likewise, although Elizabeth added it, nevertheless she did not join it to that salutation; why then does the Church join it?

5. Likewise, why did Elizabeth change the words of the Gospel by saying among women, when nevertheless the Angel said in women?

6. Likewise, since God the Trinity is here the one sending and greeting, and the most blessed Virgin is greeted, this phrase, blessed is the fruit of your womb, does not seem to pertain to the salutation, nor to the person greeted, nor to the one greeting; therefore it is placed there superfluously.

7. Likewise, Bernard says: “He is not blessed because you are blessed.” Therefore since the cause naturally precedes the effect, it ought to have ordered it thus: Blessed is the fruit of your womb, and blessed are you among women ³.

Notes

Luke 1:42. (Luc. I, 42.) ↩
Apocalypse 22:18 and 19; Deuteronomy 32:46 and 47. (Apocal. XXII, 18 et 19; Deuter. XXXII, 46 et 47.) ↩
For the solution of the objections, see below, after Question 197. (Pro solutione objectorum, vide infra, post Quaest. CXCVII.) ↩