August 25, 2025 • 27 mins
Taken from the book: "The Early Christians: A Biblical and Historical Account" Author Dr. César Vidal invites us to explore "What did Christianity look like in the early church?" This question has been met with much skepticism over the years, as many have argued that accounts of the early church are, at best, fiction. With an eloquent and persuasive style, César Vidal will guide you through biblical data and reliable sources to demonstrate the reliability and character of the testimony of those who personally knew Jesus.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The angelology of first century Judeo Christianity in the Land
of Israel, taken from the book The Early Christians, a
biblical and historical account by doctor Caesarvidal.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Like other contemporary Jewish movements, Judeo Christianity established in Israel
had its own angelology and demonology. However, when compared with
those of the former, they present certain characteristics and relevance
that compel us to proceed with their specific examination. In
(00:38):
this chapter, we will first outline a brief overview of
Jewish angelology and demonology, and then present the vision of
the angels of God and the demons that appear in
Judeo Christianity established in Israel. Jewish angelology and demonology. Although
the rabbinic assertion that the origin of Jewish angelology is
(01:00):
found in Babylon requires qualification, there is no doubt that
a good number of the ideas connected in Judaism with
this area of theology have oriental roots of Iranian and
Mesopotamian origin. Certainly, the books of the Jewish Canon of
the Old Testament contain references to angels. We have already
(01:23):
discussed the Angel of Jehovah in another part of this study, Furthermore,
it should be noted that there are also ancient references
to belief in angels in other passages of the Old
Testament Psalms eighty nine five to seven, who are occasionally
referred to as the sons of God job one to
(01:47):
six and thirty eight to seven, possibly Genesis chapter six.
Even from certain sources, a certain hierarchy among them seems
to emerge. Certain plagues interpret it as divine judgments are
attributed to them in Tewod Samuel twenty four sixteen. In
Zechariah chapter one, verse seven, seventeen, it is stated that
(02:10):
they protect the servants of God. In Second Kings chapter six,
verse seventeen and Psalms thirty four to seven Isaiah chapter three,
verse nine. Angels are also mentioned as participating in combats
whose place is in this spiritual realm Daniel ten to
one and twelve, verse one, and the names of Gabriel
(02:30):
and Michael are specifically mentioned. The Old Testament is also
not alien to the figure of Satan, an angelic being
whose main characteristics are to accuse the servants of God,
tempt them with the purpose of causing them harm, and
subject them to tests that lead them to turn away
from God. Satan can cause illnesses and misfortunes of all kinds,
(02:55):
as we see in Job one to three, but only
to the extent that God allows it. Despite the above,
and in general terms, Old Testament angelology does not seem
excessively developed. References to the angelic hierarchy are very scarce
and not very specific. Except in Daniel, there are no
(03:17):
angelic names. The functions of the angels are limited. The
theme of the fall of the angels or their actions
in the course of history, etc. Is barely outlined. Within
the apocryphal or deuterocanonical books, the theme of angels is
not much more developed than in the Hebrew canon. Except
(03:40):
for the references contained in the second book of Maccabe's
regarding the appearances of angels at the head of the
Jewish army, which even have antecedents, it can be said
that the role of angels is not very relevant. The
only exception to this perspective is represented by the Book
of Tobit. In it, not only is a transcendental role
(04:04):
given to the archangel Raphael, the true protagonist of the text,
but a good part of the plot is built around
the demon who murdered Sarah suitors. A different panorama is
observed in the pseudepigraphical writings and encumbrane. The belief in
angels and a highly developed angelology that usually includes references
(04:26):
to demons in their fall as well as their present activities,
occupy a very relevant place in First Enoch first century BC.
In Second Enoch, it is noted that there are fallen
angels who lie underground, and they are divided into four groups.
(04:48):
Their prince satan Il apparently in the Fifth Heaven, the
watchmen who had relations with the women of Herman, the
apostate angels of the Second Heaven, and possibly the damned underground,
many of whom still await salvation and beg Noah to
intercede for them. The Apocalypse of Zephaniah from the centuries
(05:09):
before and after Christ gives a very important role to angels.
They record the works of men, They lead the souls
of the wicked to eternal punishment. The Seer joins them
on their journey, sees them converse with the patriarchs of
the Old Testament, etc. In Jubilees from the second century
(05:30):
before Christ, he is described as the Angel of the Presence.
He writes the story of Moses, the creation of the angels,
the fall of the angels who had sexual relations with
human beings, as well as their punishment and the destruction
of their descendants, the prayers of Noah to face the demons, etc.
(05:51):
The martyrdom and ascension of Isaiah second century BC and
fourth century AD very possibly presents Christian interpolations, perhaps of
a Gothic nature. Nevertheless, it seems that its angelology is
substantially Jewish. Especially, its demonology is of considerable importance. The
(06:16):
chief of the forces of evil is called Samuel, Belliar
and Satan in a way that seems indistinct. Secondarily, he
is called Malchira and Metambucus. His characteristic action is to
impel men to evil. The Life of Adam and Eve
first century a d. Also presents a very elaborate angelology.
(06:41):
In the fourth Theophanes of the Greek text, God appears
accompanied by cherubim or angels. These carry out God's wishes
and may even become more compassionate than he. The angels
are grouped into ranks, of which the most important are
the cherubim and the Seraphim. Four angels are mentioned by name,
(07:03):
of which the most important is Michael Satan appears as
a fallen angel who seeks to destroy men by disguising
himself as an angel of light. He leads man to
transgress the law of God and is responsible for various
illnesses and death. As for the Testaments of the Twelve
(07:26):
Patriarchs two fifty BC, except for Christian interpolations, they follow
the same tone that we have already appreciated. In the
works mentioned above. The angels who instruct the just are
present in the first heaven, where they are instruments of
punishment for the wicked. In the second heaven are the
(07:48):
spirits of Beliar, and in the third the arch angles,
who offer an unbloody sacrifice before God. The Angel of
Peace enables Israel to confront its enemies. In the same way,
there is mention of an angel who intercedes on behalf
of Israel and who guides Levi and Judah. In Cumbran,
(08:09):
God is defined as the Prince of the Gods, the
King of the glorious ones, the Lord of all spirits,
all references to the dominion that he exercises over the angels.
These are called heroes of the heavens. In a text,
where as in Daniel they are connected with the eschatological struggle.
They are considered guardians of the community of Cumaron, and
(08:30):
it is stated that they guide the steps of the
members of the community, they accompany them in combat, and
therefore no one who is in a state of impurity
due to sexual emission should descend with them. The fact
that the angels were also present in the midst of
the congregation prevented those who had some physical defect, old age,
(08:52):
or impurity from occupying a place within it. In fact,
some passages imply that the members of the community went
through some type of experience in the midst of which
they heard angelic voices and could contemplate these types of beings.
The angels also have specific names. Specifically, a certain Sorreal
(09:15):
appears together with the three great arch angles, Michael, Gabriel,
and Raphael. Likewise, reference is made to a prince of Lights,
who governs the children of Light and who possesses a
certain preeminence over the other arch angles. Cumbrane's literature also
includes the doctrine of fallen angels, which is attributed to disobedience.
(09:40):
One of the hymns narrates how these fallen spirits are
subjected to chains and imprisonment, a subject referred to in
the Book of Mysteries one five to six. The term
Bilial appears repeatedly in Cumbrian's writings, but the meaning given
to it is varied. In many hymns, it does not
(10:01):
seem to indicate anything beyond people who seek or do evil.
On the contrary, in the rest of the writings, it
is a name applied to Satan, as occurs in Second
Corinthians six fifteen, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, or
the Book of Jubilees. Biliel appears as an angel of darkness,
(10:22):
created by God, and whose followers are angels of destruction.
Without a doubt this Bilial is endowed with enormous power.
In fact, he governs the children of impiety and causes
the members of the collective to go astray. These, according
to the Damascus Document, will be destroyed by Bilil himself,
(10:44):
who appears in this same work in connection with the
rebellion of Jans and his brother against Moses. In relation
to Rabbinic literature, it is difficult to date many of
the sources related to the subject with exactitude, but in
general terms we can say that we are not only
witnessing a deepening of the previous themes, but also a
(11:05):
degradation of them. Here we will only mention some of
the statements that seem most interesting to us. Angels are
ministers of God, flames of fire, winged messengers. New ones
are created every day, and their number is immense. Every
(11:28):
power and natural phenomenon, every event depends on an angel.
The seventy nations each have an angelic prince over them,
who defends them before God. In addition, there are five
angelic leaders, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, and Medatron, although the
(11:48):
targum Pseudo Jonathan lists Michael Gabriel, Medatron, Yophiel, Uriel, and Yophiophia.
They are beings not subject to sensory demands, who know
much about the future and do not suffer from human
limitation regarding the capacity for movement. They can be used
for magical purposes, although there are contradictory opinions about the
(12:09):
legality of such conduct. Satan fell after the creation of
Man because of the envy he fell towards him. Samael
caused the fall of Eve and that of Adam, accuses Man,
seduces him and seeks to destroy him. Nevertheless, the king
of the demons himself has behaved kindly on occasion. The
(12:33):
vision of demons appears considerably diversified. There are those who
could be considered equivalent to goblins or gomos, who are
not entirely evil and who can even be occasionally kind
and helpful. Others, on the contrary, retain the evil character
that we have seen in the works mentioned above. There
(12:57):
are also male and female demons. They are attributed to diseases,
but they can also be used for magical healing of diseases.
In the centuries prior to the emergence of Christianity, Judaism
witnessed a considerable interest in angelology and demonology, which contributed
considerably to its development. Part of this well spring is
(13:23):
found in ancient writings of the Tanakh, but to a
considerable extent, the vision derives from Eastern myths. Gradually, moreover,
these types of beliefs would give way to magical practices.
With these elements in mind, we can now examine the
angelology and demonology of Judeo Christianity. Established in one street
(13:44):
century Israel, angels and demons in first century Judeo Christian Israel.
References to angels are relatively scarce in the sources related
to Judeo Christianity. The Book of Acts, which is very
abundant in references to the Holy Spirit in his manifestations,
(14:07):
is comparatively brief when it speaks of angels. Nevertheless, they
are not entirely absent. Yes, Peter's escape from the prison,
in which Herod's Agrippa had confined him as connected with
an angelic being who is called the Angel of the
Lord at one hundred twenty seven, but the story is
(14:28):
practically devoid of any kind of description regarding the event
or details about it. In fact, the source indicates that
Peter himself, the protagonist of the episode, seems to have
initially interpreted it more as a vision than as an
angelic intervention Verse eleven. A very similar episode, this time
(14:50):
connected with the temple authorities and related in Acts five
nineteen to twenty, is even more succinct. Stephen's speech contains
abundant references to angels, but their action is explicitly relegated
to the past and does not seem to merge from it.
Quite the contrary, a special interest in the subject a
(15:15):
greater role can be attributed to them in relation to
the evangelistic impulse. But here again the appearance of angels
is very limited when compared to the role assigned to
the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem seem
to have believed in a certain angelic protection that accompanied
at least some of the members of the community Acts
(15:37):
Chapter twelve, verse fifteen. This can be seen in the
attribution of the death of Herod Agrippa, one of their persecutors,
to the Angel of the Lord. However, the sources do
not contain any information about the angelic hierarchies, the use
of magic, the names of the angelic beings, as well
(15:58):
as other aspects common in Jewish litteryre of the period
related to this topic. The mentions of demons are limited
to one Act, but it is nonetheless revealing. The devil
is attributed with the oppression and illness of those who
were later freed and healed by Jesus Acts Chapter ten,
(16:19):
verse thirty eight, an aspect that, as we will see,
was considered of considerable relevance, as was the loss of
some of the members of the community. James does not
contain any references to angels, but there is one related
to Satan. It is nevertheless significant Christians who have previously
(16:43):
submitted to God can offer resistance to the Devil, which
will only result in his flight. The expression could once
again be related to the insistent belief in miraculous healings.
As for Revelation, it undoubtedly contains the largest number of
(17:04):
angelological references, not only in Judeo Christian writings but also
in the New Testament. But in its articulation it seems
to be closer to Old Testament books such as Daniel
or Zechariah than to Intertestamental literature. Angels appear as servants
(17:24):
of God who unleash his judgments on humanity that refuses
to repent, who cast the Dragon and his followers out
of heaven after jesus ascension to heaven, who possibly act
as soldiers of the Logos in his final battle against
the enemies of God, or who bind the Devil for
the millennium. Likewise, demonology is broader than in other works,
(17:47):
but it also seems more related to writings such as
Zechariah and Daniel than to those corresponding to the Intertestamental period.
The dragon, who is identified with the devil Say and
the serpent of Genesis, accuser of God's servants and seducer,
is described as a being defeated by Jesus victory on
the cross. He had foreseen the birth of Jesus and
(18:12):
tried to cause his death and then the destruction of
the Judeo Christian community, but he had not achieved his
purposes in any case. Certainly, he is still active and
prepares his worst attacks, aware that he has little time
left ahead of him, but his final annihilation is certain.
He is the one who is behind the reign of
(18:33):
the Beast and the one who spiritually inspires the Great Harlot.
But he will only be able to watch helplessly as
his puppets are defeated in the Battle of Armageddon. He
will be chained in the Abyss for one thousand years,
and although he will later gather Gog and magog against
the people of God, he will only achieve a definitive defeat,
after which he will be confined eternally in the Lake
(18:55):
of Fire and Brimstone to be tormented again. And despite
the breadth of the subject, Revelation is comparatively a book
that is not very developed in relation to angelology, although
it is undoubtedly the most elaborate New Testament writing. In
this regard, it only mentions the name of Michael, but
(19:18):
not that of the other angels or demons. It does
not include the possibility of the use of magic. It
does not describe in detail the angelic hierarchies, It does
not refer to the causes of the fall of the Devil, etc.
In general, then, and with the nuances that the apocalypse requires,
it does not seem that Judeo Christian angelology and demonology
(19:39):
were very extensive. Obviously, the belief in angels as protectors
of believers and very occasionally as transmitters of messages or
executors of divine judgments was accepted, but their role seems
to have been more linked to the other dimension than
to this one. It is there that they confront the
(20:01):
forces of evil and worship the Almighty. Even then, the
descriptions are very brief when compared with Intertestamental or contemporary literature.
As for the Devil, he is attributed with harming human
beings in the form of illnesses and oppression, but there
is a curiously optimistic view, of course, devoid of the
(20:25):
alarmism that so much affected some clerics. He was defeated
by not being able to annihilate Jesus or his followers.
If he is resisted, he can only flee, and although
he rises behind power structures such as the Beast or
the great Harlot, his days are numbered and he will
be totally crushed by Jesus. This vision, and it should
(20:46):
come as no surprise, is similar to that articulated in
the Fourth Gospel. In John, jesus opponents have the Devil
as their father, and it is Satan who drives Judas
to betray him, signifying the arrest of Jesus a momentary
victory for the power of darkness. Despite everything, jesus death
(21:07):
on the cross is the defeat of the devil and
the victory of the kingdom of the Messiah, which is
not of this world over the other kingdoms. This faith
in jesus victory and fundamentally the nature of his call,
explains why his followers neither take up arms nor fight.
To do so would imply a clear display of ignorance,
(21:29):
even of their unconscious mission to the devil, who is
defined as a murderer. This same line is the one
that appears in the First Letter of John, where reference
is made to the defeat experienced by the devil thanks
to the Son of God, who came to undo the
works of the devil. The devil acts on the contrary,
on those who are disobedient to God. Compared to other
(21:54):
currents of early Christianity, let alone Judaism of the period,
the angelology and demonology of Judaeo Christianity are not very
extensive or detailed, although their theological depth must be recognized.
Diaspora Judeo Christianity contains references to beliefs that are not
present in the Judeo Christianity located in Israel, although they
(22:15):
derive from Jewish environments. There certainly seems to be the
same confidence that James had regarding the ability to resist
the devil after previously submitting to God. But at the
same time, doctrines such as those of angels condemned in
prisons of darkness are known. The use of practices related
(22:36):
to angels is condemned, and the episode of the dispute
between Michael and the devil over the body of Moses
is referred to. In Hebrews. Demonology and angelology are also limited,
but we again find the defeat experienced by the devil
by virtue of the death of Jesus pointed out. On
(22:56):
the other hand, a significant portion of the letter is
dedicated to explaining the merely subservient character of angels who
are far inferior to Jesus. Pallenism presents an angelology and
demology that have considerable importance in terms of theological reflection.
Although it does not seem very descriptive if we compare
(23:18):
it with the style of intertestamental literature, the themes collected
in it are identifiable with some Judeo Christian theses, such
as the possibility of victorious resistance against the devil or
his defeat by virtue of the death of Jesus. At
the same time, similarities with the angelology of Cumbran may
(23:38):
also be noted, which are not perceived in other currents
of early Christianity. The Judeo Christianity established in Israel shared
the belief of the time in angelic and demonic beings,
but it seems to have presented some characteristics of a
certain originality. First of all, its sources show cons ssiderable
(24:00):
parsimony in relation to the subject. Except for Michael, no
archangel is mentioned by name. The specific functions of the
angels are not detailed. The various names of the demons
are not mentioned, nor are their tasks or hierarchies described.
There is no reference to demonic or angelic magic. There
(24:24):
are no detailed references to the causes of the devil's fall, etc.
It is possible that the firm belief in the Holy
Spirit as an active element within the movement influenced the
brief moderation with which these issues were addressed. Nevertheless, we
cannot attribute all the limitations noted to this circumstance. Secondly,
(24:48):
the vision of the devil is tinged with a note
of victory, which, if we consider, for example, the context
of Revelation or James, does not fail to reveal a
vision of history that is truly triumphant. Satan is the
enemy of the people of God, and we can see
his inspiration over the great human powers. But in the
(25:09):
end he is already a defeated man who can only
await his definitive end. He did not succeed in destroying Jesus,
who undid his works, nor in destroying his followers. In
the end he will be crushed. But even now he
cannot withstand the resistance put up by believers who submit
to God without fleeing. It is not entirely clear what
(25:33):
this flight from the devil implies. There is no reference
to rituals or magic, but it is highly possible that
if we take Acts chapter ten, verse thirty eight as
a basis, we are talking about a context of psychic
and spiritual liberation and physical healing. In this regard the
interpretation of the Millennium Revelation chapter twenty as the period
(25:57):
of church history in which the devil is defeated and
can be accepted or rejected, But it is far from
being absurd, and it should not be surprising that it
has been accepted by especially brilliant theologians throughout history. As
we pointed out in a previous chapter, certain types of
(26:17):
pneumatic phenomena must have been interpreted as a tangible sign
of the presence of God in the midst of the community.
It should not be surprising, then, that all this was
seen at the same time as a sign of the
defeat of the adversary par excellence, the Devil. It could
not be denied, of course, that he was still active,
(26:40):
but based on personal experience, what had to be clear
is that he was still a defeated enemy whose days
were numbered. To use a historical simile, there is no
doubt that from a certain point in World War II
Hitler was defeated. He could cause damage, and not a little,
(27:01):
but he was defeated. His ability to maneuver was limited,
and all he could do was wait for his final
and definitive defeat. Okay,
The angelology of first century Judeo Christianity in the Land
of Israel, taken from the book The Early Christians, a
biblical and historical account by doctor Caesarvidal.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Like other contemporary Jewish movements, Judeo Christianity established in Israel
had its own angelology and demonology. However, when compared with
those of the former, they present certain characteristics and relevance
that compel us to proceed with their specific examination. In
(00:38):
this chapter, we will first outline a brief overview of
Jewish angelology and demonology, and then present the vision of
the angels of God and the demons that appear in
Judeo Christianity established in Israel. Jewish angelology and demonology. Although
the rabbinic assertion that the origin of Jewish angelology is
(01:00):
found in Babylon requires qualification, there is no doubt that
a good number of the ideas connected in Judaism with
this area of theology have oriental roots of Iranian and
Mesopotamian origin. Certainly, the books of the Jewish Canon of
the Old Testament contain references to angels. We have already
(01:23):
discussed the Angel of Jehovah in another part of this study, Furthermore,
it should be noted that there are also ancient references
to belief in angels in other passages of the Old
Testament Psalms eighty nine five to seven, who are occasionally
referred to as the sons of God job one to
(01:47):
six and thirty eight to seven, possibly Genesis chapter six.
Even from certain sources, a certain hierarchy among them seems
to emerge. Certain plagues interpret it as divine judgments are
attributed to them in Tewod Samuel twenty four sixteen. In
Zechariah chapter one, verse seven, seventeen, it is stated that
(02:10):
they protect the servants of God. In Second Kings chapter six,
verse seventeen and Psalms thirty four to seven Isaiah chapter three,
verse nine. Angels are also mentioned as participating in combats
whose place is in this spiritual realm Daniel ten to
one and twelve, verse one, and the names of Gabriel
(02:30):
and Michael are specifically mentioned. The Old Testament is also
not alien to the figure of Satan, an angelic being
whose main characteristics are to accuse the servants of God,
tempt them with the purpose of causing them harm, and
subject them to tests that lead them to turn away
from God. Satan can cause illnesses and misfortunes of all kinds,
(02:55):
as we see in Job one to three, but only
to the extent that God allows it. Despite the above,
and in general terms, Old Testament angelology does not seem
excessively developed. References to the angelic hierarchy are very scarce
and not very specific. Except in Daniel, there are no
(03:17):
angelic names. The functions of the angels are limited. The
theme of the fall of the angels or their actions
in the course of history, etc. Is barely outlined. Within
the apocryphal or deuterocanonical books, the theme of angels is
not much more developed than in the Hebrew canon. Except
(03:40):
for the references contained in the second book of Maccabe's
regarding the appearances of angels at the head of the
Jewish army, which even have antecedents, it can be said
that the role of angels is not very relevant. The
only exception to this perspective is represented by the Book
of Tobit. In it, not only is a transcendental role
(04:04):
given to the archangel Raphael, the true protagonist of the text,
but a good part of the plot is built around
the demon who murdered Sarah suitors. A different panorama is
observed in the pseudepigraphical writings and encumbrane. The belief in
angels and a highly developed angelology that usually includes references
(04:26):
to demons in their fall as well as their present activities,
occupy a very relevant place in First Enoch first century BC.
In Second Enoch, it is noted that there are fallen
angels who lie underground, and they are divided into four groups.
(04:48):
Their prince satan Il apparently in the Fifth Heaven, the
watchmen who had relations with the women of Herman, the
apostate angels of the Second Heaven, and possibly the damned underground,
many of whom still await salvation and beg Noah to
intercede for them. The Apocalypse of Zephaniah from the centuries
(05:09):
before and after Christ gives a very important role to angels.
They record the works of men, They lead the souls
of the wicked to eternal punishment. The Seer joins them
on their journey, sees them converse with the patriarchs of
the Old Testament, etc. In Jubilees from the second century
(05:30):
before Christ, he is described as the Angel of the Presence.
He writes the story of Moses, the creation of the angels,
the fall of the angels who had sexual relations with
human beings, as well as their punishment and the destruction
of their descendants, the prayers of Noah to face the demons, etc.
(05:51):
The martyrdom and ascension of Isaiah second century BC and
fourth century AD very possibly presents Christian interpolations, perhaps of
a Gothic nature. Nevertheless, it seems that its angelology is
substantially Jewish. Especially, its demonology is of considerable importance. The
(06:16):
chief of the forces of evil is called Samuel, Belliar
and Satan in a way that seems indistinct. Secondarily, he
is called Malchira and Metambucus. His characteristic action is to
impel men to evil. The Life of Adam and Eve
first century a d. Also presents a very elaborate angelology.
(06:41):
In the fourth Theophanes of the Greek text, God appears
accompanied by cherubim or angels. These carry out God's wishes
and may even become more compassionate than he. The angels
are grouped into ranks, of which the most important are
the cherubim and the Seraphim. Four angels are mentioned by name,
(07:03):
of which the most important is Michael Satan appears as
a fallen angel who seeks to destroy men by disguising
himself as an angel of light. He leads man to
transgress the law of God and is responsible for various
illnesses and death. As for the Testaments of the Twelve
(07:26):
Patriarchs two fifty BC, except for Christian interpolations, they follow
the same tone that we have already appreciated. In the
works mentioned above. The angels who instruct the just are
present in the first heaven, where they are instruments of
punishment for the wicked. In the second heaven are the
(07:48):
spirits of Beliar, and in the third the arch angles,
who offer an unbloody sacrifice before God. The Angel of
Peace enables Israel to confront its enemies. In the same way,
there is mention of an angel who intercedes on behalf
of Israel and who guides Levi and Judah. In Cumbran,
(08:09):
God is defined as the Prince of the Gods, the
King of the glorious ones, the Lord of all spirits,
all references to the dominion that he exercises over the angels.
These are called heroes of the heavens. In a text,
where as in Daniel they are connected with the eschatological struggle.
They are considered guardians of the community of Cumaron, and
(08:30):
it is stated that they guide the steps of the
members of the community, they accompany them in combat, and
therefore no one who is in a state of impurity
due to sexual emission should descend with them. The fact
that the angels were also present in the midst of
the congregation prevented those who had some physical defect, old age,
(08:52):
or impurity from occupying a place within it. In fact,
some passages imply that the members of the community went
through some type of experience in the midst of which
they heard angelic voices and could contemplate these types of beings.
The angels also have specific names. Specifically, a certain Sorreal
(09:15):
appears together with the three great arch angles, Michael, Gabriel,
and Raphael. Likewise, reference is made to a prince of Lights,
who governs the children of Light and who possesses a
certain preeminence over the other arch angles. Cumbrane's literature also
includes the doctrine of fallen angels, which is attributed to disobedience.
(09:40):
One of the hymns narrates how these fallen spirits are
subjected to chains and imprisonment, a subject referred to in
the Book of Mysteries one five to six. The term
Bilial appears repeatedly in Cumbrian's writings, but the meaning given
to it is varied. In many hymns, it does not
(10:01):
seem to indicate anything beyond people who seek or do evil.
On the contrary, in the rest of the writings, it
is a name applied to Satan, as occurs in Second
Corinthians six fifteen, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, or
the Book of Jubilees. Biliel appears as an angel of darkness,
(10:22):
created by God, and whose followers are angels of destruction.
Without a doubt this Bilial is endowed with enormous power.
In fact, he governs the children of impiety and causes
the members of the collective to go astray. These, according
to the Damascus Document, will be destroyed by Bilil himself,
(10:44):
who appears in this same work in connection with the
rebellion of Jans and his brother against Moses. In relation
to Rabbinic literature, it is difficult to date many of
the sources related to the subject with exactitude, but in
general terms we can say that we are not only
witnessing a deepening of the previous themes, but also a
(11:05):
degradation of them. Here we will only mention some of
the statements that seem most interesting to us. Angels are
ministers of God, flames of fire, winged messengers. New ones
are created every day, and their number is immense. Every
(11:28):
power and natural phenomenon, every event depends on an angel.
The seventy nations each have an angelic prince over them,
who defends them before God. In addition, there are five
angelic leaders, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, and Medatron, although the
(11:48):
targum Pseudo Jonathan lists Michael Gabriel, Medatron, Yophiel, Uriel, and Yophiophia.
They are beings not subject to sensory demands, who know
much about the future and do not suffer from human
limitation regarding the capacity for movement. They can be used
for magical purposes, although there are contradictory opinions about the
(12:09):
legality of such conduct. Satan fell after the creation of
Man because of the envy he fell towards him. Samael
caused the fall of Eve and that of Adam, accuses Man,
seduces him and seeks to destroy him. Nevertheless, the king
of the demons himself has behaved kindly on occasion. The
(12:33):
vision of demons appears considerably diversified. There are those who
could be considered equivalent to goblins or gomos, who are
not entirely evil and who can even be occasionally kind
and helpful. Others, on the contrary, retain the evil character
that we have seen in the works mentioned above. There
(12:57):
are also male and female demons. They are attributed to diseases,
but they can also be used for magical healing of diseases.
In the centuries prior to the emergence of Christianity, Judaism
witnessed a considerable interest in angelology and demonology, which contributed
considerably to its development. Part of this well spring is
(13:23):
found in ancient writings of the Tanakh, but to a
considerable extent, the vision derives from Eastern myths. Gradually, moreover,
these types of beliefs would give way to magical practices.
With these elements in mind, we can now examine the
angelology and demonology of Judeo Christianity. Established in one street
(13:44):
century Israel, angels and demons in first century Judeo Christian Israel.
References to angels are relatively scarce in the sources related
to Judeo Christianity. The Book of Acts, which is very
abundant in references to the Holy Spirit in his manifestations,
(14:07):
is comparatively brief when it speaks of angels. Nevertheless, they
are not entirely absent. Yes, Peter's escape from the prison,
in which Herod's Agrippa had confined him as connected with
an angelic being who is called the Angel of the
Lord at one hundred twenty seven, but the story is
(14:28):
practically devoid of any kind of description regarding the event
or details about it. In fact, the source indicates that
Peter himself, the protagonist of the episode, seems to have
initially interpreted it more as a vision than as an
angelic intervention Verse eleven. A very similar episode, this time
(14:50):
connected with the temple authorities and related in Acts five
nineteen to twenty, is even more succinct. Stephen's speech contains
abundant references to angels, but their action is explicitly relegated
to the past and does not seem to merge from it.
Quite the contrary, a special interest in the subject a
(15:15):
greater role can be attributed to them in relation to
the evangelistic impulse. But here again the appearance of angels
is very limited when compared to the role assigned to
the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem seem
to have believed in a certain angelic protection that accompanied
at least some of the members of the community Acts
(15:37):
Chapter twelve, verse fifteen. This can be seen in the
attribution of the death of Herod Agrippa, one of their persecutors,
to the Angel of the Lord. However, the sources do
not contain any information about the angelic hierarchies, the use
of magic, the names of the angelic beings, as well
(15:58):
as other aspects common in Jewish litteryre of the period
related to this topic. The mentions of demons are limited
to one Act, but it is nonetheless revealing. The devil
is attributed with the oppression and illness of those who
were later freed and healed by Jesus Acts Chapter ten,
(16:19):
verse thirty eight, an aspect that, as we will see,
was considered of considerable relevance, as was the loss of
some of the members of the community. James does not
contain any references to angels, but there is one related
to Satan. It is nevertheless significant Christians who have previously
(16:43):
submitted to God can offer resistance to the Devil, which
will only result in his flight. The expression could once
again be related to the insistent belief in miraculous healings.
As for Revelation, it undoubtedly contains the largest number of
(17:04):
angelological references, not only in Judeo Christian writings but also
in the New Testament. But in its articulation it seems
to be closer to Old Testament books such as Daniel
or Zechariah than to Intertestamental literature. Angels appear as servants
(17:24):
of God who unleash his judgments on humanity that refuses
to repent, who cast the Dragon and his followers out
of heaven after jesus ascension to heaven, who possibly act
as soldiers of the Logos in his final battle against
the enemies of God, or who bind the Devil for
the millennium. Likewise, demonology is broader than in other works,
(17:47):
but it also seems more related to writings such as
Zechariah and Daniel than to those corresponding to the Intertestamental period.
The dragon, who is identified with the devil Say and
the serpent of Genesis, accuser of God's servants and seducer,
is described as a being defeated by Jesus victory on
the cross. He had foreseen the birth of Jesus and
(18:12):
tried to cause his death and then the destruction of
the Judeo Christian community, but he had not achieved his
purposes in any case. Certainly, he is still active and
prepares his worst attacks, aware that he has little time
left ahead of him, but his final annihilation is certain.
He is the one who is behind the reign of
(18:33):
the Beast and the one who spiritually inspires the Great Harlot.
But he will only be able to watch helplessly as
his puppets are defeated in the Battle of Armageddon. He
will be chained in the Abyss for one thousand years,
and although he will later gather Gog and magog against
the people of God, he will only achieve a definitive defeat,
after which he will be confined eternally in the Lake
(18:55):
of Fire and Brimstone to be tormented again. And despite
the breadth of the subject, Revelation is comparatively a book
that is not very developed in relation to angelology, although
it is undoubtedly the most elaborate New Testament writing. In
this regard, it only mentions the name of Michael, but
(19:18):
not that of the other angels or demons. It does
not include the possibility of the use of magic. It
does not describe in detail the angelic hierarchies, It does
not refer to the causes of the fall of the Devil, etc.
In general, then, and with the nuances that the apocalypse requires,
it does not seem that Judeo Christian angelology and demonology
(19:39):
were very extensive. Obviously, the belief in angels as protectors
of believers and very occasionally as transmitters of messages or
executors of divine judgments was accepted, but their role seems
to have been more linked to the other dimension than
to this one. It is there that they confront the
(20:01):
forces of evil and worship the Almighty. Even then, the
descriptions are very brief when compared with Intertestamental or contemporary literature.
As for the Devil, he is attributed with harming human
beings in the form of illnesses and oppression, but there
is a curiously optimistic view, of course, devoid of the
(20:25):
alarmism that so much affected some clerics. He was defeated
by not being able to annihilate Jesus or his followers.
If he is resisted, he can only flee, and although
he rises behind power structures such as the Beast or
the great Harlot, his days are numbered and he will
be totally crushed by Jesus. This vision, and it should
(20:46):
come as no surprise, is similar to that articulated in
the Fourth Gospel. In John, jesus opponents have the Devil
as their father, and it is Satan who drives Judas
to betray him, signifying the arrest of Jesus a momentary
victory for the power of darkness. Despite everything, jesus death
(21:07):
on the cross is the defeat of the devil and
the victory of the kingdom of the Messiah, which is
not of this world over the other kingdoms. This faith
in jesus victory and fundamentally the nature of his call,
explains why his followers neither take up arms nor fight.
To do so would imply a clear display of ignorance,
(21:29):
even of their unconscious mission to the devil, who is
defined as a murderer. This same line is the one
that appears in the First Letter of John, where reference
is made to the defeat experienced by the devil thanks
to the Son of God, who came to undo the
works of the devil. The devil acts on the contrary,
on those who are disobedient to God. Compared to other
(21:54):
currents of early Christianity, let alone Judaism of the period,
the angelology and demonology of Judaeo Christianity are not very
extensive or detailed, although their theological depth must be recognized.
Diaspora Judeo Christianity contains references to beliefs that are not
present in the Judeo Christianity located in Israel, although they
(22:15):
derive from Jewish environments. There certainly seems to be the
same confidence that James had regarding the ability to resist
the devil after previously submitting to God. But at the
same time, doctrines such as those of angels condemned in
prisons of darkness are known. The use of practices related
(22:36):
to angels is condemned, and the episode of the dispute
between Michael and the devil over the body of Moses
is referred to. In Hebrews. Demonology and angelology are also limited,
but we again find the defeat experienced by the devil
by virtue of the death of Jesus pointed out. On
(22:56):
the other hand, a significant portion of the letter is
dedicated to explaining the merely subservient character of angels who
are far inferior to Jesus. Pallenism presents an angelology and
demology that have considerable importance in terms of theological reflection.
Although it does not seem very descriptive if we compare
(23:18):
it with the style of intertestamental literature, the themes collected
in it are identifiable with some Judeo Christian theses, such
as the possibility of victorious resistance against the devil or
his defeat by virtue of the death of Jesus. At
the same time, similarities with the angelology of Cumbran may
(23:38):
also be noted, which are not perceived in other currents
of early Christianity. The Judeo Christianity established in Israel shared
the belief of the time in angelic and demonic beings,
but it seems to have presented some characteristics of a
certain originality. First of all, its sources show cons ssiderable
(24:00):
parsimony in relation to the subject. Except for Michael, no
archangel is mentioned by name. The specific functions of the
angels are not detailed. The various names of the demons
are not mentioned, nor are their tasks or hierarchies described.
There is no reference to demonic or angelic magic. There
(24:24):
are no detailed references to the causes of the devil's fall, etc.
It is possible that the firm belief in the Holy
Spirit as an active element within the movement influenced the
brief moderation with which these issues were addressed. Nevertheless, we
cannot attribute all the limitations noted to this circumstance. Secondly,
(24:48):
the vision of the devil is tinged with a note
of victory, which, if we consider, for example, the context
of Revelation or James, does not fail to reveal a
vision of history that is truly triumphant. Satan is the
enemy of the people of God, and we can see
his inspiration over the great human powers. But in the
(25:09):
end he is already a defeated man who can only
await his definitive end. He did not succeed in destroying Jesus,
who undid his works, nor in destroying his followers. In
the end he will be crushed. But even now he
cannot withstand the resistance put up by believers who submit
to God without fleeing. It is not entirely clear what
(25:33):
this flight from the devil implies. There is no reference
to rituals or magic, but it is highly possible that
if we take Acts chapter ten, verse thirty eight as
a basis, we are talking about a context of psychic
and spiritual liberation and physical healing. In this regard the
interpretation of the Millennium Revelation chapter twenty as the period
(25:57):
of church history in which the devil is defeated and
can be accepted or rejected, But it is far from
being absurd, and it should not be surprising that it
has been accepted by especially brilliant theologians throughout history. As
we pointed out in a previous chapter, certain types of
(26:17):
pneumatic phenomena must have been interpreted as a tangible sign
of the presence of God in the midst of the community.
It should not be surprising, then, that all this was
seen at the same time as a sign of the
defeat of the adversary par excellence, the Devil. It could
not be denied, of course, that he was still active,
(26:40):
but based on personal experience, what had to be clear
is that he was still a defeated enemy whose days
were numbered. To use a historical simile, there is no
doubt that from a certain point in World War II
Hitler was defeated. He could cause damage, and not a little,
(27:01):
but he was defeated. His ability to maneuver was limited,
and all he could do was wait for his final
and definitive defeat. Okay,
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.