Word that means angel

Noah Webster in his 1828 An American Dictionary of the English Language defined angel, firstly, as «a messenger,» and then followed with senses conveying «a spirit» (good or bad) and a person «who is an embassador of God» or «whom God employs to execute his judgments.» He wasn’t wrong in beginning with the «messenger» sense since angel comes from Greek angelos, a translation of a Hebrew word meaning «messenger,» and was used secularly and spiritually in that sense since its manifestation in Old English and onward.

«Enlightened» stars co-creator Lauren Dern as Amy Jellicoe, who learned how to meditate in rehab, but after returning to her life, has trouble keeping her equilibrium. In season two, in her attempt to become an angel of change and make her mark on the world, she tries to take down the corporation where she works.
— David Bianculli, NPR, 9 Aug 2013

The dual uses of the word were not overlooked by poets either: the English dramatist Ben Jonson, for example, spoke of the nightingale as being «the dear good angel of the Spring.»

Although spiritual beings superior to humans in power and intelligence, angels, being mere messengers, are ranked lowest in the traditional Christian celestial hierarchy, which has nine orders: from lowest to highest, angels, archangels, principalities, powers, virtues, dominions, thrones, cherubim, and seraphim. New York Times writer Joe Sharkey creatively alludes to the hierarchy in writing about the order of boarding an airplane in a November 2011 article:

Boarding with a coach ticket, bereft of status, is an exercise in knowing one’s humble place these days. You wait there, listening to the gate agent summoning the ranks into formation, starting with first class, working through the elite-status levels, then to the travelers holding various airline-branded credit cards. Medieval theologians who devised the ranks of heavenly hosts in the Celestial Hierarchy—seraphim and cherubim first, common angels last—used a simpler formula.

Angels, archangels, cherubim, and seraphim go back to Judaic tradition. The cherubim and seraphim are mentioned in the Old Testament as being the guardians of the throne of God. In later Judaism, seven archangels are held to lead the countless other hosts of heaven. The archangels are Uriel, Sariel, Remiel or Jeremiel, Raguel, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. The latter three are well-known in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox devotion. The five other angelic orders that make up the traditional celestial hierarchy were added in early Christianity.

A hierarchy of angels also developed in Islam. In addition to four archangels (of which Gabriel, or Jibril, and Michael, or Mikal, are two) and cherubim, the Islamic tradition includes in its hierarchy the four throne bearers of Allah and various lesser angels.

Although low in the hierarchy, angels are believed to be the intermediaries between the divine and human realms—not an easy task—and, in some cases, they are assigned as guardians of humans by the Almighty.

Use of the term angel designating a person who is felt to resemble the divine creature (as in innocence or beauty) dates to the 15th century, but it was used in metaphorical phrases prior to that. It was in the late 19th century that angel began being applied to people who provide financial backing to new businesses or enterprises, used specifically in the appellations «business angel» and «angel investor.»

Two years ago, one of the book’s authors was involved with an Internet start-up that (through a lucky turn of events) received an initial $100,000 investment from the father of one of the firm’s lawyers—a business angel living temporarily in the Far East. … Since that investment, another business angel has invested $300,000, and the firm is now in the process of raising at least $5 million in venture capital.
— Mark Van Osnabrugge and Robert J. Robinson, Angel Investing, 2000

If you find this kind of angel, we suggest you hold onto them.

What does the Greek word for angel mean?

angelos

What is the Hebrew word for angels?

In modern Hebrew, mal’akh is the general word for “angel”; it is also related to the words for “angel” in Arabic (malak ملاك), Aramaic and Ethiopic.

What is the meaning of the Greek word Aggelos?

MEANING: This name means “angel, messenger, the messenger of God”. An angel is a supernatural being or spirit, often depicted in humanoid form with feathered wings on their backs and halos around their heads, found in various religions and mythologies. The theological study of angels is known as “angelology”.

What girl name means angel?

Angelic Baby Names For Girls:

• Parisa: It’s strange how just one letter can turn a name from oh-so-ordinary to special.
• Rosangel: Rosangel is an Italian compound name composed of the elements ‘rosa’, which means; Rose’ and Angela, which means ‘angel.
• Seraphina:
• Rabia:
• Ariel:
• Angel:
• Angelica:
• Evangeline:

What girl names mean beautiful?

10 baby names that mean ‘beautiful’

• Beau. Perhaps one of the most obvious selections, Beau is a French name that translates to handsome.
• Mei. Mei means beautiful in Chinese, and you can also alter the spelling and go for the Americanized version “May.”
• Callista.
• Venus.
• Rosalind/a.
• Jamil/Jamila.
• Adonis.
• Bella.

What are the names of angel in heaven?

Seven angels or archangels correspond to days of the week: Michael (Sunday), Gabriel (Monday), Uriel (Tuesday), Raphael (Wednesday), Selaphiel (Thursday), Raguel or Jegudiel (Friday), and Barachiel (Saturday).

Who is Adriel angel?

In Islam, he is one of the four archangels, and is identified with the Quranic Malak al-Mawt (ملك الموت, ‘angel of death’), which corresponds with the Hebrew term malakh ha-maweth in Rabbinic literature. In Hebrew, Azrael translates to ‘Angel of God’ or ‘Help from God’.

Is there an angel name Adriel?

Azrael, Arabic ʿIzrāʾīl or ʿAzrāʾīl, in Islam, the angel of death who separates souls from their bodies; he is one of the four archangels (with Jibrīl, Mīkāl, and Isrāfīl) and the Islamic counterpart of the Judeo-Christian angel of death, who is sometimes called Azrael.

Is Adriel alive?

Deceased

How old is Warrior Nun?

19-year-old

How does Warrior Nun Season 1 end?

The season ends in a perilous cliffhanger for Ava (Alba Baptista) and her sisters after Adriel unleashes his demonic power on the Sister Nuns in the closing moments.

Is Warrior Nun based on a comic book?

Dunn had created Warrior Nun Areala in 1994 as a comic book for Antarctic Press, the San Antonio–based small press he cofounded a decade earlier. The series told the story of an order of nuns, imbued with holy power and tasked with fighting demons.

What language do warrior nuns speak?

English

Are there really warrior nuns?

The order was created in 1066 when a Valkyrie named Auria renounced her pagan ways and turned to Jesus Christ for salvation; ever since then, Auria, now Areala, has chosen an avatar every generation to carry on the mission….

Warrior Nun Areala
Alter ego	Sister Shannon Masters
Species	Human

Are warrior nuns scary?

Because Warrior Nun is story and character-focused, the horror isn’t as prominent, though there’s plenty of epic otherworldly battles, and the series never shies away from the blood-letting. Set mostly in contemporary Spain, the set pieces, fight choreography, and action sequences are awe-inspiring.

How many series of Warrior Nun are there?

1

How many episodes does warrior nun have?

10

How many episodes are in Warrior Season 1?

Who streams warrior?

Hulu

What is Warrior about HBO Max?

Set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century, this gritty, action-packed series follows Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy who emigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances and becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown’s most powerful tongs ( …

Is Warrior good on Netflix?

Another Ryan Murphy Netflix Show, Another Miss But unlike Fargo Season 4, which is mired in too many overwrought monologues about America to have any fun, Warrior makes itself an extremely entertaining watch through the prioritization of bountiful ass-kicking.

Is warrior worth watching?

The fighting is really good. The story, setting, and characters are nothing like Banshee – however it keeps getting compared to Banshee because it also has fantastic action and fighting scenes, just like Banshee. It’s like Into the Badlands without the scifi stuff. No it is not nearly as good.

Not to be confused with Angle.

This article is about the supernatural beings. For other uses, see Angel (disambiguation).

In various theistic religious traditions, an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.

Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity.^[1][2] Other roles include protectors and guides for humans, such as guardian angels, and servants of God.^[3] Abrahamic religions describe angelic hierarchies, which vary by religion and sect. Some angels have specific names (such as Gabriel or Michael) or titles (such as seraph or archangel). Those expelled from Heaven are called fallen angels, distinct from the heavenly host.

Angels in art are usually shaped like humans of extraordinary beauty, though this is not always the case—sometimes, they can be portrayed in a frightening, inhuman manner.^[4] They are often identified in Christian artwork with bird wings,^[5] halos,^[6] and divine light.

Etymology[edit]

The word angel arrives in modern English from Old English engel (with a hard g) and the Old French angele.^[7] Both of these derive from Late Latin angelus, which in turn was borrowed from Late Greek ἄγγελος angelos (literally «messenger»).^[8] Τhe word’s earliest form is Mycenaean a-ke-ro, attested in Linear B syllabic script.^[9] According to the Dutch linguist R. S. P. Beekes, ángelos itself may be «an Oriental loan, like ἄγγαρος (ángaros, ‘Persian mounted courier’).»^[10]

The rendering of «ángelos» is the Septuagint’s default translation of the Biblical Hebrew term malʼākh, denoting simply «messenger» without connoting its nature. In the Latin Vulgate, this meaning becomes bifurcated: when malʼākh or ángelos is supposed to denote a human messenger, words like nuntius or legatus are applied. If the word refers to some supernatural being, the word angelus appears. Such differentiation has been taken over by later vernacular translations of the Bible, early Christian and Jewish exegetes and eventually modern scholars.^[11]

Zoroastrianism[edit]

In Zoroastrianism there are different angel-like figures. For example, each person has one guardian angel, called Fravashi. They patronize human beings and other creatures, and also manifest God’s energy. The Amesha Spentas have often been regarded as angels, although there is no direct reference to them conveying messages,^[12] but are rather emanations of Ahura Mazda («Wise Lord», God); they initially appeared in an abstract fashion and then later became personalized, associated with various aspects of creation.^[13]

Abrahamic religions[edit]

Judaism[edit]

In Judaism, angels (Hebrew: מַלְאָךְ‎ mal’āḵ; «messenger»), are understood through interpretation of the Tanakh and in a long tradition as supernatural beings who stand by God in heaven, but are strictly to be distinguished from God (YHWH) and are subordinate to him. Occasionally, they can show selected people God’s will and instructions.^[14] In the Jewish tradition they are also inferior to humans since they have no will of their own and are able to carry out only one divine command.^[15]

Hebrew Bible[edit]

The Torah uses the Hebrew terms מלאך אלהים (mal’āk̠ ‘ĕlōhîm; «messenger of God»), מלאך יהוה (mal’āk̠ Yahweh; «messenger of the Lord»), בני אלהים (bənē ‘ĕlōhîm; «sons of God») and הקודשים (haqqôd̠əšîm; «the holy ones») to refer to beings traditionally interpreted as angels. Later texts use other terms, such as העליונים (hā’elyônîm; «the upper ones»).^{[citation needed]}

The term ‘מלאך’ (‘mal’āk̠’) is also used in other books of the Hebrew Bible. Depending on the context, the Hebrew word may refer to a human messenger or to a supernatural messenger. A human messenger might be a prophet or priest, such as Malachi, «my messenger»; the Greek superscription in the Septuagint translation states the Book of Malachi was written «by the hand of his messenger» ἀγγέλου (angélu). Examples of a supernatural messenger^[16] are the «Malak YHWH,» who is either a messenger from God,^[17] an aspect of God (such as the logos),^[18] or God himself as the messenger (the «theophanic angel.»)^[16][19]

Michael D. Coogan notes that it is only in the late books that the terms «come to mean the benevolent semi-divine beings familiar from later mythology and art.»^[20] Daniel is the biblical book to refer to individual angels by name,^[21] mentioning Gabriel in Daniel 9:21 and Michael in Daniel 10:13. These angels are part of Daniel’s apocalyptic visions and are an important part of apocalyptic literature.^[20][22]

In Daniel 7, Daniel receives a dream-vision from God. […] As Daniel watches, the Ancient of Days takes his seat on the throne of heaven and sits in judgement in the midst of the heavenly court […] an [angel] like a son of man approaches the Ancient One in the clouds of heaven and is given everlasting kingship.^[23]

Coogan explains the development of this concept of angels: «In the postexilic period, with the development of explicit monotheism, these divine beings—the ‘sons of God’ who were members of the Divine Council—were in effect demoted to what are now known as ‘angels’, understood as beings created by God, but immortal and thus superior to humans.»^[20] This conception of angels is best understood in contrast to demons and is often thought to be «influenced by the ancient Persian religious tradition of Zoroastrianism, which viewed the world as a battleground between forces of good and forces of evil, between light and darkness.»^[20] One of these is hāššāṭān, a figure depicted in (among other places) the Book of Job.

Rabbinic Judaism[edit]

According to Rabbinic Judaism, the angels have no bodies, but are eternally living creatures created out of fire. The Babylonian Talmud reads as «The Torah was not given to ministering angels.» (לא נתנה תורה למלאכי השרת) usually understood as a concession to human’s imperfection, in contrast to the angels.^[24] Thus, they occasionally appear in Midrashim as competition with humans.^[25] The angels as heavenly beings, strictly following the laws of God, become jealous of God’s affection for man. Humans, by following the Torah, in prayer, by resisting evil instincts (yetzer hara) and by teshuva, are preferred to the flawless angels. As a result, they are also inferior to humans in the Jewish tradition. In the Midrash, the plural of El (Elohim) used in Genesis in relation to the creation of human beings is explained by the presence of angels: God therefore consulted with the angels, but made the final decision alone. This story serves as an example, teaching that the powerful should also consult with the weak. God’s own final decision highlights God’s undisputable omnipotence.^[25]

In post-Biblical Judaism,^{[clarification needed]} certain angels took on particular significance and developed unique personalities and roles. Although these archangels were believed to rank among the heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron is considered one of the highest of the angels in Merkabah and Kabbalah mysticism and often serves as a scribe; he is briefly mentioned in the Talmud^[26] and figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. Michael, who serves as a warrior^[27] and advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:13), is looked upon particularly fondly.^[28] Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 8:15–17) and briefly in the Talmud,^[29] as well as in many Merkabah mystical texts. There is no evidence in Judaism for the worship of angels, but there is evidence for the invocation and sometimes even conjuration of angels.^[21]

Philo of Alexandria identifies the angel with the Logos inasmuch as the angel is the immaterial voice of God. The angel is something different from God himself, but is conceived as God’s instrument.^[30]

Four classes of ministering angels minister and utter praise before the Holy One, blessed be He: the first camp (led by) Michael on His right, the second camp (led by) Gabriel on His left, the third camp (led by) Uriel before Him, and the fourth camp (led by) Raphael behind Him; and the Shekhinah of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the centre. He is sitting on a throne high and exalted^[31]

Later interpretations[edit]

According to Kabbalah, there are four worlds and our world is the last world: the world of action (Assiyah). Angels exist in the worlds above as a ‘task’ of God. They are an extension of God to produce effects in this world. After an angel has completed its task, it ceases to exist. The angel is in effect the task. This is derived from the book of Genesis when Abraham meets with three angels and Lot meets with two. The task of one of the angels was to inform Sara and Abraham of their coming child. The other two were to save Lot and to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.^[21]

Jewish philosopher Maimonides explained his view of angels in his Guide for the Perplexed II:4 and II

… This leads Aristotle in turn to the demonstrated fact that God, glory and majesty to Him, does not do things by direct contact. God burns things by means of fire; fire is moved by the motion of the sphere; the sphere is moved by means of a disembodied intellect, these intellects being the ‘angels which are near to Him’, through whose mediation the spheres move … thus totally disembodied minds exist which emanate from God and are the intermediaries between God and all the bodies [objects] here in this world.

— Guide for the Perplexed II:4, Maimonides

Maimonides had a neo-Aristotelian interpretation of the Bible. Maimonides writes that to the wise man, one sees that what the Bible and Talmud refer to as «angels» are actually allusions to the various laws of nature; they are the principles by which the physical universe operates.

For all forces are angels! How blind, how perniciously blind are the naive?! If you told someone who purports to be a sage of Israel that the Deity sends an angel who enters a woman’s womb and there forms an embryo, he would think this a miracle and accept it as a mark of the majesty and power of the Deity, despite the fact that he believes an angel to be a body of fire one third the size of the entire world. All this, he thinks, is possible for God. But if you tell him that God placed in the sperm the power of forming and demarcating these organs, and that this is the angel, or that all forms are produced by the Active Intellect; that here is the angel, the «vice-regent of the world» constantly mentioned by the sages, then he will recoil.– Guide for the Perplexed II:4

Individuals[edit]

From the Jewish Encyclopedia, entry «Angelology».^[21]

• Michael (archangel) (translation: who is like God?), kindness of God, and stands up for the children of mankind
• Gabriel (archangel) (translation: God is my strength), performs acts of justice and power

(Only these two angels are mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible; the rest are from extra-biblical tradition.)

• Jophiel (translation: Beauty of God), expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden holding a flaming sword and punishes those who transgress against God
• Metatron, heavenly scribe of God
• Raphael (archangel) (translation: It is God who heals), God’s healing force
• Uriel (archangel) (translation: God is my light), leads humanity to destiny
• Samael (archangel) (translation: Venom of God), angel of death—see also Malach HaMavet (translation: the angel of death)
• Sandalphon (archangel) (translation: bringing together), battles Samael and brings mankind together

Christianity[edit]

Christians inherited Jewish understandings of angels, which in turn may have been partly inherited from the Egyptians.^[32] In the early stage, the Christian concept of an angel characterized the angel as a messenger of God. Later came identification of individual angelic messengers: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and Uriel.^[33] Then, in the space of little more than two centuries (from the 3rd to the 5th) the image of angels took on definite characteristics both in theology and in art.^[34] Ellen Muehlberger has argued that in late antiquity, angels were conceived of as one type of being among many, whose primary purpose was to guard and to guide Christians.^[35]

Christian Bible[edit]

Angels are represented throughout Christian Bibles as spiritual beings intermediate between God and humans: «Yet you have made them [humans] a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.» (Psalms 8:4–5). Christians believe that angels are created beings, based on (Psalms 148:2–5; Colossians 1:16). Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible refer to intermediary beings, as angels, instead of daimons, thus giving raise to a distinction between demons and angels.^{[citation needed]} In the Old Testament, both benevolent and fierce angels are mentioned, but never called demons. The symmetry lies between angels sent by God, and intermediary spirits of foreign deities, not in good and evil deeds.^[36]

In the New Testament, the existence of angels, just like that of demons, is taken for granted.^[37] They can intervene and intercede on behalf of humans. Angels protect the righteous (Matthew 4:6, Luke 4:11). They dwell in the heavens (Matthew 28:2, John 1:51), act as God’s warriors (Matthew 26:53) and worship God (Luke 2:13).^[38] In the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, angels behave as psychopomps. The Resurrection of Jesus features angels, telling the woman that Jesus is no longer in the tomb, but has risen from the dead.^[39]

Interaction with humans[edit]

Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.—Hebrews 13:2

Three separate cases of angelic interaction deal with the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. In Luke 1:11, an angel appears to Zechariah to inform him that he will have a child despite his old age, thus proclaiming the birth of John the Baptist. In Luke 1:26 Gabriel visits Mary in the Annunciation to foretell the birth of Jesus. Angels proclaim the birth of Jesus in the Adoration of the shepherds in Luke 2:10.^[40]

According to Matthew 4:11, after Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, «…the Devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.» In Luke 22:43 an angel comforts Jesus during the Agony in the Garden.^[41] In Matthew 28:5 an angel speaks at the empty tomb, following the Resurrection of Jesus and the rolling back of the stone by angels.^[40]

In 1851 Pope Pius IX approved the Chaplet of Saint Michael based on the 1751 reported private revelation from archangel Michael to the Carmelite nun Antonia d’Astonac.^[42] In a biography of Gemma Galgani written by Germanus Ruoppolo, Galgani stated that she had spoken with her guardian angel.

Pope John Paul II emphasized the role of angels in Catholic teachings in his 1986 address titled «Angels Participate In History Of Salvation», in which he suggested that modern mentality should come to see the importance of angels.^[43]

According to the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, «The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are contained in Holy Scripture.»^[44]

Theology[edit]

According to Augustine of Hippo, «‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘angel’.»^[45] Gregory of Nazianzus thought that angels were made as «spirits» and «flames of fire», following Hebrews 1, and that they can be identified with the «thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities» of Colossians 1.^[35]

By the late 4th century, the Church Fathers agreed that there were different categories of angels, with appropriate missions and activities assigned to them. There was, however, some disagreement regarding the nature of angels. Some argued that angels had physical bodies,^[46] while some maintained that they were entirely spiritual. Some theologians had proposed that angels were not divine but on the level of immaterial beings subordinate to the Trinity. The resolution of this Trinitarian dispute included the development of doctrine about angels.^[47]

Forty Gospel Homilies by Pope Gregory I (c. 540 – 12 March 604) noted angels and archangels.^[48] The Fourth Lateran Council’s (1215) Firmiter credimus decree (issued against the Albigenses) declared that the angels were created beings and that men were created after them. The First Vatican Council (1869) repeated this declaration in Dei Filius, the «Dogmatic constitution on the Catholic faith».

Thomas Aquinas (13th century) relates angels to Aristotle’s metaphysics in his Summa contra Gentiles,^[49] Summa Theologica,^[50] and in De substantiis separatis,^[51] a treatise on angelology. Although angels have greater knowledge than men, they are not omniscient, as Matthew 24:36 points out.^[52] According to the Summa Theologica, angels were created instantaneously by God in a state of grace in the Empyrean Heaven (LXI. 4) at the same time when he created all the contents of the corporeal world (LXI. 3). They are pure spirits whose life consists in knowledge and love. Being bodiless, their knowledge is intellectual and not through senses (LIV. 5). Differently from humans, their knowledge is not acquired from the exterior world; moreover they attain to the truth of a thing at a single glance without need of reasoning (LV. a; LVIII. 3,4). They know all that passes in the external world (LV. 2) and the totality of creatures, but they don’t know human secret thoughts that depends on human free will and thereby are not necessarily linked up with external events (LVII. 4). They don’t know also the future unless God reveals it to them (LVII. 3).^[53]

According to Aquinas, angels are the closest creatures to God. Therefore, like God, they are constituted by pure form without matter.^[54] Each angel is a species which a unique individual belongs to; angels differ one from another by way of their unique and irrepetible form. In other words, form -and not matter- is their principle of individuation.^[55]

The New Church (Swedenborgianism)[edit]

The New Church denominations that arose from the writings of theologian Emanuel Swedenborg have distinct ideas about angels and the spiritual world in which they dwell. Adherents believe that all angels are in human form with a spiritual body, and are not just minds without form.^[56] There are different orders of angels according to the three heavens,^[57] and each angel dwells in one of innumerable societies of angels. Such a society of angels can appear as one angel as a whole.^[58]

All angels originate from the human race, and there is not one angel in heaven who first did not live in a material body.^[59] Moreover, all children who die not only enter heaven but eventually become angels.^[60] The life of angels is that of usefulness, and their functions are so many that they cannot be enumerated. However each angel will enter a service according to the use that they had performed in their earthly life.^[61] Names of angels, such as Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, signify a particular angelic function rather than an individual being.^[62]

While living in one’s body an individual has conjunction with heaven through the angels,^[63] and with each person, there are at least two evil spirits and two angels.^[64] Temptation or pains of conscience originates from a conflict between evil spirits and angels.^[65] Due to man’s sinful nature it is dangerous to have open direct communication with angels^[66] and they can only be seen when one’s spiritual sight has been opened.^[67] Thus from moment to moment angels attempt to lead each person to what is good tacitly using the person’s own thoughts.^[68]

Latter Day Saints[edit]

The Latter Day Saint movement views angels as the messengers of God. They are sent to mankind to deliver messages, minister to humanity, teach doctrines of salvation, call mankind to repentance, give priesthood keys, save individuals in perilous times, and guide humankind.^[69]

Latter Day Saints believe that angels either are the spirits of humans who are deceased or who have yet to be born, or are humans who have been resurrected or translated and have physical bodies of flesh and bones.^[70] Joseph Smith taught that «there are no angels who minister to this earth but those that do belong or have belonged to it.»^[71] As such, Latter Day Saints also believe that Adam, the first man, was and is now the archangel Michael,^[72][73][74] and that Gabriel lived on the earth as Noah.^[70] Likewise the Angel Moroni first lived in a pre-Columbian American civilization as the 5th-century prophet-warrior named Moroni.

Smith described his first angelic encounter in the following manner:

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.

He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant …

Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.^[75]

Most angelic visitations in the early Latter Day Saint movement were witnessed by Smith and Oliver Cowdery, who both said (prior to the establishment of the church in 1830) they had been visited by the prophet Moroni, John the Baptist, and the apostles Peter, James, and John. Later, after the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Smith and Cowdery said they had been visited by Jesus, and subsequently by Moses, Elias, and Elijah.^[76]

Others who said they received a visit by an angel include the other two of the Three Witnesses: David Whitmer and Martin Harris. Many other Latter Day Saints, both in the early and modern church, have said they had seen angels, although Smith posited that, except in extenuating circumstances such as the restoration, mortals teach mortals, spirits teach spirits, and resurrected beings teach other resurrected beings.^[77]

Islam[edit]

Belief in angels is fundamental to Islam. The Quranic word for angel (Arabic: ملاك Malāk) derives either from Malaka, meaning «he controlled», due to their power to govern different affairs assigned to them,^[78] or from the root either from ʼ-l-k, l-ʼ-k or m-l-k with the broad meaning of a «messenger», just like its counterparts in Hebrew (malʾákh) and Greek (angelos). Unlike their Hebrew counterpart, the term is exclusively used for heavenly spirits of the divine world, but not for human messengers. The Quran refers to both angelic and human messengers as «rasul» instead.^[79] Contrary to popular belief, angels are never described as agents of revelation in the Quran, although interpretation credits Gabriel with that.^[80]

The Quran is the principal source for the Islamic concept of angels.^[81] Some of them, such as Gabriel and Michael, are mentioned by name in the Quran, others are only referred to by their function. In hadith literature, angels are often assigned to only one specific phenomenon.^[82] Angels play a significant role in Mi’raj literature, where Muhammad encounters several angels during his journey through the heavens.^[83] Further angels have often been featured in Islamic eschatology, Islamic theology and Islamic philosophy.^[84] Duties assigned to angels include, for example, communicating revelations from God, glorifying God, recording every person’s actions, and taking a person’s soul at the time of death.

In Islam, just like in Judaism and Christianity, angels are often represented in anthropomorphic forms combined with supernatural images, such as wings, being of great size or wearing heavenly articles.^[85] The Quran describes them as «messengers with wings—two, or three, or four: He [God] adds to Creation as He pleases…»^[86] Common characteristics for angels are their missing needs for bodily desires, such as eating and drinking.^[87] Their lack of affinity to material desires is also expressed by their creation from light: Angels of mercy are created from nur (cold light) in opposition to the angels of punishment created from nar (hot light).^[88] Muslims do not generally share the perceptions of angelic pictorial depictions, such as those found in Western art.

Although believing in angels remain one of Six Articles of Faith in Islam, one can not find a dogmatic angelology in Islamic tradition. Despite this, scholars had discussed the role of angels from specific canonical events, such as the Mi’raj, and Quranic verses. Even if they are not in focus, they have been featured in folklore, philosophy debates and systematic theology. While in classical Islam, widespread notions were accepted as canonical, there is a tendency in contemporary scholarship to reject much material about angels, like calling the Angel of Death by the name Azra’il.^[89]

In Folk Islam, individual angels may be evoked in exorcism rites, whose names are engraved in talismans or amulets.^[90]

Some modern scholars have emphasized a metaphorical reinterpretation of the concept of angels.^[91]

Baháʼí faith[edit]

In his Kitáb-i-Íqán Baháʼu’lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith, describes angels as people who «have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations», and have «clothed themselves» with angelic attributes and have become «endowed with the attributes of the spiritual». ʻAbdu’l-Bahá describes angels as the «confirmations of God and His celestial powers» and as «blessed beings who have severed all ties with this nether world» and «been released from the chains of self», and «revealers of God’s abounding grace». The Baháʼí writings also refer to the Concourse on High, an angelic host, and the Maid of Heaven of Baháʼu’lláh’s vision.^[92]

I raised my hand another time, and bared one of Her breasts that had been hidden beneath Her gown. Then the firmament was illumined by the radiance of its light, contingent beings were made resplendent by its appearance and effulgence, and by its rays, infinite numbers of suns dawned forth, as though they trekked through heavens that were without beginning or end. I became bewildered at the pen of God’s handiwork, and at what it had inscribed upon Her temple. It was as though She had appeared with a body of light in the forms of the spirit, as though She moved upon the earth of essence in the substance of manifestation. I noticed that the houris had poked their heads out of their rooms and were suspended in the air above Her. They grew perplexed at Her appearance and Her beauty and were entranced by the raptures of Her song. Praise be to Her creator, fashioner, and maker—to the one Who made Her manifest.

Then she nearly swooned within herself, and with all her being she sought to inhale My fragrance. She opened Her lips, and the rays of light dawned forth from Her teeth, as though the pearls of the cause had appeared from Her treasures and Her shells.

She asked, «Who art Thou?»

I said, «A servant of God and the son of his maidservant.»^[93]

Neoplatonism[edit]

Philo of Alexandria already identified the Neo-Platonic interpretation of daemons as angels. The daemons were thought to be intermediary between the supernatural and earthly realm, interpreted by Philo as the Greek term for angels.^[36]

In the commentaries of Proclus (4th century) on the Timaeus of Plato, Proclus uses the terminology of «angelic» (aggelikos) and «angel» (aggelos) in relation to metaphysical beings. According to Aristotle, just as there is a Prime Mover,^[94] so, too, must there be spiritual secondary movers.^[95]

Ibn Sina, who drew upon the Neo-Platonistic emanation cosmology of Al-Farabi, developed an angelological hierarchy of Intellects, which are created by «the One». Therefore, the first creation by God was the supreme archangel followed by other archangels, who are identified with lower Intellects. From these Intellects again, emanated lower angels or «moving spheres», from which in turn, emanated other Intellects until it reaches the Intellect, which reigns over the souls. The tenth Intellect is responsible for bringing material forms into being and illuminating the minds.^[96][97]

Sikhism[edit]

The poetry of the holy scripture of the Sikhs – the Sri Guru Granth Sahib – figuratively mentions a messenger or angel of death, sometimes as Yama (ਜਮ – «Yam») and sometimes as Azrael (ਅਜਰਾਈਲੁ – «Ajraeel»):

ਜਮ ਜੰਦਾਰੁ ਨ ਲਗਈ ਇਉ ਭਉਜਲੁ ਤਰੈ ਤਰਾਸਿ
The Messenger of Death will not touch you; in this way, you shall cross over the terrifying world ocean [ru], carrying others across with you.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Siree Raag, First Mehl, p. 22.^[98]

ਅਜਰਾਈਲੁ ਯਾਰੁ ਬੰਦੇ ਜਿਸੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਆਧਾਰੁ
Azraa-eel, the Messenger of Death, is the friend of the human being who has Your support, Lord.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Tilang, Fifth Mehl, Third House, p. 724.^[99]

In a similar vein, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib talks of a figurative Chitar (ਚਿਤ੍ਰ) and Gupat (ਗੁਪਤੁ):

ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਸਭ ਲਿਖਤੇ ਲੇਖਾ ॥

ਭਗਤ ਜਨਾ ਕਉ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਨ ਪੇਖਾ

Chitar and Gupat, the recording angels of the conscious and the unconscious, write the accounts of all mortal beings, / but they cannot even see the Lord’s humble devotees.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Panch-Pada, p. 393.^[100]

However, Sikhism has never had a literal system of angels, preferring guidance without explicit appeal to supernatural orders or beings.^{[citation needed]}

Esotericism[edit]

Hermetic Qabalah[edit]

According to the Kabbalah as described by the Golden Dawn there are ten archangels, each commanding one of the choirs of angels and corresponding to one of the Sephirot. It is similar to the Jewish angelic hierarchy.

Rank	Choir of Angels	Translation	Archangel	Sephirah
1	Hayot Ha Kodesh	Holy Living Ones	Metatron	Keter
2	Ophanim	Wheels	Raziel	Chokmah
3	Erelim	Brave ones[101]	Tzaphkiel	Binah
4	Hashmallim	Glowing ones, Amber ones[102]	Tzadkiel	Chesed
5	Seraphim	Burning Ones	Khamael	Gevurah
6	Malakim	Messengers, angels	Raphael	Tipheret
7	Elohim	Godly Beings	Uriel	Netzach
8	Bene Elohim	Sons of Elohim	Michael	Hod
9	Cherubim	[103]	Gabriel	Yesod
10	Ishim	Men (man-like beings, phonetically similar to «fires»)	Sandalphon	Malkuth

Theosophy[edit]

In the teachings of the Theosophical Society, Devas are regarded as living either in the atmospheres of the planets of the Solar System (Planetary Angels) or inside the Sun (Solar Angels) and they help to guide the operation of the processes of nature such as the process of evolution and the growth of plants; their appearance is reputedly like colored flames about the size of a human. It is believed by Theosophists that devas can be observed when the third eye is activated. Some (but not most) devas originally incarnated as human beings.^[104]

It is believed by Theosophists that nature spirits, elementals (gnomes, undines, sylphs, and salamanders), and fairies also can be observed when the third eye is activated.^[105] It is maintained by Theosophists that these less evolutionarily developed beings have never been previously incarnated as humans; they are regarded as being on a separate line of spiritual evolution called the «deva evolution»; eventually, as their souls advance as they reincarnate, it is believed they will incarnate as devas.^[106]

It is asserted by Theosophists that all of the above-mentioned beings possess etheric bodies that are composed of etheric matter, a type of matter finer and more pure that is composed of smaller particles than ordinary physical plane matter.^[106]

Other[edit]

The Greek magical papyri, a set of texts forming into a completed grimoire that date somewhere between 100 BC and 400 AD, also list the names of the angels found in monotheistic religions, but they are presented as deities.^[107]

Numerous references to angels present themselves in the Nag Hammadi Library, in which they both appear as malevolent servants of the Demiurge and innocent associates of the aeons.^[108]

Brahma Kumaris[edit]

The Brahma Kumaris uses the term «angel» to refer to a perfect, or complete state of the human being, which they believe can be attained through a connection with God.^[109][110] It is expanded as a state of being rather than an entity.^[109]

Yazidism[edit]

In Yazidism, there are seven Divine Beings (often called ‘angels’ in the literature) who were created by God prior to the creation of this world. God appointed Tawûsî Melek as their leader and assigned all of the world’s affairs to these seven Divine Beings.^[111] These Divine Beings are referred to as Tawûsî Melek, Melek Şemsedîn, Melek Nasirdîn, Melek Fexredîn, Melek Sicadîn, Melek Şêxsin and Melek Şêxûbekir.

In art[edit]

According to mainstream Christian theology, angels are wholly spiritual beings and therefore do not eat, excrete or have sex, and have no gender. Although their different roles, such as warriors for some archangels, may suggest a human gender, Christian artists were careful not to given them specific gender attributes, at least until the 19th century, when some acquire breasts for example.^[112]

In an address during a General Audience of 6 August 1986, entitled «Angels participate in the history of salvation», Pope John Paul II explained that «[T]he angels have no ‘body’ (even if, in particular circumstances, they reveal themselves under visible forms because of their mission for the good of people).»^[43] Christian art perhaps reflects the descriptions in Revelation 4:6–8 of the Four Living Creatures (Greek: τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα) and the descriptions in the Hebrew Bible of cherubim and seraphim (the chayot in Ezekiel’s Merkabah vision and the Seraphim of Isaiah). However, while cherubim and seraphim have wings in the Bible, no angel is mentioned as having wings.^[113]
The earliest known Christian image of an angel—in the Cubicolo dell’Annunziazione in the Catacomb of Priscilla (mid-3rd century)—is without wings. In that same period, representations of angels on sarcophagi, lamps and reliquaries also show them without wings,^[114] as for example the angel in the Sacrifice of Isaac scene in the Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (although the side view of the Sarcophagus shows winged angelic figures).

The earliest known representation of angels with wings is on the «Prince’s Sarcophagus», attributed to the time of Theodosius I (379–395), discovered at Sarigüzel, near Istanbul, in the 1930s.^[115] From that period on, Christian art has represented angels mostly with wings, as in the cycle of mosaics in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (432–440).^[116] Four- and six-winged angels, drawn from the higher grades of angels (especially cherubim and seraphim) and often showing only their faces and wings, are derived from Persian art and are usually shown only in heavenly contexts, as opposed to performing tasks on earth. They often appear in the pendentives of church domes or semi-domes. Prior to the Judeo-Christian tradition, in the Greek world the goddess Nike and the gods Eros and Thanatos were also depicted in human-like form with wings.

John Chrysostom explained the significance of angels’ wings:

They manifest a nature’s sublimity. That is why Gabriel is represented with wings. Not that angels have wings, but that you may know that they leave the heights and the most elevated dwelling to approach human nature. Accordingly, the wings attributed to these powers have no other meaning than to indicate the sublimity of their nature.^[117]

Angels are typically depicted in Mormon art as having no wings based on a quote from Joseph Smith («An angel of God never has wings»).^[118]

In terms of their clothing, angels, especially the Archangel Michael, were depicted as military-style agents of God and came to be shown wearing Late Antique military uniform. This uniform could be the normal military dress, with a tunic to about the knees, an armour breastplate and pteruges, but was often the specific dress of the bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor, with a long tunic and the loros, the long gold and jewelled pallium restricted to the Imperial family and their closest guards.

The basic military dress was shown in Western art into the Baroque period and beyond (see Reni picture above), and up to the present day in Eastern Orthodox icons. Other angels came to be conventionally depicted in long robes, and in the later Middle Ages they often wear the vestments of a deacon, a cope over a dalmatic. This costume was used especially for Gabriel in Annunciation scenes—for example the Annunciation in Washington by Jan van Eyck.

Some types of angels are described as possessing more unusual or frightening attributes, such as the fiery bodies of the Seraphim, and the wheel-like structures of the Ophanim.

• 

  Italian Gothic adorning angel, circa 1395–1396, lunense marble from Carrara (Italy), overall: 118.7 x 28.6 x 32.4 cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art

• 

  Italian Gothic angel of the annunciation, circa 1430–1440, Istrian limestone, gesso and gilt, 95.3 x 37.5 cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art

• 

  Southern German Baroque angel, by Ignaz Günther, circa 1760–1770, lindenwood with traces of gesso, 26.7 x 18.4 cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art

• 

  Corinthian capital with an angel who wolds a festoon with his wings, in Stiftskirche Mariae Himmelfahrt in Schlägl (Austria)

• 

  An angel in the former coat of arms of Tenala

• 

  The Kind Angel of Peace monument (Donetsk, Ukraine)

• 

  Angel in Sao Paulo.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

• — (2002b). What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-515713-0.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

• Coptic Doxology of Heavenly Order
• Zoroastrian angels
• Jewish Encyclopedia entry on angels
• Directory on popular piety and the liturgy. Principles and guidelines Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy, §§ 212–217, «The Holy Angels, Vatican City, December 2001]
• Angels, BBC Radio 4 discussion with Martin Palmer, Valery Rees & John Haldane (In Our Time, Mar. 24, 2005)

ANGEL

an’-jel (mal’akh; Septuagint and New Testament, aggelos):

_I. DEFINITION AND SCRIPTURE TERMS_

_II. ANGELS IN OLD TESTAMENT_

1. Nature, Appearances and Functions

2. The Angelic Host

3. The Angel of the Theophany

_III. ANGELS IN NEW TESTAMENT_

1. Appearances

2. The Teaching of Jesus about Angels

3. Other New Testament References

_IV. DEVELOPMENT OF THE DOCTRINE_

_V. THE REALITY OF ANGELS_

_LITERATURE_

_I. Definition and Scripture Terms._

The word angel is applied in Scripture to an order of supernatural or heavenly beings whose business it is to act as God’s messengers to men, and as agents who carry out His will. Both in Hebrew and Greek the word is applied to human messengers (1 Kings 19:2; Luke 7:24); in Hebrew it is used in the singular to denote a Divine messenger, and in the plural for human messengers, although there are exceptions to both usages. It is applied to the prophet Haggai (Haggai 1:13), to the priest (Malachi 2:7), and to the messenger who is to prepare the way of the Lord (Malachi 3:1). Other Hebrew words and phrases applied to angels are bene ha-‘elohim (Genesis 6:2,4; Job 1:6; 2:1) and bene ‘elim (Psalms 29:1; 89:6), i.e. sons of the ‘elohim or ‘elim; this means, according to a common Hebrew usage, members of the class called ‘elohim or ‘elim, the heavenly powers. It seems doubtful whether the word ‘elohim, standing by itself, is ever used to describe angels, although Septuagint so translates it in a few passages.

The most notable instance is Psalms 8:5; where the Revised Version (British and American) gives, «Thou hast made him but little lower than God,» with the English Revised Version, margin reading of «the angels» for «God» (compare Hebrews 2:7,9); qedhoshim «holy ones» (Psalms 89:5,7), a name suggesting the fact that they belong to God; `ir, `irim, «watcher,» «watchers» (Daniel 4:13,17,23). Other expressions are used to designate angels collectively:

codh, «council» (Psalms 89:7), where the reference may be to an inner group of exalted angels; `edhah and qahal, «congregation» (Psalms 82:1; 89:5); and finally tsabha’, tsebha’oth, «host,» «hosts,» as in the familiar phrase «the God of hosts.»

In New Testament the word aggelos, when it refers to a Divine messenger, is frequently accompanied by some phrase which makes this meaning clear, e.g. «the angels of heaven» (Matthew 24:36). Angels belong to the «heavenly host» (Luke 2:13). In reference to their nature they are called «spirits» (Hebrews 1:14). Paul evidently referred to the ordered ranks of supra-mundane beings in a group of words that are found in various combinations, namely, archai, «principalities,» exousiai, «powers,» thronoi, «thrones,» kuriotetes, «dominions,» and dunameis, also translated «powers.» The first four are apparently used in a good sense in Colossians 1:16, where it is said that all these beings were created through Christ and unto Him; in most of the other passages in which words from this group occur, they seem to represent evil powers. We are told that our wrestling is against them (Ephesians 6:12), and that Christ triumphs over the principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15; compare Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:24). In two passages the word archaggelos, «archangel» or chief angel, occurs:

«the voice of the archangel» (1 Thessalonians 4:16), and «Michael the archangel» (Jude 1:9).

_II. Angels in Old Testament._

1. Nature, Appearances and Functions:

Everywhere in the Old Testament the existence of angels is assumed. The creation of angels is referred to in Psalms 148:2,5 (compare Colossians 1:16). They were present at the creation of the world, and were so filled with wonder and gladness that they «shouted for joy» (Job 38:7). Of their nature we are told nothing. In general they are simply regarded as embodiments of their mission. Though presumably the holiest of created beings, they are charged by God with folly (Job 4:18), and we are told that «he putteth no trust in his holy ones» (Job 15:15).

References to the fall of the angels are only found in the obscure and probably corrupt passage Genesis 6:1-4, and in the interdependent passages 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6, which draw their inspiration from the Apocryphal book of Enoch. Demons are mentioned (see DEMON); and although Satan appears among the sons of God (Job 1:6; 2:1), there is a growing tendency in later writers to attribute to him a malignity that is all his own (see SATAN).

As to their outward appearance, it is evident that they bore the human form, and could at times be mistaken for men (Ezekiel 9:2; Genesis 18:2,16). There is no hint that they ever appeared in female form. The conception of angels as winged beings, so familiar in Christian art, finds no support in Scripture (except, perhaps Daniel 9:21; Revelation 14:6, where angels are represented as «flying»). The cherubim and seraphim (see CHERUB; SERAPHIM) are represented as winged (Exodus 25:20; Isaiah 6:2); winged also are the symbolic living creatures of Eze (Ezekiel 1:6; compare Revelation 4:8).

As above stated, angels are messengers and instruments of the Divine will. As a rule they exercise no influence in the physical sphere. In several instances, however, they are represented as destroying angels:

two angels are commissioned to destroy Sodom (Genesis 19:13); when David numbers the people, an angel destroys them by pestilence (2 Samuel 24:16); it is by an angel that the Assyrian army is destroyed (2 Kings 19:35); and Ezekiel hears six angels receiving the command to destroy those who were sinful in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9:1,5,7). In this connection should be noted the expression «angels of evil,» i.e. angels that bring evil upon men from God and execute His judgments (Psalms 78:49; compare 1 Samuel 16:14). Angels appear to Jacob in dreams (Genesis 28:12; 31:11). The angel who meets Balaam is visible first to the ass, and not to the rider (Numbers 22). Angels interpret God’s will, showing man what is right for him (Job 33:23). The idea of angels as caring for men also appears (Psalms 91:11 f), although the modern conception of the possession by each man of a special guardian angel is not found in Old Testament.

2. The Angelic Host:

The phrase «the host of heaven» is applied to the stars, which were sometimes worshipped by idolatrous Jews (Jeremiah 33:22; 2 Kings 21:3; Zechariah 1:5); the name is applied to the company of angels because of their countless numbers (compare Daniel 7:10) and their glory. They are represented as standing on the right and left hand of Yahweh (1 Kings 22:19). Hence God, who is over them all, is continually called throughout Old Testament «the God of hosts,» «Yahweh of hosts,» «Yahweh God of hosts»; and once «the prince of the host» (Daniel 8:11). One of the principal functions of the heavenly host is to be ever praising the name of the Lord (Psalms 103:21; 148:1). In this host there are certain figures that stand out prominently, and some of them are named. The angel who appears to Joshua calls himself «prince of the host of Yahweh» (Joshua 5:14 f). The glorious angel who interprets to Daniel the vision which he saw in the third year of Cyrus (Daniel 10:5), like the angel who interprets the vision in the first year of Belshazzar (Daniel 7:16), is not named; but other visions of the same prophet were explained to him by the angel Gabriel, who is called «the man Gabriel,» and is described as speaking with «a man’s voice» (Daniel 9:21; 8:15). In Daniel we find occasional reference made to «princes»:

«the prince of Persia,» «the prince of Greece» (Daniel 10:20). These are angels to whom is entrusted the charge of, and possibly the rule over, certain peoples. Most notable among them is Michael, described as «one of the chief princes,» «the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people,» and, more briefly, «your prince» (Daniel 10:13; 12:1; 10:21); Michael is therefore regarded as the patron-angel of the Jews. In Apocrypha Raphael, Uriel and Jeremiel are also named. Of Raphael it is said (Tobit 12:15) that he is «one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints» to God (compare Revelation 8:2, «the seven angels that stand before God»). It is possible that this group of seven is referred to in the above-quoted phrase, «one of the chief princes». Some (notably Kosters) have maintained that the expressions «the sons of the ‘elohim,» God’s «council» and «congregation,» refer to the ancient gods of the heathen, now degraded and wholly subordinated to Yahweh. This rather daring speculation has little support in Scripture; but we find traces of a belief that the patron-angels of the nations have failed in establishing righteousness within their allotted sphere on earth, and that they will accordingly be punished by Yahweh their over-Lord (Isaiah 24:21; Psalms 58:1 f the Revised Version, margin; compare Jude 1:6).

3. The Angel of the Theophany:

This angel is spoken of as «the angel of Yahweh,» and «the angel of the presence (or face) of Yahweh.» The following passages contain references to this angel:

Genesis 16:7—the angel and Hagar; Genesis 18—Abraham intercedes with the angel for Sodom; Genesis 22:11—the angel interposes to prevent the sacrifice of Isaac; Genesis 24:7,40—Abraham sends Eliezer and promises the angel’s protection; Genesis 31:11—the angel who appears to Jacob says «I am the God of Beth-el»; Genesis 32:24—Jacob wrestles with the angel and says, «I have seen God face to face»; Genesis 48:15 f—Jacob speaks of God and the angel as identical; Exodus 3 (compare Acts 7:30)—the angel appears to Moses in the burning bush; Exodus 13:21; 14:19 (compare Numbers 20:16)—God or the angel leads Israel out of Egypt; Exodus 23:20—the people are commanded to obey the angel; Exodus 32:34-33:17 (compare Isaiah 63:9)—Moses pleads for the presence of God with His people; Joshua 5:13-6:2—the angel appears to Joshua; Judges 2:1-5—the angel speaks to the people; Judges 6:11—the angel appears to Gideon.

A study of these passages shows that while the angel and Yahweh are at times distinguished from each other, they are with equal frequency, and in the same passages, merged into each other. How is this to be explained? It is obvious that these apparitions cannot be the Almighty Himself, whom no man hath seen, or can see. In seeking the explanation, special attention should be paid to two of the passages above cited. In Exodus 23:20 God promises to send an angel before His people to lead them to the promised land; they are commanded to obey him and not to provoke him «for he will not pardon your transgression:

for my name is in him.» Thus the angel can forgive sin, which only God can do, because God’s name, i.e. His character and thus His authority, are in the angel. Further, in the passage Exodus 32:34-33:17 Moses intercedes for the people after their first breach of the covenant; God responds by promising, «Behold mine angel shall go before thee»; and immediately after God says, «I will not go up in the midst of thee.» In answer to further pleading, God says, «My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.» Here a clear distinction is made between an ordinary angel, and the angel who carries with him God’s presence. The conclusion may be summed up in the words of Davidson in his Old Testament Theology: «In particular providences one may trace the presence of Yahweh in influence and operation; in ordinary angelic appearances one may discover Yahweh present on some side of His being, in some attribute of His character; in the angel of the Lord He is fully present as the covenant God of His people, to redeem them.» The question still remains, Who is theophanic angel? To this many answers have been given, of which the following may be mentioned:

(1) This angel is simply an angel with a special commission;

(2) He may be a momentary descent of God into visibility;

(3) He may be the Logos, a kind of temporary preincarnation of the second person of the Trinity. Each has its difficulties, but the last is certainly the most tempting to the mind. Yet it must be remembered that at best these are only conjectures that touch on a great mystery. It is certain that from the beginning God used angels in human form, with human voices, in order to communicate with man; and the appearances of the angel of the Lord, with his special redemptive relation to God’s people, show the working of that Divine mode of self-revelation which culminated in the coming of the Saviour, and are thus a fore-shadowing of, and a preparation for, the full revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Further than this, it is not safe to go.

_III. Angels in New Testament._

1. Appearances:

Nothing is related of angels in New Testament which is inconsistent with the teaching of Old Testament on the subject. Just as they are specially active in the beginning of Old Testament history, when God’s people is being born, so they appear frequently in connection with the birth of Jesus, and again when a new order of things begins with the resurrection. An angel appears three times in dreams to Joseph (Matthew 1:20; 2:13,19). The angel Gabriel appears to Zacharias, and then to Mary in the annunciation (Luke 1). An angel announces to the shepherds the birth of Jesus, and is joined by a «multitude of the heavenly host,» praising God in celestial song (Luke 2:8). When Jesus is tempted, and again during the agony at Gethsemane, angels appear to Him to strengthen His soul (Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43). The verse which tells how an angel came down to trouble the pool (John 5:4) is now omitted from the text as not being genuine. An angel descends to roll away the stone from the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 28:2); angels are seen there by certain women (Luke 24:23) and (two) by Mary Magdalene (John 20:12). An angel releases the apostles from prison, directs Philip, appears to Peter in a dream, frees him from prison, smites Herod with sickness, appears to Paul in a dream (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7; 12:23; 27:23). Once they appear clothed in white; they are so dazzling in appearance as to terrify beholders; hence they begin their message with the words «Fear not» (Matthew 28:2-5).

2. The Teaching of Jesus about Angels:

It is quite certain that our Lord accepted the main teachings of Old Testament about angels, as well as the later Jewish belief in good and bad angels. He speaks of the «angels in heaven» (Matthew 22:30), and of «the devil and his angels» (Matthew 25:41). According to our Lord the angels of God are holy (Mark 8:38); they have no sex or sensuous desires (Matthew 22:30); they have high intelligence, but they know not the time of the Second Coming (Matthew 24:36); they carry (in a parable) the soul of Lazarus to Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22); they could have been summoned to the aid of our Lord, had He so desired (Matthew 26:53); they will accompany Him at the Second Coming (Matthew 25:31) and separate the righteous from the wicked (Matthew 13:41,49). They watch with sympathetic eyes the fortunes of men, rejoicing in the repentance of a sinner (Luke 15:10; compare 1 Peter 1:12; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 4:9); and they will hear the Son of Man confessing or denying those who have confessed or denied Him before men (Luke 12:8). The angels of the presence of God, who do not appear to correspond to our conception of guardian angels, are specially interested in God’s little ones (Matthew 18:10). Finally, the existence of angels is implied in the Lord’s Prayer in the petition, «Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth» (Matthew 6:10).

3. Other New Testament References:

Paul refers to the ranks of angels («principalities, powers» etc.) only in order to emphasize the complete supremacy of Jesus Christ. He teaches that angels will be judged by the saints (1 Corinthians 6:3). He attacks the incipient Gnosticism of Asia Minor by forbidding the, worship of angels (Colossians 2:18). He speaks of God’s angels as «elect,» because they are included in the counsels of Divine love (1 Timothy 5:21). When Paul commands the women to keep their heads covered in church because of the angels (1 Corinthians 11:10) he probably means that the angels, who watch all human affairs with deep interest, would be pained to see any infraction of the laws of modesty. In Hebrews 1:14 angels are described as ministering spirits engaged in the service of the saints. Peter also emphasizes the supremacy of our Lord over all angelic beings (1 Peter 3:22). The references to angels in 2 Peter and Jude are colored by contact with Apocrypha literature. In Revelation, where the references are obviously symbolic, there is very frequent mention of angels. The angels of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20) are the guardian angels or the personifications of these churches. The worship of angels is also forbidden (Revelation 22:8 f). Specially interesting is the mention of elemental angels—«the angel of the waters» (Revelation 16:5), and the angel «that hath power over fire» (Revelation 14:18; compare Revelation 7:1; 19:17). Reference is also made to the «angel of the bottomless pit,» who is called ABADDON or APOLLYON (which see), evidently an evil angel (Revelation 9:11 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) «abyss»). In Revelation 12:7 we are told that there was war between Michael with his angels and the dragon with his angels.

_IV. Development of the Doctrine._

In the childhood of the race it was easy to believe in God, and He was very near to the soul. In Paradise there is no thought of angels; it is God Himself who walks in the garden. A little later the thought of angels appears, but, God has not gone away, and as «the angel of Yahweh» He appears to His people and redeems them. In these early times the Jews believed that there were multitudes of angels, not yet divided in thought into good and bad; these had no names or personal characteristics, but were simply embodied messages. Till the time of the captivity the Jewish angelology shows little development. During that dark period they came into close contact with a polytheistic people, only to be more deeply confirmed in their monotheism thereby. They also became acquainted with the purer faith of the Persians, and in all probability viewed the tenets of Zoroastrianism with a more favorable eye, because of the great kindness of Cyrus to their nation.

There are few direct traces of Zoroastrianism in the later angelology of the Old Testament. It is not even certain that the number seven as applied to the highest group of angels is Persian in its origin; the number seven was not wholly disregarded by the Jews. One result of the contact was that the idea of a hierarchy of the angels was more fully developed. The conception in Da of angels as «watchers,» and the idea of patron-princes or angel-guardians of nations may be set down to Persian influence. It is probable that contact with the Persians helped the Jews to develop ideas already latent in their minds. According to Jewish tradition, the names of the angels came from Babylon. By this time the consciousness of sin had grown more intense in the Jewish mind, and God had receded to an immeasurable distance; the angels helped to fill the gap between God and man. The more elaborate conceptions of Daniel and Zechariah are further developed in Apocrypha, especially in 2 Esdras, Tobit and 2 Macc.

In the New Testament we find that there is little further development; and by the Spirit of God its writers were saved from the absurdly puerile teachings of contemporary Rabbinism. We find that the Sadducees, as contrasted with the Pharisees, did not believe in angels or spirits (Acts 23:8). We may conclude that the Sadducees, with their materialistic standpoint, and denial of the resurrection, regarded angels merely as symbolical expressions of God’s actions. It is noteworthy in this connection that the great priestly document (Priestly Code, P) makes no mention of angels. The Book of Revelation naturally shows a close kinship to the books of Ezekiel and Daniel. Regarding the rabbinical developments of angelology, some beautiful, some extravagant, some grotesque, but all fanciful, it is not necessary here to speak. The Essenes held an esoteric doctrine of angels, in which most scholars find the germ of the Gnostic eons.

_V. The Reality of Angels._

A belief in angels, if not indispensable to the faith of a Christian, has its place there. In such a belief there is nothing unnatural or contrary to reason. Indeed, the warm welcome which human nature has always given to this thought, is an argument in its favor. Why should there not be such an order of beings, if God so willed it? For the Christian the whole question turns on the weight to be attached to the words of our Lord. All are agreed that He teaches the existence, reality, and activity of angelic beings. Was He in error because of His human limitations? That is a conclusion which it is very hard for the Christian to draw, and we may set it aside. Did He then adjust His teaching to popular belief, knowing that what He said was not true? This explanation would seem to impute deliberate untruth to our Lord, and must equally be set aside. So we find ourselves restricted to the conclusion that we have the guaranty of Christ’s word for the existence of angels; for most Christians that will settle the question.

The visible activity of angels has come to an end, because their mediating work is done; Christ has founded the kingdom of the Spirit, and God’s Spirit speaks directly to the spirit of man. This new and living way has been opened up to us by Jesus Christ, upon whom faith can yet behold the angels of God ascending and descending. Still they watch the lot of man, and rejoice in his salvation; still they join in the praise and adoration of God, the Lord of hosts, still can they be regarded as «ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation.»

_LITERATURE._

All Old Testament and New Testament theologies contain discussions. Among the older books Oehler’s Old Testament Theology and Hengstenberg’s Christology of Old Testament (for «angel of Yahweh») and among modern ones Davidson’s Old Testament Theology are specially valuable. The ablest supporter of theory that the «sons of the Elohim» are degraded gods is Kosters. «Het onstaan der Angelologie onder Israel,» TT 1876. See also articles on «Angel» in HDB (by Davidson), EB, DCG, Jew Encyclopedia, RE (by Cremer). Cremer’s Biblico- Theological New Testament Lexicon should be consulted under the word «aggelos.» For Jewish beliefs see also Edersheim’s Life and Times of Jesus, II, Appendix xiii. On the Pauline angelology see Everling, Die paulinische Angelologie. On the general subject see Godet, Biblical Studies; Mozley, The Word, chapter lix, and Latham, A Service of Angels.

John Macartney Wilson