Angel. Angels (Gr. angeloi, 'messengers') are a class of spiritual beings who appear in the Bible as the attendants of God, and especially as his messengers, and the medium of communication between him and men. (1) In the earlier historical books, the angel has sometimes no apparent form, but is only a voice, as it were; sometimes there is a form undistinguishable from that of an ordinary man, except by the conduct (Gen. xviii. xix.), although elsewhere at times there is something in his aspect that betrays the heavenly messenger (Judges, xiii. 6). The personality of the angel is completely overshadowed in his function; still he has a certain superhuman reality. But in any case he is simply the mouthpiece of God, so that in many passages 'the angel of God' is synonymous with 'God.' At the same time, the angel who specially represents God's presence to his people is distinguished from other angels who but carry out particular commissions. The distinction between the 'angel of the Lord,' who speaks in all things with full divine authority, and the subordinate angels, is based upon such passages as Gen. xviii.; Ex. xxxii. 34, and xxxiii. 2;
Is. lxiii. 9; and Gen. xlviii. 16. The belief that the special 'angel of the Lord,' as distinguished from created angels, was the Logos or second person of the Trinity, and that his appearance foreshadowed the incarnation, is still held by many theologians, but seems unknown to the Old Testament writers. (2) In the poetical and prophetic books, to the name of messengers are added new titles, as 'sons of God,' 'Saints,' or 'Holy Ones,' but they continue to discharge the same duties. (3) To express the majesty of the Almighty and his power in executing his will, the poetic imagination not only conceived of the angels as existing in vast numbers, but ascribed to them a certain war-like character. They are 'the sons of the Mighty,' who appear in war-chariots and form the army of God. Jehovah descends to battle with his hosts, and enters Zion in triumph amidst myriads of heavenly war-chariots. (4) The belief in guardian angels is merely a particular phase of the general idea. Israel has a special angel guide (Ex. xiv. 19, xxiii. 20); at a later period Michael is named their 'great prince' (Dan. xii. 1). Individuals also have their special guardian angels, whose sympathy and help they enjoy, and who joy or grieve with their joys and griefs (Matt. xviii. 10; Luke xv. 7, 10). It was believed that they sometimes assumed the form of their charge, becoming their double, as it were (Acts xii. 15). Not one, but an unlimited number attended on Jesus from his birth to the Ascension, were throughout his earthly life at his command, and will accompany him at his second coming. All this ministry to Jesus, as well as to the redeemed, might have been simply in obedience to the will of God; but they have also a personal interest in the success of the Gospel, and their ministry henceforth is specially connected with the work of salvation (Heb. i. 14; 1 Pet. i. 12), although they are inferior in glory to the Christian (Heb. ii. 16; 1 Cor. vi. 3). In Daniel, the 'angel interpreter' is Gabriel. Greece and Persia have special guardian angels.
A further development of the doctrine followed naturally from the idea of a host—its division into orders with chiefs, the greatest of whom are arch-angels. This idea, however natural from the analogy of an army, is a late conception, and first appears fully developed in Daniel. The ranks and classes of angels are discussed fully in the post-canonical and apocalyptic literature. In Enoch, cherubim and seraphim become distinct classes of angels, and new names are added to the names of the individual archangels. Angels have an important place in the Apocalypse. The seven angels (viii. 2) 'which stand before God' are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Chamuel, Jophiel, and Zadkiel. The first three are the principal arch-angels, and in Christian art are often represented together, while the last three have never been generally recognised either in East or West. New features are the angels of the seven churches, interpreted, however, by many as mere human figures, and the association of the angels with cosmical forces—e.g. angels of fire and water (xiv. 18, xvi. 5). According to the rabbinical Jewish literature, there are 12 mazzaloth (signs of the zodiac), each with 30 chiefs of armies, each chief with 30 legions, each legion with 30 leaders, each leader with 30 captains, each captain with 30 under him, and each of these with 365,000 stars—and all 'ministering spirits' for Israel (cf. Heb. i. 14).
The Christian Fathers adopted to a great extent this elaborate hierarchy, adapting it to the Christian Church. The pseudo-Dionysius (4th or 5th century), in his De Hierarchia Celesti, gives nine orders, finding their names in the Old Testament, and in Eph. i. 21 and Col. i. 16: (1) Seraphim (q.v.), Cherubim (q.v!), Thrones; (2) Dominations, Virtues, Powers; (3) Principalities, Arch-angels, Angels. One large sect of the Jews, that of the Sadducees, rejected the belief in the existence of angels as something entirely foreign to the Mosaic system. In the later stages of revelation, a group of angels came to be represented as having fallen from their primitive condition of innocence, and taken up a position of hostility to God. Punished by being degraded from their 'first estate,' they group themselves under the kingship of Satan, and continue to employ their activity in attempting to frustrate the good purposes of God (see DEVIL). Angel-worship is specially condemned by St Paul (Col. ii. 18), probably with reference to the doctrine of the Essenes. Cf. Rev. xix. 10. Protestants agree with the Catholic and the Eastern Church in the doctrine of angels, but do not permit the asking of their aid and intercession. Many modern critical theologians find the doctrine foreign to early Jewish religion, but derived from the Persians about the time of the Babylonish captivity; it would then be a part of the wider doctrine of spiritual existences pervading nature. Angels have been favourite subjects in Christian art. They are usually represented as youthful and beautiful male figures, with wings to symbolise their rapidity, and often with harps or other musical instruments to symbolise their incessant praise of God.
See Oswald, Angelolatrie, die Lehre von den guten und bösen Engeln im Sinn der Katholischen Kirche (Paderborn, 1883); Edersheim's Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Exc. xiii. 3d ed. 1886); Mrs Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art (9th ed. 1883).