What makes you male female

20 views
Skip to first unread message

Gregory

unread,
Dec 26, 2017, 12:37:00 PM12/26/17
to Quaestiones Disputatae: The Ite ad Thomam Forum
What is gender. Is it a qualities accident or is it in the soul.

Gere Mia

unread,
Feb 5, 2018, 12:20:28 PM2/5/18
to Quaestiones Disputatae: The Ite ad Thomam Forum
No, sex is not in the soul; the body determines sex. St. Thomas writes (Super Sent., lib. 4 d. 25 q. 2 a. 1 qc. 1 arg. 3): "Sed sexus non est in anima." St. Ambrose says the same thing in De Virginitate cap. 13 ("the sexes of our souls are not different").

Also, Matt 22:30 ("For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married, but shall be as [sicut] the angels of God in heaven.") does not imply resurrected bodies are androgynous (all the parts of the human body will rise again). The first clause of that verse distinguishes sex: "For in the resurrection they shall neither marry [γαμούσιν = "to wed (of either sex):--marry (a wife)" / nubent] nor be married [εκγαμίζονται = "to marry off a daughter:--give in marriage." / nubentur (passive)]." St. Thomas writes (source):
Jerome says: "Nubere is used in one way in Latin, and another in Greek, for in Latin 'to marry' [nubere] is said only of women; hence, it is not said of either in the passive voice; but in Greek men marry, that is they take wives, while women are married [passive voice], but do not marry [active voice]." Therefore, He says, They shall neither marry, referring to men, nor be married, referring to women.
A clearer translation of Mt. 22:30 could be: "For in the resurrection, men shall neither marry nor women be given in marriage..."
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages