---
title: "Summa Theologica, First Half"
author: "Thomas Aquinas"
translator: "Fathers of the English Dominican Province"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Medieval"
section: 37 of 1210
url: https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-first-half/37/
cite: "Thomas Aquinas, tr. Fathers of the English Dominican Province, Summa Theologica, First Half, section 37. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-first-half/37/"
---

# Summa Theologica, First Half

*Thomas Aquinas, tr. Fathers of the English Dominican Province*

God and creation, human action, law and grace, then faith, hope, charity and justice.

## 37. I · Question 12: How God Is Known by Us (thirteen Articles)

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-first-half/37/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-first-half/37/#p-N

[¶0] HOW GOD IS KNOWN BY US (THIRTEEN ARTICLES)

[¶1] As hitherto we have considered God as He is in Himself, we now go on to consider in what manner He is in the knowledge of creatures; concerning which there are thirteen points of inquiry:

[¶2] (1) Whether any created intellect can see the essence of God?

[¶3] (2) Whether the essence of God is seen by the intellect through any created image?

[¶4] (3) Whether the essence of God can be seen by the corporeal eye?

[¶5] (4) Whether any created intellectual substance is sufficient by its own natural powers to see the essence of God?

[¶6] (5) Whether the created intellect needs any created light in order to see the essence of God?

[¶7] (6) Whether of those who see God, one sees Him more perfectly than another?

[¶8] (7) Whether any created intellect can comprehend the essence of God?

[¶9] (8) Whether the created intellect seeing the essence of God, knows all things in it?

[¶10] (9) Whether what is there known is known by any similitudes?

[¶11] (10) Whether the created intellect knows at once what it sees in God?

[¶12] (11) Whether in the state of this life any man can see the essence of God?

[¶13] (12) Whether by natural reason we can know God in this life?

[¶14] (13) Whether there is in this life any knowledge of God through grace above the knowledge of natural reason?