Angels-THE BIBLE, ANGELS IN

In Christian tradition angels have generally
been presumed to be a higher order of beings
than humans. The Bible, moreover, by failing to
enunciate any clear view of the status of angels,
is open to an interpretation that would accord
better with modern evolutionary theories of the
universe. If humanity is rooted in lower forms of
life, it would be difficult to dismiss the notion
that there might be higher forms of life toward
which humanity is slowly rising.
That the angels have a nature similar to humans, different only in
the degree of their perfection, is suggested by Jesus in his application
of Ps. 82:6 in John 10:34–37. He seems to suggest that angels are
beings such as men and women might become if they were to rise
above their present condition and realize their spiritual nature to its
fullest. The notion that angels are beings whose nature we share,
though in an undeveloped way, runs counter to the medieval scholastic
tradition, in which even the beatified saints in heaven are of a different
order of being than the angels.
Angels have an obvious role in monotheistic religions such as
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, in that they are needed as a means of
communication from God to man. The English word angel is derived
from the Greek word angelos (messenger), which in turn stems from the
Hebrew mal’ak, also meaning “messenger.” Nevertheless, angels in the
Bible are more than messengers. They constitute the court of heaven
and surround the throne of God. The notion of an entourage of adoring
angels is one that would come naturally to a people who had adopted
the symbolism of God as king and supreme potentate.
In Hebrew the word mal’ak is sometimes used in conjunction with
Yahweh or Elohim, signifying “the angel of the Lord” or “the angel of
God.” In some later books angels appear as
God’s retinue. They are even called bene elohim,
“God’s sons,” and in Greek, hoi hagioi, “the holy
ones.” It is important to remember that the
Hebrews had a polytheistic background, so even
when they became strictly monotheistic, they
may have had a residual need to do something
with the old pantheon. By displacing the gods
of the past and replacing them with angels, they
could preserve the central concept of God as
One. Later on, in the development of Christianity,
the saints were to function similarly.
The creation of angels is referred to in the
Book of Psalms, and the New Testament alludes
to it also (Col. 1:16). In Gen. 6:1–4, there is an
interesting allusion that explains the origin of
heroes: as the human race multiplied, certain
angels, “the sons of God,” were attracted to
“the daughters of men” and had sexual union
with them. This reflects a notion found in
Greek and other cultures’ folklore in which
mortal women are seduced by immortal gods.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, angels often
appear in human form and are not always recognized
by the recipients of the divine message. In Gen. 22:11 “the angel
of the Lord,” who has a special mission to protect Israel, stays the hand
of Abraham to prevent him from slaying his beloved son Isaac as a sacrificial
offering to God. In Exod. 3:2 Moses sees an angel “in the shape of
a flame of fire” in a burning bush. In Gen. 19 two visitors who come to
Lot to warn him and his family of the approaching destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah are designated angels. Gen. 28:12 reports Jacob’s
dream in which he saw a ladder from heaven to earth on which angels
were climbing up and down. “The angel of the Lord” in some way helps
the Israelites through the Red Sea (Exod. 14:19), and an angel also
appears to Balaam, Joshua, Gideon, and the parents of Samson.
Beginning with the book of Daniel, in which they have the function
as watchers, angels acquire specific names and personalities, possibly
as a result of Persian influence. Gabriel (in human form, 8:16;
9:21) explains the meaning of Daniel’s visions, and Michael (“the
prince of angels,” 10:13; 10:21; 12:1) appears as the captain of a heavenly
host fighting “the angel of Persia.” In Isaiah’s vision (Isa. 6)
angels are described in poetic detail, some with six wings, each pair
with a function of its own.Angels are everywhere in the New Testament. Gabriel prophesies
and explains the births of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11–20) and Jesus
(Luke 1:26–38). Michael is the champion against the legions of the fallen
angel Satan (Jude 9, Rev. 12:7). Unnamed angels comfort Jesus in
the wilderness (Matt. 4:11), minister to him during his agony in Gethsemane,
and testify to the Resurrection (Matt. 28:2–7; John 20:12).
They are reported watching over Christ’s “little ones” (Matt.
18:10), rejoicing over a contrite sinner (Luke 15:10), being present
when Christians worship together (1 Cor. 11:10), and bringing prayer
before God (Rev. 8:3). They are even associated with the Last Judgment,
during which they are in charge of the seven bowls, trumpets, and
seals of the Apocalypse. As a matter of fact, the Apocalypse, or Book of
Revelation, is so permeated with references to angels that the casual
reader might almost suppose it to consist of a treatise on their activities.
Angels also appear several times in the Acts of the Apostles,
notably to the centurion Cornelius (10:3–7, 10:22), to the apostles
Peter and John, whom an angel releases from prison (5:19; 12:7–10),
and to Philip, whom an angel directs to Gaza. The writer of Acts
reminds his readers that the Saduccees do not believe in angels, while
the Pharisees do (23:6–7). Paul, in a dream, is visited by an angel who
assures him that all on the ship will be saved (27:23–24). In the apocryphal
book of Tobit (5:4–11:8), the angel Raphael guides the quest of
Tobias, helping him to conquer a demon that had slain the previous
husbands of his bride, Sarah, and to restore the sight of his father, Tobit.