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The Messengers of God. Angels. Etymology. Angel has come from Late Latin Angelus , which in turn has been borrowed from Greek Angelos . The Hebrew word for Angel is Mal’akh . The word simply means ‘messenger’. Angels: Nature and Function.
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The Messengers of God Angels
Etymology • Angel has come from Late Latin Angelus, which in turn has been borrowed from Greek Angelos. • The Hebrew word for Angel is Mal’akh. • The word simply means ‘messenger’.
Angels: Nature and Function • Angels are not simply minor gods, despite Old Testament calling them “Sons of God” at one place (Job 1:6). • Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition sees them as God’s creations. • They are not eternal or equal to God. • They act as servants, messengers, courtiers and soldiers of God.
Angels: What are they made from? • Talmud says that the Angels are made from Fire. • The Quran says that the Angels are made from Light. • Origen believed that Angels have a body, though of a subtle kind. • Augustine and Aquinas believed that Angels are pure spirits having no physical body. • Milton accepts the theory of Origen.
Angels in The Old Testament: 1 • Angels first appear in Genesis 18:2. • Here three men visit the Jewish patriarch Abraham and prophesy that his aged wife Sarah will bear a male child. • Notably, here Angels are called “men”. • They are without wings or halos, and are not named. • They also eat like ordinary human beings.
Angels in The Old Testament: 2 • Angels are mentioned in Book of Job, Daniel,Tobit and Enoch. • Daniel mentions different ranks of Angels, naming two of them – Michael and Gabriel. • Raphael appears in Tobit. • Enoch gives the names of the seven archangels – Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saraqael, Gabriel and Remiel. • 2 Esdras also mentions Uriel and Jeremiel.
Angels in The New Testament • Jesus talked about the Angels a number of times. • Gabriel (Luke 1: 26 – 38) and Michael (Jude 9; Revelation 12: 7) are specifically mentioned in The New Testament.
Hierarchy of Angels • Dionysus the monk mentions the following nine-level Angelic hierarchy: 1. Seraphim 2. Cherubim 3. Thrones 4. Dominations 5. Virtues 6. Powers 7. Principalities 8. Archangels 9. Angels
Angels in The Quran • Abraham or Ibrahim was visited by Angels (51: 24). • Angels visited Mary (Maryam) prophesying the birth of Jesus (Isa ibnMaryam). • Michael (Mikhail), Gabriel (Jibreel) and Raphael (Israfil) are mentioned in Islamic texts. • The revelation in The Quran is said to have been transmitted by Gabriel (Jibreel ) Farishta (2: 97). • Two other Angels Harut and Marut are mentioned who taught the Babylonians Magic and Sorcery.
Milton’s Angels • Milton mentions several Angels in Paradise Lost, including Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael and Michael. • Milton’s Angels possess bodies. • They eat, drink and make love. • They are genderless, but may adopt any gender on will. • They are neither omnipotent nor omniscient.
Reading List • The Holy Bible: King James Version. New York: Ivy Books, 1991. • Jones, David Albert. Angels: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Prepared by Dr AYUSMAN CHAKRABORTY Assistant Professor of English Taki Government College