A later stage of angelological error is found at tlie end of the 1st cent, in Cerinthus' teaching, which resembled that of the Colossian heretics. Cerinthus (q.v.) taught that the world was not made by God, but by an angel, or by a series of
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powers or angels, who were ignorant of God ; the Mosaic Law was given by them (cf. above, 5 (b)). Cerinthus is the link between the Gnosticism at Colossse and the developed Gnosticism of the 2nd century (for his doctrine see Irenjeus, Hcer. i. 26 ; Hippolytus, Eefut. vii. 21, x. 17). He claimed to have had angelic visions, and was a millenarian of the gi'ossest sort (Caius in Eusebius, HE iii. 28). See also Lightfoot, op. cit., p. 106 ff.
Speculations such as those attacked by St. Paul found a congenial soil in ' Asia ' and Phrygia. Even in the 4th cent, at the Council held at the Phrygian Laoflicea (c. A.D. 380), Christians are forbidden to leave the Church of God and invoke (6vo/j.a.<;€Lv) angels (can. 35 ; see Hefele, Councils, Eng. tr., iii. 317). It is the proper jealousy for the One Mediator, on the other hand, which has led many modems to reject the doctrine of the exist- ence of angels altogether. But both heavenly and earthly beings can help man without being medi- ators, as we see when one man helps another by intercessory prayer. The NT teaching about angelic helpers, so potent an antidote to material- ism, in no way asserts that we are to pray to God through the angels, or contradicts the doctrine that Christ is the only Mediator between God and man.
(c) Comparison with current Jevnsh teaching and that of the later Jtabbis. — The apostolic teaching is quite free from the wild speculations of Jewish angelology. (For differences between it and cur- rent Jewish ideas see Edersheim, op. cit. i. 142 and App. xiii.) Of Jewish speculations the most elaborate were those of the Essenes (q.v.), which had a decided Gnostic tinge. This Jewish sect had an esoteric doctrine of angels, and its members were not allowed to divulge their names to out- siders (Jos. BJ II. viii. 7 ; Lightfoot, Col., p. 87 ; Edersheim, i. 330 f.). A few Jewish speculations may be mentioned. It was thought that new angels were always being created — an idea derived from a wresting of La 3^' (Thackeray, op. cit. p. 150). The angels taught Noah medicine (Book of Jubilees, 10). The righteous will become angels (Eth. Enoch, li. 4). An angel troubled the waters of Bethesda for healing (gloss in Jn S'*). An elaborate hierarchical system and numerous names were in- vented for them (above, 4). Contrasted with these ideas, we have in the NT a wise reserve, which refuses to go beyond the things which are written.
One Jewish speculation must be noticed more fully. The Rabbis taught that none of the angels was absolutely good, that they opposed the crea- tion of man and w-ere jealous of him (Edersheim, ii. 754). Thackeray (p. 151 f.) considers that St. Paul also makes them all antagonistic to God. If so, he contradicts the teaching both of our Lord and of the other NT Avriters (above, 3). But this view, based on St. Paul's language about princi- palities, powers, etc., and on the idea that all the angels are the enemies who must be put under Christ's feet (1 Co 15^), appears to be untenable. St. Paul, while affirming that some ' powers ' are evil, does not say that they all are so. See above, 4.
9. Nature of NT angelophanies. — It is unprofit- able to ask whether angels took material bodies when they appeared to men or whether they merely seemed to do so. At any rate, they took the form of men to the mind, though in some cases there was something about them that produced wonder or fear (Lk l^^, Mt 28*, etc.). The accounts of the angels who were seen after the Resurrection vary. In Mt 28^ the angel who rolled away the stone was like lightning, his raiment white as snow. In Mk 16^ we read only of a young man in a white robe. In Lk 24* there are two men in dazzling apparel (cf. v.^^ 'vision of angels'). In Jn 20^^
there are two angels in white, sitting. In Ac 1" there are 'two men ... in white apparel.' To Cornelius the angel was 'a man ... in bright apparel ' (Ac 10^'^). Stephen's face was filled with superhuman glory, ' as it had been the face of an angel ' (Ac 6'^ ; so we reflect, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, 2 Co 3'**). For an argument that the appearance of the angels was 'objective' see Pluminer on Lk I'l ; but this is largely a matter of dehnition. At the death of Herod (Ac 12-^) no appearance of an angel is necessarily intended.
10. The immediate successors of the apostles. — Angelology was a favourite topic of the time ; but, the literature of the sub-apostolic period being very scanty, the references are few. For Clement of Rome see above, 5 [a). Ignatius says that the knowledge of angelic mysteries was given to martyrs (Trail. 5): 'heavenly things and the dispositions (ToirodedLas) of angels, and musterings of rulers ((rvaraaeis dpxovTiKds), seen and unseen' (cf. Col P^). The ' dispositions ' would be in the seven heavens. The dpxovres, ' rulers,' would be St. Paul's dpxai, i.e. angels (Ligiitfoot, Ign. ii. 165). In Smyrn. 6 it is said that the angels, if they believe not in the blood of Christ, are judged ; this seems to imply that their probation is not yet ended. See also above, 3. Papias (quoted by Andreas of Csesarea, in Apoc, ch. 34, serm. 12; Lightfoot-Harmer, Apostol. Fathers, p. 521) says that to some of the angels God ' gave dominion over the arrangement (5iaKocrfj.iqaews) of the universe . . . but their array (rd^iv) came to naught, for the great dragon, the old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceiveth the whole earth, was cast down, yea, was cast down to the earth, and his angels ' (quotation from Rev 12^). Papias seems to date the fall of the angels after the creation of the world. Hernias (for his possibly early date see Salmon, Introd. toNT, xxvi.) describes the building of the tower [the Church] upon the waters by six young men (cf. Mk 16^), while countless other men bring the stones ; and the former are said to be the holy angels of God, who were created first of all ; the latter are also holy angels, but the six are superior to them ( Vis. iii. 1, 2, 4). In the Martyrdom of Polycarp, 2, martyrs are said to become angels after death (see above, 8). In the Epistle to Diognettis, 7, God is said to have sent to men a minister (vTryipir-qv) or angel or ruler (dpxovra). Justin interprets Ps 24^- " [LXX] as addressed to the rulers appointed by God in the heavens (Dial. 36). To angels was committed the care of man and of all things under heaven, but they transgressed through the love of women (Apol. ii. 5, referring to Gn 6^^-). Angels, like men, have free will (Dial. 141).