Angel (Hastings' Dictionary)

i. The word is frequently used of men in the sense of 'messenger,' especially in the plur. tin 32^, Nu 21", Dt 2', Jos 6". In the sense of 'angel' the term is chiefly used in the sing, in earlier writings, but plur. (in 19'- "(J), and 'angeli of (Jod,' (in 2.S'^.S2' (E). In Inter books, particu- larlv the poetical, the plur. occurs otiener. Job 4", Ps S" 91" 103 104* 148', and in such books ua 94 AI^GEL ANGEL Zee and Dn plurality is implied.

So in Job 1' 2' ; in Gn 32- they are a ' camp ' or host, and in Dt 33^ ' myriads ' ; c£. Ps 68". In the writing P (Priests' Code) no mention is made of angels. Like the existence of God, the existence of angels is presupposed in OT, not asserted. They are not said to have been created, rather they are alluded to as existing prior to the creation of the earth. Job 38' (Gn P«?, cf. 3^ IT). When they appear, it is in human form: they are called 'men,' Gn 182. 16. sa ^.

yu, Jos 5'^ Ezk 9- '• ", Dn S'" 10'«- '« ; the 'man Gabriel,' Dn 9-' (cf. Lk 24^ Ac 1'"), and a|)art from the seraphim (Is 6-') are nowhere in UT represented as winged (Rev 8'^ 14°), though Philo so describes them (TrTepo^uoCcri). In NT tliey are called 'spirits' (He 1"), but not so in OT, where even God is not j'et called spirit (Jn 4**). To Mohammed the angel Gabriel was the ' holy spirit.'

When they appear they speak, walk, touch men (1 K 19'), take hold of them by the hand (Gn 19"), and also eat with them (Gn 18', though, on the other hand, cf. Jg 6=" 13'"). The statement Ps 78-° tliat 'men did eat the food of angels' (lit. the mighty, Ps 103-", Jl 3"). a statement repeate<l in Wis 1()-", 2 Es 1'^, can hardly be more than poetical colouring of the fact that the manna came down from heaven, as the parallelism both in Ps 78-^ and Wis. shows ; cf. Jg 9'^ Ps 104". ii.

In a number of passages, e.g. Gn 16''' 2211. 14. « Ex3-,Jg2'-''523 6'i-« 13^ mention is made of 'the angel of Jehovah,' AV the 'LoED' (J); and in others, e.fr. Gn 21""" 31"-", of ' the angel of God ' (E). Similar passages are Gn 18. 32""' com- pared with Hos 12'', Gn 48'*- ". According to the general grammatical rule the rendering ' an angel of the Lord ' is inaccurate, though some instances may be doubtful ; so ' the angel of God ' necessarily Gn 31", and even 21", cf. v."

The angel of the Lord appears in human form, Gn 18, or in a flame of fire. Ex 3^, or speaks to men out of heaven in a dream, Gn 31"-". It has been disputed whether ' the angel of the Lord ' be one of the angels or J" Himself in self -manifestation. The manner in which he speaks leaves little room to doubt that the latter view is the right one : the angel of the Lord is a tlieophany, a self-manifestation of God.

In Gn 31"- '" the angel of God says, ' I am the God of Bethel ' ; in Ex 3" " the angel of the Lord says, ' I am the God of thy father ' . . ' and Moses was afraid to look upon God'; cf. Jg 13, . In Gn 16'" the angel of the Lord says to Hagar, ' I will greatly multiply thy seed,' and 21'* ' the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven . . lift up the lad ; for I will make him a great nation.' The angel identifies himself with God, and claims to exercise all the prerogatives of God.

Those also to whom the angel appears identifj' him with God : Gn 16" Hagar 'called the name of J" that had spoken to her, thou art a God that seest' (all- .seeing) ; Gn 18 the angel is called ' the Lord ' ; Jg 6" it is said ' the angel of the Lord came,' but in w.'*-" he is called directly 'the Lord' ; Jg 13', Manoah says, ' We shall surely die, for we have seen God.'

And to name but one other passage, Gn 48"- ", Jacob saya, ' The God before wliom my fathers did walk, the God who hath fed me all my life long, the angel which hath redeemed me from all evi\, bless the lads.' On the other hand, the angel of the Lord distinguishes between himself and the Lord, just as the Lord distinguishes be- tween Himself and tlie angel. The latter says to Hagar, Gn 16" 'J" hath heard thy atlliction ; cf. Gn 22". Nu 22" 'The Lord opened the eyes of Dalaain, and he .

saw the angel of the Lord' ; and in Mai 3' the ' angel of the covenant ' is difl'erent from .1", and vet he is .J" who cometh to His temple. So. on the other hand, the Lord snvs, Ex 23'-'"- ^ ' I Bend an angel before thee,' and 'Mine angel shall go before thee' (Ex S2^ S."'). But how these last pa-ssages are to be interpreted appears fnmi Ex 33"- "(14'") 'My face (1 myself) shall go wiili thee' . . ' if thy face (thou tliyscli) go not with us, carry us not up hence.'

The ' angel of His face ' (presence) is not an angel who sees His face or stands before it, but one in whom His f.aee (pre- sence) is reflected and seen ; cf. Ex 23^' ' My name (fulness of revealed Being, Is 30'-') is in him.' The Sejit. rendering of Is 63" 'not an amiiassador' (reading ns), 'nor an angel, but Himself (Heb. His face) saved them,' is scarcely the meaning of the original. The mere manifestation of J ' creates a distinction between it and J", though the identity remains.

The form of manifestation is, so to speak, .something unreal (Dt 4'" '"), a condescen- sion for the purpose of assuring those to whom it is granted that J" in His fulness is present with them. As the manifestation called the angel of the Lord occurred chiefly in redemptive history, older theologians regarded it as an adumbration or premonition of the incarnation of the second Per- son.

This idea was just in so far as the angel of the Lord was a manifestation of J" on the earth in human form, and in so far as such temporary manifestations might seem the prelude to a per- manent redemptive self-revelation in this form (Mai 3'- ') ; but it was to go bej'ond the OT, or at any rate beyond the understanding of OT writers, to found on the manifestation distinctions in the Godhead. The only distinction implied is that between J", and J" in manifestation.

The angel of the Lord so fully represented or expressed J" that men had the assurance that when he spoke or acted among them J ' was speaking or acting. iii. As 'messengers' (imtl'akim) sent to men, angels usually appear singly, but in (in 19 two visit Lot ; Gn 28'- ' the angels of God ' ascend and descend upon the ladder, and Gn 32' ' the angels of God ' meet Jacob, who says, ' this is God's host ' (lit. camp) ; 'and he called the name of the place Mahanaim ' (two camps, or as KVm plur.

, com panies). In Job 1" '2' the ' sons of God ' who present themselves to report upon' their ministrations are numerous. Sometimes the plur. is used inde- finitely, as Ps 78' 'evil angels,' 91" ' He shall give His angels charge over thee,' Job 33'-^ ' the de- stroyers' ; cf. 2 S 24'' ".

Angels do not usually, at least in early wTitings, mediate the phenomena of the physical world, they operate in the moral and redemptive sphere ; but the angel of the Lord smites with pestilence, 2 S 24 ; and with death, 2 K 19*°; and Satan, on special permission of Goii, sets the lightning and whirlwind in motion against Job, and smites him with sore boils, l'6-i» 2'.

It is perhaps rather a poetical and realistic conception of the special providence of God, though with reminiscences of early history, when it is said that tlie angel of the Lord encamps round about those that fear him, Ps 34', and thrusts down their enemies, Ps 35'- °, and that the angels bear np in their hands the righteous, Ps 91", cf. Nu 20'«. More literal is the statement that they interpret to the individual the meaning of God's afllictive [iro- vidences in his life. Job 33^ ; and so .

lob 5' the idea is hazarded that they might interest tlieni- selves in the afllictions of men and hear an apjieal from them, or perhaps intercede or mediate in their behalf. In Ezk and Zee the angels interpret divine visions given to men ; but see uniler § v. Pas.sages referring to the intervention of anirels are such as these : 2 S 24", 1 K 19»- ', 2 K 1" 19^, Ezk 9". In some of these cases it may be ditticult to decide whether the angelic manifestation be not the angel of the Lord. The pas.

sages 1 S 29", 2 s 14"- > W are also somewhat obscure. The first passage, where Achish says that David is good in his sight, might be rendered ' as an angel ANGEL ANGEL 95 of God,' that is, probably iu valour (Zee 12"), ■«-isdom (2 S 14"- *), and iiiorai rectitude ; in the others the natural renderin}; is ' as the angel of God.' The art., however, in comparisons often designates the cla.s3, while our idiom uses the indef. art. 'an angel,' or the plur. 'the angels' of God.

The point in tlie comparison is the pene- tration and wisdom of the angel, and reference might be to some such ideal being as is spoken of Job IS'- '. If allusion were to the historical ' angel of the Lord,' the original features of the phenome- non would have somewhat faded and the conception been generalLsed. iv.

It belongs less to the sphere of redemptive history than to the conception of the majesty of J" the King (Is C), when God is represented as surrounded by a court in heaven, by multitudes of ministers that do His pleasure, and armies that execute His commands. He has a 'council' (nto Ps 89', cf. the four and twenty elders, Kev 4) ; a 'congregation' (nyi Ps 82', Snij Ps 89) surrounds Him, ' hosts ' who are His ministers (Is 6', 1 K 22", Ps 103*'' " 148^).

These superhuman beings are called ' sons of Elohim ' (Job 1« 2', cf. Dn 3-^), or 'sons of Elim,' Ps 29'- " 89°, but possibly simply 'Elohim,' Ps 8» 97", and 'Elim,' Ex 15". The rendering ' sons of God ' is possible, and Ps 82* ' sons of the Most High,' if said of angels, would be in favour of it ; but, on the other hand, the word Elim (D'S.x) seems nowhere an honorary plur. applicable to a single being, but always denotes strict plurality.

The probability, tlieretore, is that the right rendering is not 'sons of God,' but 'sons of the Elohim,' 'sons of the Elim,' that is, mem- bers of the class of beings called Elohim and Elim, just as ' sons of the prophets ' means members of the prophetic order or guilds (cf. si7}g. Dn 3^).

The names Elohim and El are prehistoric, and their etymology is quite unknown ; they are also the names for ' God,' and these beings around God's throne are no doubt conceived of in con- trast with men as sliaring in an inferior way some- thing of divine majesty. They are also called 'Holy Ones' (cc-ip), though the term 'holy,' originally at least, did not describe moral cliar- acter, hut merely expressed close relation to God. Cf. Dt 33», Zee 1>, Ps 89', Job 6', and often.

The OT a-ssumes the existence of these beings, and the belief goes back beyond the historic period. In- teresting attempts have been made to exjilain the origin of the idea. It has been su^jjested that these beings, subordinate to J" and His servants, are the gods of the nations now degraded and reduced to a secondary place by the increasing prevalence of the monotheistic conception in Israel (Kosters, ThT, 1876). There is little or nothing in OT to support this theory.

Israel probably speculated little on the goils of the nations, except of those, such as Egypt and Baby- lon, with whom they came into contact ; and though J" be greater than all gods (Ex 18"), He nowhere regards them as His ministers, but manifests the strongest hostility to them, e.rj. those of Egypt Ex 12", Is 19', Ezk 30'>, of Babylon Is 21» 46i- », and generally Zeph 2".

The monotheism of Israel did not subordinate the gods to J" as His ministers, but rather denied their existence, and described them as vanities (nonentities), Ps 96- •, Jer 10- ". The fact that J" is compared or contrasted with the sons of Elohim in heaven, Ps 8'.»""', and also with the Elohim or gods of the nations, Ps 80' 96*- • 97', is certainly remarkable, but scarcely sufficient to establish the identity of the two ; and if in later times the idea finds expression that <!

od had subjected the nations to the rule of angels, while the rule of Israel was reserved for Himself (Dt 32»» in Sept., Sir 17", Dn 10"" 12', cf. Dt 4"' 29*'. la 24"), this is hardly an old idea that the angels were the gods of the nations re appearin" in an inverted form, but a new idea suggested to Israel by its own religious superiority to the nations, and perhaps its way of explaining heathenism.

Another view goes back to what was presumably the oldest phase of Shemitie religion for an explanation. Men, conscious of being under the influence of a multitude of externaJ forces, peopled the world with spirits, whose place ol abode they thought to be great stones, umbrage- ous trees, fountains, and the like. Gratlually these varied spirits came to be regarded as posses.-.

- ing a certain unity of will and action, and by a further concentration they became the servants ol one supreme will, and formed the host of heaven. Such speculations regarding possible processes ot thought among the family out of which Israel s^irang, in periods which precede the dawn of history, are not without interest ; they lie, how- ever, outside OT, which, as has been said, assumes the existence of J"'s heavenly retinue.

The God of Israel is above all things a living God, who influences the aflairs of the world and men, and rules them. If He uses agents, they are supplied by the 'ministers' that surround Him. This is true (though denied by Kosters) even in the oldest period of the literature, Gn 28 and 32, Jos 5'^ and Is 6, where one of the seraphim ministers purifica- tion and forgiveness to the prophet ; and t he same appears in tlie scene depicted in 1 K 22"*.

The idea is even more common in the later literature : Ps 103™' ". J "s ho.sts are also iiiiiiisters who do His pleasure, Ps 14S-. In Job 1' 2' it is the sons of the Elohim who present themselves to report upon the condition of the earth and men ; in 33-^ the inter- fireting angel is one among a thousand (5'), and 4" lis 'servants' are also his 'angels' (messengers). Naturally, however, as the idea of ministering hosts belongs to the conception of J" as .sovereign, some of the bre.

idth with which the idea is ex- pressed may be due to the iioetical religious ima- gination, as when God's warriors are represented as mighty in strength, Ps 10.3*; as 'heroes' with whom He descends to do battle with the nations, Jl 3", Zee 14"; as myriads of chariots, Ps 68"; and as chariots and horsemen of lire, 2 K O'"- ", Is 66", Dt 33-, Dn 7'". (On the other hand, Hab 3», God's chariots and horses are the storm cloinls.

) In particular, these hosts accompanj- J in His self- revelation for judgment and salvation, Dt 33^ Zee 14', Jl 3", and in NT this trait is transferred to the paroiwui of Christ (Ml 2.V'). It is less cer- tain wliether the divine name J ' (God) of hosts be connected with these angelic hosts ; it is, at any rate, a title correlative, expressing the majesty and omnipotence of J" (Sept. often rafTOKpdTup).

pinally, to men's eyes the myriads of stars, clothed in light aiul moving across the heavens, seemed animated, and there was a tendency to identify them with the angelic host^an identitication made easier by the belief that man's life was greatly under the influence of the stars (.lob 38'^). In Job 38' the morning stars are identical with the sons of the Elohim. Cf. Jg 5^, Is W' 24" 40-", and on 'host of heaven' 2 K 17" 21', Jer 19'^ Zeph !•.

The idea that the stars are angels re- ceives large development in the Bonk of Enoch, e.(). 18"'°, and even Hev 9'- " a star and the angel of the abyss are identitiid. v. About the time of the Exile and after the Keturn a manner of thinking ajipears which, though from the phra.seology used it might seem a development in angeiology, is really rather a movement in the direction of hvpostalising the Spirit of (jod.

In the oilier pcnocl, as that of th-' Judges, J' rules His iieojile throu;_'h His Spirit, which inspires the leaders who imlge and save Israel. And in the older prophets the Si)irit ^6 ANGEL ANGEL operates within the prophet, who is enabled to coneeive J'"b purposes and operations in thought and express them in language. But in Ezk 40 seq. ' a man ' accompanies the prophet and explains to him his vision. This ' man ' is the prophetic spirit oljjectivised.

Even before this time, in Micah's vision, 1 K 22'^', 'the spirit' who comes forth is the spirit of prophecy personified. The process is carried a step further in Zee : not only is the prophetic spirit hypostatised as ' the angel that spake %vith me' (I'*- " 2^), but the operations of J" among the nations are personified as horsemen and chariots. That which in the older prophets was an inward spirit and thoughts, has become an ' angel,' and symbolical agencies which the ' angel ' interprets.

But that much of this at least is more religious symbolism than strict angelology appears from the visions in I'* 5'''. It is, how- ever, the Spirit of God — not only as spirit of prophecy, but in general, as God in operation, controlling the destinies of the nations and of His people — that is chiefly symbolised in Zee. This is most broadly seen in ch. 4, which is strangely misread when the seven lamps are supposed to represent the light shed by God's people, their spiritual life.

The seven lamps are the seven eyes of the Lord (4'°), and the seven eyes are the seven spirits (the manifold spirit) of God. To be com- pared is Rev 1*, where the salutation comes from God and Christ and the seven spirits ; Rev 4° ' there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God ' ; a-nd Rev 5^ ' a lamb having seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.'

Zee 4 is an expansion of 3", and its purpose is to sym- bolise that Spirit of God which goes out over all the earth, controls the history of the nations in the interest of His people, and secures the com- pletion of the temple, which the Lord shall enter and abide in, when He removes the iniquity of the land in one day (3*) — not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit (4'). The two olive trees, ' sons of oil ' (cf.

Is 5' a hill, the son of oil = an 'oily' hill), stand beside the Lord of the whole earth, i.e. in heaven, cf. 6°, and cannot be Joshua and Zerub- babel. Whether the duality of the trees expresses some idea in the prophet's mind obscure to us, or whether it be merely part of the symmetry of the symbol, may remain undecided. Other writings of this period give prominence to the Spirit of God, Jl 2^, and show a tendency to hypostatise it. Is 63'»-" 48", Gn 1', Ezk 2« 8>, Ps 139'.

The ' angel of the Lord ' in Zee. has the same double aspect as elsewhere, and as the angel of the cove- nant in Mai, cf. 1" with 3'-<. vi. Two further developments complete what is said in OT of angels — (1) a moral distinction appears among the angels ; and (2) a distinction of rank. The first distinction is not carried far, and the second naturally follows from the idea of an army or host.

In the earliest period angels seem morally neutral, they are so much the messengers of God and the medium of His relation to the world that their own character does not come into question. They have always something of the meaning of an impersonal phenomenon, Jeliovah's operations or providence made visible and sensible. Of course the angel of the Lord being Jehovah's ' face,' and embodying His 'name,' exhibits also His moral nature. Ex 23*'"''.

But ' evil ' angels are angels who execute iudcment, Ps 78», Job 33=^. The spirit from God who troubled Saul is called ' evil ' .nerely from the efi'ects which he produces, 1 S 16". In 1 K 22 even the personified spirit of prophecy becomes ' a lying spirit,' just as elsewhere J" Him- self deceives the prophets, Ezk 14.

In writings of the age of the Captivity, and later, however, a being appears called the Satan (opposer, accuser), one of tlie sons of the Elohim, who displays hos- tility to the saints and people of God, Job 1° 2', Zee 3. Even in these books he has as yet little personal reality. He is a voice ' bringing sin to remembrance ' before God The scene Zee 3 is greatly symbolical.

The evil conscience of the people and their fear, suggested by their miserable condition, that their sins still lay on them, and that God's favour had not yet returned to them, are symbolised by the accusing Satan ; while the angel of the Lord is God's own voice assuring them of His gracious favour. There is perhaps an advance on the idea of Satan in Job, though even there he finds no place in the denouement of the drama.

In two ways, perhaps, the conception of evil angels became clearer : first, it was natural that the accusing angel should take on something of the nature of his office, and appear as the enemy of the saints and of Israel. This step seems already taken in Job. And, secondly, there was always a greater disinclination to ascribe moral evil in men to God.

In no part of OT is God represented as the primary author of evil thoughts or actions in men ; if Heinstigate them to evil, it is in punisliment or aggravation of evil they have already committed. But at a later time the instigation to evil freely ascribed in earlier times to God (1 S 26'», 1 K 22''") is attributed to Satan, cf. 2 S 24> with I Ch 21'. Further development hardly appears in OT. The ' serpent ' of Gn 3 is identified with Satan in Wis 2" and in NT.

In Dt 32", Ps 106" mention is made of 'demons' (D'lS'), which, however, appear to be the false gods to which children were sacri- ficed, 1 Co 10^. In Assyr. shidu is the name given to the inferior deities represented by the bull- colossus. Popular imagination peopled, the desert with demons, Is 13^ 34", among which Avas a night- spectre, LUitli ; and to the same category possibly belongs Azazel (AV scapegoat), to whom the live foat was consigned on the Day of Atonement (cf.

ec 5"), Lv 168- '»• 2« (Enoch 10*), although this is by no means certain. These demons, however, do nut belong to the angelic host, and lie outside the moral world. Relatively to God, the angels, though the purest beings, are imperfect. Job 4" 15" 25'. In Dn 10"- '"■ '' the various countries have their guardian or patron angels, Michael being the prince of Israel (Jude ", Rev 12') ; later theology reckoned seventy of these angels (Dt 32", Gn 46").

And in Is 24 the universal wicked- ness of the world appears laid at the door of its rulers, whether angelic or human, and the judg- ment of God falls on ' the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth ' (yy ai. 23) . a^^fj many interpret Ps 58. 82 of the same angelic rulers. Apart from the idea suggested in § iv., several things led to this conception of patron and ruling angels.

First, there was a tendency towards removing God far from any immediate contact with the earth and men, and to introduce intermediaries between them who mediated His rule.

In Dn Fr" no longer speaks to men directly, but only by the intervention of angels, who even interpret His written word to men (9™ •"«•)■ And, secondly, there was a tendency to personify abstract conceptions such as the 'spirit' of a nation, and a further tendency to locate these personified forces in the supersensible world, from whence they ruled the destinies of men.

The issues of the conflicts of the kingdoms of Persia, Greece, and Judah with one another on earth are all determined by the relations of their 'princes' in heaven ; and this idea is a ruling one in the Apoc. It belongs to a different cla.ss of conceptions when conflicts are referred to between God and other powerful beings. Such beings are ' the Sea,' ' Rahab,' 'Tannin' or the Dragon, the 'Serpent,' 'Leviathan,' etc., comp. Is ai'-'^, Ps SQ'""".

Job Q'^ 26'"- '» (P« ANGEL ANUEK (WRATH) OF GOD 97 87«, T« 30'), Ps 74'»-'», l8 27> (Job 40»-», Ps 6S"), Job 7", Am 9»-« (Ezk 29''' Si-"") ; also Job 25» 'He makelii peace in His lii"li places.' These passages contain reminiscences of Cosmic or Creation mytlis, victories of God, the principle of light and order, over the primeval darkness and raging watery chaos.

They are referred to in order to magnify the power of God, and to invoke it against some foe of His people, which in its rebellion and menacing attitude recalls God's ancient enemies, ao 1 may be described under their names (Is 27'). In Gn 6'"* ' the sons of the Klohim ' can hardly be anything but a [lart of the heavenly host, who fell through love of the daughters of men, as was already understood by Josephus (cf. To 3" 6").

The passage has no other points of contact in OT, but is greatly ampliOed in Enoch 6-15, etc.; and there, as well as in NT, the idea of the fallen angels appears combined with what is said of the imprisonment of anplic rulers. Is 24» (2 P 2», Jude »). lianks among the angels appear in Dn, and there for the first time some of them receive names. In OT and NT only two are named — Michael, prince of Israel (10'*-"' 12', Jude », Rev 12'), and Gabriel (Dn 8" 9^, Lk l"-").

Michael is named ' the archangel,' Jude ', and 1 Th 4" ' the arch.' is spoken of, though not named. Seven such angelic princes are spoken of. To 12" ' I am liaphael, one of the seven holy angels ' ; in Enoch and 2 Es 5-" Uriel is nameJ as fourth. The number seven already appears in Ezk 9^, and there is no necessity to refer it to Pers. influence. In Bab. writings, grades among the celestial beings are referred to (Schrader, Uullenfahrt der Istnr, pp.

102, 103), one class of whom Lenormant calls ardinnrjcs cilestes. According to Jewish tradition the names of the angels came from Babylon. vii. There is i.ttle advance over Daniel in the angelology of the Apocrypha. Raphael accom- panies Tobias tsi a guide. As one of tne seven holy angels lie ' jiresenta the praj'ers of the saints' (To 12", cf. Rev 8*), and says, ' I did bring the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One' (12'"). A 'good' angel is spoken of. To 5^', 2 Mac 11'.

Raphael binds the demon Asmodipus, To 8', and the sentence of judgment on those who bring false accusations against the innocent is received and executed by the angel of God (Sus "•"•) ; the angels are ' blessed,' and are called on to praise God, ' Let all Thy angels and Thine elect bless Thee' (To 8"); and the sins of men cannot be hidden before God and His angels (2 Es 16«»). Neither is there in principle any ^Teat development in NT.

(1) The angels form an innumerable host, Lk 2»-'», Mt 26» He 12»», Rev 5"; they are the armies of heaven, Rev 12' 19""". (2) They are beings glorious in ai>pearance, Lk 2", Alt 28', Ac 12', and in rank are 'glories,' Jude '. (3) They minister to the saints, He 1", Mt 2'" 4", Lk 22", Ac 5" 8" 12' ; they are the medium of revelation. Rev 1' 22", and carry the saints into parmlise, Lk 16», cf. 2 K 2".

(4) As in OT theophaiiy God was surrounded by angels, so they accomjiany the Son of Man at Wm pnrmtsin, Mt 16" 25", 1 Tli 4'", 2 Th r (Mt 13"-» 24"). In two or three fioints there seems an advance over OT. (a) The angels are spirits. He 1'. (A) Satan is no longer isolated, but has a retinue of angels, Mt 25", Rev 12'. (<•) Hanks in the angelic host are more distinctly suggested. Col 2'", Eph 3'° (1 Co 15", Eph 1"). (d) In the Apoc.

angels are associated with cosmic or elemental forces, as fire and water, which they direct or into which they are changeil. Rev 14" 16', cl. Ps 104. Christians are made along with Christ better than the angels, whom they slmll judge. He 2, 1 Co 6'. Angel worship is CDndcinneil, Col 2'», Rev 19'°'22»-», cf. Dt 6", Mt 4'°. The second Niceno Council decreed that Xarpda ought not to vou I. — 7 be offered to anjjels, but allowed Joi/Xelo.

The sense in which the Sadducees denied angels and spirits (Ac 23") is not quite clear. The Sadducees received the written Scriptures, but disallowed the oral developments upheld by the Pharisees and scribes ; and it is possible that they re- pudiated only that more modern luxuriant an>;el- .>logy current in their day, without questioning the ancient angelophanies.

The great historical and ritual writing P contains no reference to angels : the Turnh contained the revelation of God's whole will, and expressed all His relations to the world and men : special intervention of Goil was not now needed. And this may have been the position of the Sadducees. On tlie other hand, from the Sadducean inclination to freethinking, inherited from the pre-Maccab.-ean Gr.

period, it is possible that they interpreted the angelophanies of the written Scriptures received by them in a rationalistic way as personified natural forces. LiTKRATi-RK.— Kostera, ' Hct ontalaan der Angelolopie onder Israel,' TkT, 1876, etc. ; Kohut, Di& Juduiche Angetottyie u. Diitnonolfujy', I.eipz. 1866 ; Weber, Sj/strm der AUtti/7iagf}ijali-n Palaxt. T)ieol(K!ie, Letps. 1880 See also Fuller, Excursus on Aiujdology aii^ Dejrumologi/, Speaker's Apocr. vol. i. p. 171 ff. A. B. Davidson.