De Moor IX:18: The Veneration of Angels, Part 1

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It is also fitting to venerate Angels.  Concerning the Veneration due to Angels, a judgment is able to be made from those things that are said positively and negatively concerning the State of these Good Angels, and concerning their Office.  To them is applicable, α.  as the primary Ministers of God, who have already been made partakers of Blessedness, moral Reverence; to the extent that we esteem them appropriately according to the exalted place in which they are set, and we dread to commit anything, of which we would be ashamed before these holy Ministers of God, who are present in the assemblies of the pious and are ready to hand to minister to believers, as the Sacred page teaches; to which, according to the judgment of our AUTHOR, 1 Corinthians 11:10 had regard, but concerning which passage we have already spoken in § 12, 17; and 1 Timothy 5:21, in which as witnesses and aware of those things that are conducted in the Church, Paul charges the elect Angels, before whom it is fitting that we be ashamed of our duty not at all duly fulfilled.  Contrariwise, each one must take pains, that he augment the joy of the Angels through his Conversion, Luke 15:10.  Care is also to be taken, in view of the Veneration of the Angels ministering to them, that they neither despise nor offend little ones believing in Christ, Matthew 18:10.  β.  It is fitting readily to imitate them, by considering their alacrity, zeal, faithfulness, joy, constancy, reverence, and concord in divine obedience, whereby they provoke us to imitation, Matthew 6:10, which is all the more applicable to believers, since it is permitted to them to glory over their union with the Angels in the same spiritual society, Hebrews 12:22.  Now, the effort to imitate the Angels is for good reason referred to the Veneration of the same, seeing that it implies an esteem of their virtues and qualities, which we propose to ourselves as worthy of our imitation.

But Negatively the Veneration of Angels ought not to extend itself:

α.  To Servile Subjection under them as Lords, since the Church acknowledges only one Lord; for whom dominical honor and the subjection of the members ought to be kept whole and entire, Psalm 45:10, 11; Matthew 17:5; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6, in which there is no opposition between the Economy of the Old Testament and that of the New, but rather an opposition, absolute and restricted to no particular time, between Idols, also called בְּעָלִים/Baalim/lords, and the true God and our Lord Jesus, as I taught in Chapter IV, § 9.  Moreover, the Apostle expressly denies to the Church, denominated by the better part and more excellent state, Subjection under Angels, Hebrews 2:5, where by οἰκουμένην τὴν μέλλουσαν, περὶ ἧς λαλοῦμεν, the world to come, whereof we speak, he understand the World renewed by the Gospel, which is said to be coming, in the imperfect past, τὴν μέλλουσαν, die komen zoude, that would come, insofar as after the first Creation it had been promised of old through the Prophets, in which sense Adam in Paul’s writing is a type τοῦ μέλλοντος, of Him that was to come, Romans 5:14; and insofar as in its greatest extension and duration it was yet going to be, since thus it was only just beginning to be in Apostolic times; and insofar as that renovation was also to be consummated only with the end of the ages.  While in his Expression concerning this world Paul has regard to his whole proclamation, and in this Epistle to the Hebrews, commonly loving the old Law too much, and in his other writings, and when he was personally present with the Church.

Now, from the denial of the Subjection of the Future World under Angels, no way follows an opposite Subjection, truly Servile, of the Church of the Old Testament under Angels, whereby to them would be applicable the power of rule, dominion, and royal power, according to their participation in the throne and the association with Christ in the kingdom, which sort of things would then no longer be able to be attributed to Angels with respect to the Church under the New Testament; as these things are found here and there in the writings of COCCEIUS and his followers, and are urged out of a Passage of Paul, of which we now treat:  although in explaining this Subjection of the Old Church under Angels, acts of true dominion are hardly apparent on the one side, and of true servitude on the other.

Now, as our AUTHOR painstakingly shows in his Exercitationibus Textualibus XLVI, Part II, unto this end they abuse our text without any justification:  for, 1.  Thus they recede from the scope of the Apostle, which is to show the distinction, not between the Economy of the Old Testament and of the New, but between Christ and the Angels; and further to show (after the interposition of the excellence of the Gospel above the Law in the ministers of each, Hebrews 2:2-4) the excellence of the former above the latter, already demonstrated in various ways in Hebrews 1, from the Subjection of the Church under Christ as Lord, but not under the Angels.  Which scope, although clearly evident from the entire thread of the discourse, is also apparent from the position of the negative adverb οὐ/not, not before τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν μέλλουσαν, the world to come, but before ἀγγέλοις, unto the angels,[1] so that it is said, not unto the Angels hath He put in subjection, etc., but not not the world to come hath He put in subjection; whence there is not found here any opposition between the future World and the present World, but solely between the Angels and Christ, being now further described, which opposition had already begun in Hebrews 1:4.  In which manner, through the position of the negative adverb, a clear sense is rendered in six hundred passages, as our AUTHOR observes, Exercitationibus Textualibus XLVI, Part II, from which I select these, and he illustrates with examples from 1 Corinthians 1:17;[2] Colossians 3:9;[3] 2 Thessalonians 3:2;[4] Hebrews 13:9.[5]  2.  Paul here consistently considers the Angels as Ministers of the Church in all time, with all rule thus denied to them, Hebrews 1:7, 14; 2:2.  3.  Thus the force of the Apostolic argument is diminished, since Dominion over the Church will not belong exclusively to Christ, without it also being competent of old to Angels, and so the distinction here will remain one of degrees and of the diffusion of authority.  4.  By that opposition of the Church of the Old Testament and that of the New, Christ appears to be stripped of all Dominion over the Church of the Old Testament; seeing that what the Apostle denies concerning the Angels, he says implicitly and deduces thereupon concerning Christ, that the World to come is subject to Him, which, if it be set in opposition to the present, it would certainly not be subject to Him.  Then, if you seek refuge, by saying, that it was not subject to Christ alone; you change the terms of the Apostle, who did not say, that He did not subject it to Angels with Christ, but absolutely, He did not subject it to Angels, and you conjoin too rashly, whom Paul has placed in opposition.

If you should say, why then did Paul make particular mention of the World to come, and not to the Church in general?  I Respond, because of this was he speaking with the other Apostles, and to this were pertaining believing Christians, and in this the glory of Christ’s Dominion, to be commended by him, was especially excelling.  It does not belong to us to prescribe words to the Spirit, or always to know the reasons why He employed one word rather than another.

There is no reason why they should Object:

1.  A connection with what precedes through the particle γὰρ/ for, which connects verse 5 after the manner of a cause or reason, either with the announcement of salvation made by the Lord Himself, or with the Apostolic question, How shall we escape?

I Respond, Although one may thus refer our words in a certain manner to verses 2 and 3, so that at the same time they might be referred more to the comparison of Christ and the Angels made in Hebrews 1, and to the admonition taken from it, Hebrews 2:1, Διὰ τοῦτο, etc., therefore, etc., more specifically, because we have the Word, for the proclamation of which, not only were there those that are Ministers, as all the Angels themselves always are, but also the very Lord of the Church came in the form of a servant.[6]  Neither is γὰρ/for always to be referred to the immediately preceding context, as ALPHEN on 1 Peter 4:6 illustrates with examples.

2.  The subsequent context, in which Paul, out of Psalm 8, expressly teaches the subjection of Christ as a servant under Angels, and so also at the same time the subjection of ancient believers, since he appears there to treat of believers with Christ, but who discharged that Servitude in Christ thus reduced below Angels.

I Respond, α.  Psalm 8 does not speak of subjection under Angels, but of a lowering beneath Angels, which Paul says was accomplished διὰ τὸ πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου, for the suffering of death, verse 9, seeing that death was absolutely not inflicted upon Christ by Angels, but rather He was strengthened by them in the midst of His sufferings, Luke 22:43.  Therefore, the lowering of Christ under Angels is His reduction unto a state more base and servile than that of Angels, who are themselves also God’s servants, but not a subjection under their Dominion; which Scripture nowhere asserts, but rather subverts, consistently attributing to Christ Angels as His ministers in the midst of His emptying;[7] and which, if it be resolved into subjection under the divine Law, the expression is employed as ἄγραφος/unwritten and ambiguous at the very least, and that Dominion of the Angels over Christ is clearly overthrown.  β.  Even if a temporary subjection of Christ under Angels were established, while He was satisfying the Law of Justice of the Father on our behalf, it does not follow from this, that either the Angels were of old the associates of Christ in government, because one is no less able to be humbled below his servant than his associate, and because in His Emptying Christ did not deliver His entire Kingdom to the Angels; or ancient believers were subject to Angels, seeing that the latter were never made subject to Law as Christ was, satisfying the precepts and threats of it; while believers under the New Testament are also able to be said to be humbled βραχὺ τὶ, somewhat, below the Angels, and yet were not made servilely subject to them by the ordination of God.

3.  The title אֱלֹהִים/elohim/gods given to the Angels, never with respect to believers under the New Testament, but relatively to the ancient Church:  which argues divine authority over the people of God, and a certain office to be conducted in the place of God among the people of God; and includes as a corollary, that that people was servant and subject to Angels.

Our AUTHOR Responds, Exercitationibus Textualibus XLVI, Part II, § 11, α.  that the title אֱלֹהִים/elohim/gods is attributed to Angels in a very few places, but is referred to them in like manner with the cognate title of sons of God, in consequence of a certain sort of similitude with God Himself, in spiritual nature; in the gifts of wisdom, holiness, and joy; in heavenly habitation and all other majesty; and additionally in great power and authority, from which come other names also, mights, thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, etc.[8]  Although these clearly and explicitly speak of some ample dominion, and yet are attributed to them in the New Testament, there does not appear to be any reason why the title אֱלֹהִים/elohim/gods ought now to be denied to them, nowhere expressly attributed to them in the New Testament, even where the ancient times are treated, but left to the Hebrews with other titles, Watchers,[9] morning stars,[10] etc.  β.  And, where in that title of Gods simply attributed to Angels, even when they are commanded to bow down before Christ or to worship Him, Psalm 97, there is no relation to the people of God (for they are never called the Gods of Israel), why ought we to refer that title to a particular, even lordly, power over that people, more than those of principalities and powers? which is able to be attributed to them with respect to each other and over other creatures, more truly than over believers, whose ministers they are, administering their office in that context (οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν, their angels) not so much in the place of, as at the command of, God.  γ.  Learned men do not advance anything, whereby that restricted sense of the title אֱלֹהִים/Elohim/gods is proven to have been attributed to Angels; or the truth of the Angelic dominion is demonstrated, the corollary of which is the Servitude and Subjection of the Church, or its servile Subjection, under Angels.

4.  The twofold Work of the Angels, which is believed to argue their ancient Dominion over the Church; namely, α.  Law-giving, Hebrews 2:2; Galatians 3:19; Acts 7:53.  β.  The vindication of the Law through the infliction of punishments, since they were appointed as avengers of transgression of the Law, even indeed of the divine Law, not only of the placating δόγματων/doctrines, that is, ceremonial, but also of the pedagogical precepts prescribed by the Elders sitting in the seat of Moses to avoid transgression of the Law.[11]  And this matter they prove, partly from the presence of the Angels in Law-giving, partly from their frequent appearance, especially during the inflicting of judgments upon transgressors.  Therefore, when the people were subject to the command of Angels to faith and obedience, and to their severe vengeance, their work appears clearly to argue the Servile Subjection of the people under themselves.

Our AUTHOR Responds, Exercitationibus Textualibus XLVI, Part II, § 14, 15:  α.  Whatever is mentioned here, pertains to mere ministry, namely, that the Law was brought through them, being present and testifying to their presence, and that punishments were inflicted through them upon transgressors; which we see daily to be done in all republics through the most lowly ministers, whom Princes do not at all admit into a share of government.  On the other hand, to the Lord pertains the giving of His own Law performed lawfully, and punishment according to His own will without the command of another.  And by learned Men it is ascribed here more to earthly, than to heavenly, associates of our Lord under the Old Economy, when to those they attribute a certain nomothetic power and punishment inflicted at will, but no similar right is found in the description of angelic power.  β.  In particular, 1.  It is not even possible to doubt, because of the Passages of Scripture, that the Law was of old given by the ministry of Angels; but there is no reason why that ministry should be generally restricted to the ceremonial Law only, which COCCEIUS appears to address, ad ultima Mosis, § 726 and elsewhere:  since Scripture, discoursing concerning the Law given through Angels, has no restriction, but leads us to the moral, no less than to the ceremonial, Law, in the giving of which Angels bear the strongest possible witness to their presence.  2.  With respect to the Avenging of transgression, a.  This is again, without any reason, restricted to the Avenging of transgressions of the ceremonial Law; although God willed the moral Law to be observed no less carefully, and Paul speaks of the vengeance of πάσης παράβασεως καὶ παρακοῆς, every transgression and disobedience, Hebrews 2:2.  b.  That vengeance is rashly extended to transgressions of the pedagogical precepts prescribed to the people by the Elders sitting in Moses’ seat.  For, since those Elders never had such a power of adding their own commandments to the divine commandments, Matthew 15:6, 9, how was God able to constitute the Angels as the avengers of human inventions, even when we read that the same was done by Angels?  c.  Of the continual avenging by Angels of the violated Law we do not read so clearly in Scripture, which indeed is here supposed.  That the duty of taking care of the Law in this way was entrusted to them by their presence at the giving of the Law, is asserted but not proven; since they were able to be present simply as witnesses of the divine benevolence to the people, and as demonstrations of the divine majesty.  Moreover, they appear frequently; but more frequently for deliverance and consolation than for punishment, especially more frequently than for the punishment of the Israelites on account of violated ceremonies.  Which indeed was done in the case of Nadab and Abihu, Leviticus 10; in the case of the Beth-shemites, 1 Samuel 6; in the case of Uzzah, 2 Samuel 6; in the case of Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:  but without any help of Angels narrated.  And Paul does indeed mention, Hebrews 2:2, ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν, a just recompense, but he does not say that it was inflicted by the Angels; while that was often done through other second causes, even Evil Angels, but commonly by appointed Judges, whence the mention of two or three witnesses, Hebrews 10:28.  γ.  The same ministry of divine revelation and vengeance also applies to the Angels under the New Testament.  1.  They were the first to announce the Gospel of Fulfillment in its principal heads, Luke 1:26; 2:10-13; Matthew 1:20; 28:5, 6; Acts 1:11:  they also pointed out the particular duties of these and those under the New Testament, Acts 5:20; 8:26; 10:3-7; 12:7, 8; 27:23, 24; etc.:  they revealed to John the entire future state of the Church, Revelation 1:1; etc.:  the same will proclaim the coming of the Lord at the end μετὰ σάλπιγγος φωνῆς μεγάλης, with the great sound of a trumpet, Matthew 24:31.  2.  Examples of divine Vengeance through Angels are not wanting, Acts 12:23; Revelation 15:1; 16:1; especially at the time of the final judgment Christ, being about to exact vengeance, is going to make use of the Angels as ministers, 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Matthew 13:39-42.  Indeed, even now Angels are quite frequently found in the Church (although more invisibly), observing it, whom therefore the Church ought to respect, Hebrews 1:14; 1 Corinthians 11:10; 1 Timothy 5:21; which things we already had above.  Although according to the change of the Law that God imposes their Ministry also varies; so, with the ceremonial Law abolished, they no longer attend to the observation of it:  this does not change their power from lordly to ministerial, because they always and only do what God commands as His ministers.  Our AUTHOR concludes:  since the dignity of the Angels among themselves is not less now than formerly, and these also under the New Testament ministerially declare the Will of God, and execute His judgments against the refractory, with certain differences only in the Word revealed and the case of those judgments; either the Church under the Old Testament was not subject to Angels as associates in the Kingdom of Christ, or the Church under the New Testament ought to be said to be thus subject to them to the present day.  Since the Subjection of the latter is contrary to the plain words of Paul, the Subjection of the former is also gathered from those with absolute temerity.

To the other Apostolic passages, which, although irrelevant to the subject matter, they also heap up here, for example, Colossians 2:10, 15; Ephesians 1:21, 22; Hebrews 1:6; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 19:10; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6; 2:6, the response of our AUTHOR is able to be seen in Exercitationibus Textualibus XLVI, Part II, § 13, 6.  It is enough for us to note, what the Most Illustrious COCCEIUS himself inculcates elsewhere, that Angels are not able to be considered in any other way than as ministers, that they are not lords of the Church, etc.:  see MARCKIUS, § 8.

[1] Hebrews 2:5:  “For not unto the angels (οὐ γὰρ ἀγγέλοις) hath he put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”

[2] 1 Corinthians 1:17:  “For Christ did not send (οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέ) me to baptize, but to preach the gospel:  not with wisdom of words (οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου), lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

[3] Colossians 3:9:  “Lie not (μὴ ψεύδεσθε) one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds …”

[4] 2 Thessalonians 3:2:  “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men:  for not of all (οὐ γὰρ πάντων) is the faith.”

[5] Hebrews 13:9:  “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.  For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats (καλὸν γὰρ χάριτι βεβαιοῦσθαι τὴν καρδίαν, οὐ βρώμασιν), which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”

[6] Philippians 2:7.

[7] Philippians 2:7:  “But made himself of no reputation (ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε, but emptied Himself), and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men…”

[8] See Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Colossians 1:16; 2:10, 15; 1 Peter 3:22.

[9] Daniel 4:13, 17, 23.

[10] Job 38:7.

[11] See Matthew 15:1-9; 23:1-12; Mark 7:1-13.