Angels 

The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition

(CCC para 328)

 

The word angel comes from the Greek angelos. In Hebrew, angel is malakh. Both angelos and malakh mean 'messenger'. In the case of the Hebrew, it need not apply to an Angel of God, but to a human being also*. Here are some other names, which angels are given in the Bible:

 

bnei elohim /  bnei elim Children of God/gods (Gen 6:4; 29:1)

 

kedoshim / hayyot hakodesh Holy Beings (Ps 89:6; 89:8)

                             

'ir Watcher (Deut 4:10; 4;14)

 

ish Man

                                 (Gen 18-19; 32:25-33)

malakhim angels

 

The angelic order is also named in the Bible:

 

seraphim (Ezekiel 6:2)

 

keruvim [i.e. cherubim] (Gen 3:4; Ezekiel 10:3)

 

* for example, in Job 1:14, Luke 7:24 and 9:52. See also Isaiah 42:19 and Malachi 3:1 in reference to prophets, Malachi 2:7 in reference to priests and Revelation 1:20.

 

Where do angels come from?
 

Angels are not eternal beings like God. Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 148: 2,5 and St Paul in his letter to the Colossians (1:16-17) also testify to the fact that God alone is eternal and that He made all that exists.

 

                                                            Do Angels have bodies?

Yes and no. In the Bible, angels appear to human beings in human form themselves (for example, as Gabriel did to Mary at the Annunciation. Hebrews 13:2 also speaks of angels being entertained unawares) but as they are Spirits, angels do not have bodies like you and I do. We have the word of Jesus on this. After His resurrection, He told the frightened Apostles - who thought He was an angel - that 'a spirit has no flesh and bones as you can see I have' (Lk 24:39). this backs up an incident recorded in 2 Kings 6:17 when Elisha sees an invisible army of angels.

 

Are Angels male or female?

 

Today, if we wished to compliment a girl or woman on her beauty or goodness we call her an angel. But we would not say something similar to a boy or man! Equally, the only profession whose members the newspapers call angels is one that has been traditionally dominated by women. I am, of course, talking about nurses. This female bias is in marked contrast to the Bible where there is only one reference to female angels. It comes in Zechariah 5:9.

 

Baby Angels

 

Angels in the appearance of babies is a staple part of a our culture. This is more due to sentimentality than Bible truth. In the Bible, angels are grown up and can be very fiercesome:

Daniel sees an angel with a face like lightning (Dan 10:5-6)

The Angel who rolled the stone of Jesus' tomb back radiated a dazzling light (Matt 28:3; Luke 24:4)

 

Are All Angels Good?
 

No! Satan is an angel. When he fell from heaven, he took a host of angels with him. References in the Bible to demons is a reference to those fallen angels (see Matt 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6 and Ephesians 6:12).

 

Famous Angels

 

Gabriel is possibly the most famous angel of all as it was he who told Mary that she would bear the Son of God. But Luke 1:19, 26 isn't his only appearance. He appears in Daniel 9:21.

 

Michael is the general of the heavenly army. He appears in Daniel 10:13 and Jude 9.

From the Fathers:

'Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.' [St. Basil, Adv. Eunomium III, I: PG 29, 656b] 

 

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