How is the reader to understand the a[ggeloi
(angeloi) “angels” mentioned in this
passage? The lexicons list “messengers” as a possible translation for a[ggeloi (angeloi), and some have suggested that these “messengers”
should be understood as the human “overseers,” “senior pastors,” or “key
elders” of the seven churches.[1]
Others point out that in every NT occurrence– including throughout most of
Revelation– a[ggeloi clearly
indicates “angels”– the heavenly servants of God, as seen in the various
contexts– so, without further indications from the text, those originally
reading the book of Revelation would almost certainly have understood a[ggeloi to mean “angels” rather than
“pastors.” On the other hand, one must note that although “angel” normally
indicates a supernatural, heavenly servant of God, the biblical text also
records some instances in which “angel” is used figuratively of a human
minister: in Galatians 4:14, Paul writes that when he preached the gospel to
the Galatians he was received wJV
a[ggelon qeou: (hōs angelon theou)
“as an angel of God,” and in Malachi 2:7 (LXX) each priest is admonished diovti a[ggeloV kurivou pantokravtorovV ejstin
(dioti angelos kuriou pantokratoros estin)
“because he is an angel of the Almighty Lord.”[2]
These passages show that the early Christian community may have been familiar
with some instances in which– through simile or metaphor– certain human
ministers of God were indeed called “angels:” if Revelation uses the term
“angel” in a figurative way to indicate a human being, it would not be the
first time that Scripture does so.
As in all areas of biblical understanding, context is key to
understanding the intended meaning of a[ggeloi.
Is there anything in the context that would indicate whether these “angels” in
Revelation 1-3 should be understood in the usual way– as supernatural, heavenly
servants of God– or in a figurative way, as speaking of human messengers?
Though understanding “angels” as supernatural, heavenly beings may seem to be
the more natural reading of the text, notice that John is commanded to write
letters to these angels and that, taking Revelation 1:11 into account, writing
letters to the angels is seen as equivalent to writing letters to the
individual churches that are named. Unless we imagine that supernatural,
heavenly beings took John’s combined letters around to the seven churches in
Asia Minor and let the church members know the contents of the letters, it is
far more likely that the “angel” of each church should be understood as the
“messenger” of each church: “the one reading” John’s writings to “those
hearing” (Rev 1:3). The pastors of the churches were expected
to publicly read Scripture (1 Tim 4:13), therefore the “seven stars” likely indicate seven
pastors who had the privilege of reading the letters to the various churches.
[1]See, for example, John MacArthur, The MacArthur
Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2006), 1963.
[2]Malachi 3:1 is also relevant in this regard: the first
part of this verse speaks of one who clears the way before the Lord– one who
the NT identifies as John the Baptist (Mark 1:2-4), whose ministry cleared the
way for the Messiah; in Malachi 3:1 (LXX) this forerunner to the Messiah is
called to;n
a[ggelovn mou (ton angelon mou) “my angel.”
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ReplyDeleteThat's interesting: thank you!
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