133. The Necessity of Final Judgment and Christ's Judicial Power over Angels

Summary

This lecture examines why a final universal judgment is necessary despite the immediate judgment of souls after death, and whether Christ’s judicial power extends to the angels. Berquist works through objections to both doctrines using Thomistic reasoning, arguing that a perfect judgment requires the consummation of all changeable things, and that Christ possesses judicial authority over angels through both his divine nature and his human nature assumed in the Incarnation.

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Necessity of Final Judgment #

The lecture addresses whether a general final judgment is necessary after particular judgments of individual souls at death. The central question is: if souls receive immediate reward or punishment after death (as shown in the case of the thief on the cross receiving paradise), why is another judgment needed?

Christ’s Judicial Power over Angels #

The lecture examines whether Christ’s judicial authority extends to the angels, particularly given that angels were judged from the beginning (some confirmed in beatitude, others fallen into sin) and appear to serve as judges alongside Christ at the final judgment.

Key Arguments #

On the Necessity of Final Judgment #

The Central Principle: A perfect judgment of a changeable thing cannot be given before its consummation. Just as a judgment about an action cannot be perfect until it is completed in itself and in its effects, a judgment about a man cannot be perfect until his life ends—for he may change from good to bad or vice versa.

Five Ways Man Remains Subject to Judgment After Death:

Through the memories of men (fame, which may be false or true)
Through his sons and descendants, who may be good or bad
Through the effects of his works (e.g., Arius’s deception spreading heresy to the end of the world; the apostles’ preaching continuing to advance faith)
Through the treatment of his body (honorable burial, being left unburied, or cremation)
Through temporal things to which he fixed his affection

The Status of Souls After Death: Although souls obtain an immutable status after death and receive judgment regarding their reward or punishment, the body remains subject to mutability all the way to the end of time. Since these things pertain to man’s complete judgment, a final judgment is necessary to bring all of them into perfect and manifest judgment.

On Christ’s Judicial Power over Angels #

Three Reasons Angels Fall Under Christ’s Judicial Power:

Through the Fullness of Truth: The soul of Christ is more full of the truth of God than any of the angels. Therefore Christ enlightens the angels (as Dionysius says) and has the right to judge them.
Through Merit of His Passion: Through the humility of his passion, the human nature in Christ merited exaltation above the angels (Philippians 2: “In the name of Jesus, every knee will bend in the heavens and on the earth and in hell”).
As Spiritual Head of Men: Insofar as Christ is the head of men, he judges the dispensation of things done through angels, to whom the angels minister and from whom the demons ask permission (as when the demons ask to be sent into the pigs).

Three Aspects of Angelic Judgment:

Accidental Rewards and Punishments (pertaining to Christ as man): The rejoicing of good angels over human salvation (Luke 15: “There is joy among the angels of God over one sinner doing penance”), and the accidental punishments of demons (being closed in hell or cast out).
Essential Reward and Punishment (pertaining to Christ as God): The eternal beatitude of blessed angels and the condemnation of demons—accomplished by Christ insofar as he is the Word of God from the beginning of the world.

Objection and Response: Although the angels are spiritual and judge, they are nevertheless judged by Christ insofar as he is Truth itself (following Augustine). Also, God did not subject the future world to angels but to Christ (Hebrews 2).

Important Definitions #

Immutable Status (secundum quod): The unchangeable condition obtained by the soul after death, by which it receives judgment regarding reward or punishment immediately. This contrasts with the body, which remains subject to mutability (secundum quid—“in a certain way”) all the way to the end of time.

Perfect and Manifest Judgment: A judgment that can be given only when a changeable thing reaches its consummation and all its effects are known. It includes not only the judgment of the soul regarding eternal reward or punishment, but also the complete disposition of all things pertaining to the person.

Examples & Illustrations #

The Thief on the Cross (Luke 23): Christ’s immediate judgment—“Today you will be with me in paradise”—shows that souls receive immediate judgment and reward after death, seemingly making a final judgment unnecessary.
The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16): The rich man (dives) is judged and punished in hell immediately after death, illustrating the immediacy of judgment.
Arius’s Heresy: The deception of Arius and other seducers continues to produce infidelity all the way to the end of the world, illustrating how a man’s works remain subject to judgment even after his death.
The Apostles’ Preaching: The faith continues to progress from the preaching of the apostles to the present time, showing how good works have continuing effects subject to divine judgment.
Treatment of the Body: The body may be honorably buried, left unburied, or cremated and dissolved entirely—all matters remaining subject to judgment until the end of time.
The Demons and the Pigs (implied reference): Demons ask permission from Christ (in his human nature as head) to enter the pigs, illustrating his judicial authority over them regarding the dispensation of things.

Notable Quotes #

“A judgment about a changeable thing cannot be given perfectly before its consummation. But just as a judgment about some action…cannot be given before it is completed, both in itself and in its effects…And likewise, about some man, a judgment cannot be given perfectly so long as, until…when his life is ended, because in many ways he can be changed from good to bad or the reverse, or from good to better, or from bad to worse.”

“Although man, according to these, does not merit or demerit, nevertheless, they pertain to something of reward or punishment.”

“Although the spiritual one judges all, nevertheless he is judged by truth itself.”

“God did not subject to the angels the future world…but to the one about whom we have spoken, that is, to Christ.”

Questions Addressed #

Is a final judgment necessary if souls are judged immediately after death? Yes, because while souls receive immutable judgment regarding their eternal reward or punishment, the body and all things that remain changeable until the end of time must also be brought into perfect and manifest judgment.
Do angels fall under Christ’s judicial power? Yes, both good and bad angels fall under Christ’s judicial power, though the essential judgment of angels (confirming some in beatitude and condemning others) was accomplished by Christ as the Word from the beginning of the world.
If angels are already judged, why do they come with Christ to judge? Angels come with Christ to judge in regard to accidental rewards and punishments and the dispensation of divine providence among men, not in regard to their essential status, which was determined from the beginning.