1 Objection 1: It would seem that image is not said personally of God. For Augustine Fulgentius, De Fide ad Petrum i) says, The Godhead of the Holy Trinity and the Image whereunto man is made are one. Therefore Image is said of God essentially, and not personally.
1 Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod imago non dicatur personaliter in divinis. Dicit enim Augustinus, in libro de fide ad Petrum, una est sanctae Trinitatis divinitas et imago, ad quam factus est homo. Igitur imago dicitur essentialiter, et non personaliter.
2 Objection 2: Further, Hilary says De Synod.): An image is a like species of that which it represents. But species or form is said of God essentially. Therefore so also is Image.
2 Praeterea, Hilarius dicit, in libro de Synod., quod imago est eius rei ad quam imaginatur, species indifferens. Sed species, sive forma, in divinis dicitur essentialiter. Ergo et imago.
3 Objection 3: Further, Image is derived from imitation, which implies before and after. But in the divine persons there is no before and after. Therefore Image cannot be a personal name in God.
3 Praeterea, imago ab imitando dicitur, in quo importatur prius et posterius. Sed in divinis personis nihil est prius et posterius ergo imago non potest esse nomen personale in divinis.
4 On the contrary, Augustine says De Trin. vii, 1): What is more absurd than to say that an image is referred to itself? Therefore the Image in God is a relation, and is thus a personal name.
4 Sed contra est quod dicit Augustinus, quid est absurdius quam imaginem ad se dici? Ergo imago in divinis relative dicitur. Et sic est nomen personale.
5 I answer that, Image includes the idea of similitude. Still, not any kind of similitude suffices for the notion of image, but only similitude of species, or at least of some specific sign. In corporeal things the specific sign consists chiefly in the figure. For we see that the species of different animals are of different figures; but not of different colors. Hence if the color of anything is depicted on a wall, this is not called an image unless the figure is likewise depicted. Further, neither the similitude of species or of figure is enough for an image, which requires also the idea of origin; because, as Augustine says Questions. lxxxiii, qu. 74): One egg is not the image of another, because it is not derived from it. Therefore for a true image it is required that one proceeds from another like to it in species, or at least in specific sign. Now whatever imports procession or origin in God, belongs to the persons. Hence the name Image is a personal name.
5 Respondeo dicendum quod de ratione imaginis est similitudo. Non tamen quaecumque similitudo sufficit ad rationem imaginis; sed similitudo quae est in specie rei, vel saltem in aliquo signo speciei. Signum autem speciei in rebus corporeis maxime videtur esse figura, videmus enim quod diversorum animalium secundum speciem, sunt diversae figurae, non autem diversi colores. Unde, si depingatur color alicuius rei in pariete, non dicitur esse imago, nisi depingatur figura. Sed neque ipsa similitudo speciei sufficit vel figurae; sed requiritur ad rationem imaginis origo, quia, ut Augustinus dicit in libro octoginta trium quaest., unum ovum non est imago alterius, quia non est de illo expressum. Ad hoc ergo quod vere aliquid sit imago, requiritur quod ex alio procedat simile ei in specie, vel saltem in signo speciei. Ea vero quae processionem sive originem important in divinis, sunt personalia. Unde hoc nomen imago est nomen personale.
6 Reply to Objection 1: Image, properly speaking, means whatever proceeds forth in likeness to another. That to the likeness of which anything proceeds, is properly speaking called the exemplar, and is improperly called the image. Nevertheless Augustine Fulgentius) uses the name of Image in this sense when he says that the divine nature of the Holy Trinity is the Image to whom man was made.
6 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod imago proprie dicitur quod procedit ad similitudinem alterius. Illud autem ad cuius similitudinem aliquid procedit, proprie dicitur exemplar, improprie vero imago. Sic tamen Augustinus utitur nomine imaginis, cum dicit divinitatem sanctae Trinitatis esse imaginem ad quam factus est homo.
7 Reply to Objection 2: Species, as mentioned by Hilary in the definition of image, means the form derived from one thing to another. In this sense image is said to be the species of anything, as that which is assimilated to anything is called its form, inasmuch as it has a like form.
7 Ad secundum dicendum quod species, prout ponitur ab Hilario in definitione imaginis, importat formam deductam in aliquo ab alio. Hoc enim modo imago dicitur esse species alicuius, sicuti id quod assimilatur alicui, dicitur forma eius, inquantum habet formam illi similem.
8 Reply to Objection 3: Imitation in God does not signify posteriority, but only assimilation.
8 Ad tertium dicendum quod imitatio in divinis personis non significat posterioritatem, sed solam assimilationem.