On the Word "Angel"

Tanungan:

On The True Meaning of the Word “Angel”

Pher Roma Asked:

“If felix Manalo is an Angel and Christ is a Man how come that a Man is higher than an Angel? Since angels are higher kind .Angels are spiritual beings they don't die like Felix. But why Did Felix DIED?”

Iglesia Ni Cristo Answers:

Pher Roma is asking these questions because of his misunderstanding of the word “angel.” He would not fall in misinterpreting the doctrine of the Iglesia ni Cristo if he fully understand the true meaning of the word “angel.”

Not only Pher Roma, but many people taught that when we say “angel” it refers only to heavenly beings who are spirit in nature. However, careful examination of the used of the word “angel” by the Bible proves them wrong.

The True Meaning of the Word “Angel”

Let us find out the meaning of the word “angel” according to the Bible and as supported by athorities of other religions. Who are those the Bible called “angels”? This is what the Bible says in Luke 1:19:

“The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.” (Luke 1:19 NIV)

An angel of the Lord God was sent to Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist). This angel said to Zechariah, “I am Gabriel…I have been sent to speak to you…” the Bible called Gabriel an “angel” not because he is a heavenly being, but because he was sent by the Lord. The Greek word translated by many English versions of the Bible as “angel” is the word “aggelos” (the double gamma, the “gg”, is pronounced as “ng”). This Greek word does not mean “a heavenly being” or “a spritual being” but literally means “a messenger.” Hence, Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible (take note that this Bible is a “literal translation”) renders Luke 1:19 as follows:

“And the messenger answering said to him, `I am Gabriel, who have been standing near before God, and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to proclaim these good news to thee.” (Luke 1:19, YLT)

Even “Bible scholrs” confirmed that the Greek word “aggelos” literally means “a messenger”:

“Agg’-el-os: … a messenger; … by impl. a pastor: -angel, messenger.” (Strong’s Dictionary of the Greek Testament, p. 7:32)

Thus, the literal meaning of the word “aggelus” which was commonly translated in English as “angel” is “messenger.”

There are humans that were

called “angelS” by the Bible

Is the word “angel” exclusive for heavenly beings only as the belief of many people today? The truth is, there are humans that were called “angel” by the Bible:

    

“And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?

“But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings.

“But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet.

“For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.” (Matthew 11:7-10, Douay-Rheims)

Referring to John the Baptist, the Bible said, “Behold I send my angel before thy face.” It is clear here that John the Baptist was called an “angel” of the Lord. Take note that Douay-Rheims Bible is a Catholic version. In other English versions of the Bible, the word they used is “messenger.” However, in the Greek text of Matthew 11:10, the word used is “aggelon”:

“idou ego apostello ton angelon mou pro prosopou sou, hos kataskeuasei ten hodon sou emprosthen sou.” (Matthew 11:10, Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th Revised Edition, Transliteration mine.)

The Greek word “aggelon” used to refer to John the Baptist is the same word used to refer to Gabriel:

“kai apokritheis ho angelos eipen auto: ego eimi Gabriel ho parestekos enopion tou theou kai apestalen lalesai pros se kai euangelisasthai soi tauta.” (Like 1:19, Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th Revised Edition, Transliteration mine.)

Because the word “anggelos” indeed meant “messenger” that’s why many English version of the Bible translated the “aggelon” of Matthew 11:10 as “messenger.” However, Douay-Rheims is not wrong in translating it as “angel” because the Greek word used by Matthew 11:10 (referring to John the Baptist) was also the Greek word used by Luke 1:19 (referring to the angel Gabriel).

Is John the Baptist a human being or a heavenly being? He is a human being. Did John the Baptist died? Yes he did. Did the Bible called John the Baptist an angel? Yes it did.

Catholic authorities testify that the word “angel” denotes not the state of being but the office of the one being sent by God:

“They are called ‘Angels,’ from a Greek word which means messenger. The word ‘Angel,’ therefore, does not  express the nature of these spirits, but rather the offices…” (Crock, Clement H., Discourses on the Apostles’ Creed, p. 72.)

Thus, the word “angel” was used by the Bible referring both to heavenly beings and human beings that were sent by God. The word literally means “messenger” and does not denotes the nature but the office of the one sent by God.

The Used of the Word “Angel”

by the Book of revelation

The Book of Revelation used the word “angel” about 83 times, and used it referring both to heavenly and human beings. In Revelation 5:11 this is how the word angel was used in this verse:

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.” (Revelation 5:11 NKJV)

Here, the Book of Revelation used the word “angel “ referring to “heavenly beings.” However, the Book of Revelation also used the word “angel” referring to human beings:

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,  'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.” (Revelation 2:1, NKJV)

The “seven angels of the church” mentioned by Revelation are also those mentioned as the “seven stars”:

“He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:16,19-20, NKJV)

The “angels of the church” are the pastors or bishops of the seven churches that were likened to “stars.” The “wise” or those who turn many to righteousness are likened to stars:

“Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3, NKJV)

Even Catholic authorities testify that the “angel of the church” mentioned in Revelation 2:1 indeed referring to the “bishop of the church”:

“Angel: the guardian angel of the Church, or the church itself, or, and this is the common view, the bishop of the church. If St. John addresses the vishops, he regrads them as the incarnation of their respective churches.” (Footnote of Revelation 2:1, Douay-Rheims)

Are the bishops of the seven churches mentioned by Revelation heavenly beings or human beings? They are human beings. Did they died? Yes, as human beings they died. Did the Book of Revelation called them “angels”? Yes it did.

Thus, the Book  of Revelation used the word “angel” referring both to heavenly beings and human beings.

The “Other Angel” Mentioned

in Revelation 7:2-3

Remember that the word “angel” is the translation of the Greek word “aggelos” which literally means “messenger,” thus Young’s Literal Translation renders Revelation 7:2-3 as follows:

“And I saw another messenger going up from the rising of the sun, having a seal of the living God, and he did cry with a great voice to the four messengers, to whom it was given to injure the land and the sea, saying, `Do not injure the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we may seal the servants of our God upon their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:2-3, YLT)

The “other angel” mentioned by Revelation 7:2-3 is literally equivalent to “other messenger.” Thus, when we say that Brother Felix Y. Manalo is the fulfillment of the “other angel” prophesied in Revelation 7:2-3, we meant that he was the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the “other messenger” ascending from the East.

conclusion

Pher Roma asked: “If Felix Manalo is an Angel and Christ is a Man how come that a Man is higher than an Angel? Since angels are higher kind…?”

We never meant that Brother Felix Y. Manalo is an “angel” referring to heavenly beings. This is a misinterpretation of our doctrine because of their erroneous understanding of the word “angel” (that the word “angel” refers only to heavenly beings).

Now although we believe that Brother Felix Y. Manalo is the fulfillment of the prophesied “other angel” in Revelation 7:2-3, and that the Lord Jesus Christ is not God but human in state of being, this does not degrade the Lord Jesus Christ and exalt Brother Felix Y. Manalo. In saying so is indeed a misinterpretation of our beliefs.

We did not say that Brother Felix Y. Manalo is an “angel” meaning “a heavenly being.” What we say is that He is the fulfillment of the prophesied “other angel” (meaning “other messenger”) ascending from the East as mentioned in Revelation 7:2-3. Thus, what we meant is that Brother Felix Y. Manalo is a messenger of God, a man sent by God.

It is the Bible that clearly says that the Lord Jesus Christ is human in nature. He Himself testified that He is a man (cf. John 8:40). However, when we speak of His state of being, Christ is human, but when we speak of His attributes, He is not a mere human, but “a very special man”:

“People of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you by the miracles, wonders, and signs he did through Jesus. You all know this, because it happened right here among you.” (Acts 2:22, NCV)

He is indeed greater than Brother Felix Y. Manalo, because the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest messenger of God, the man made as mediator between God and man (cf. I Tim. 2:5).

Pher Roma also asked: “…Angels are spiritual beings they don't die like Felix. But why Did Felix DIED?”

The Bible used the word angel referring both to heavenly beings and human beings sent by God. The Bible called John the Baptist an “angel” (cf. Matthew 11:10 Douay-Rheims), but he is human and he died. The Bible called him an “angel” not because he is a heavenly or spiritual being, but because he is a messenger of God.

Brother Felix Y. Manalo is the fulfillment of the prophesied “other angel” ascending fron the East (cf. Rev. 7:2-3), or “other messenger” ascending from the East (Rev. 7:2-3, YLT). When we say that he is the fulfillment of the prophesied “other angel” imn Rev. 7:2-3, what we meant is that he is a messenger of God, a man sent by God.

Notice: Other questions of Pher Roma will be answered soon.