Herein we continue, from part 1, providing quotations and citations on Angels from Philo of Alexandria (20 BC-50 AD). The fuller complete result consists of quotations of those sections within the text that refer to Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Devil, Satan, demons, serpent and dragon. The point is not to elucidate these references but to provide relevant partial quotations and citations. See my section on Angels here, Cherubim and Seraphim here, Satan here and Demons here.
Angels in Philo of Alexandria’s Allegorical Interpretation and On Dreams, that they are God-Sent.
Allegorical Interpretation, III
LXII But these men pray to be nourished by the word of God: but Jacob, raising his head above the word, says that he is nourished by God himself, and his words are as follows; “The God in whom my father Abraham and Isaac were well-pleased; the God who has nourished me from my youth upwards to this day; the Angel who has delivered me from all my evils, bless these Children.” This now being a symbol of a perfect disposition, thinks God himself his nourisher, and not the word: and he speaks of the Angel, which is the word, as the physician of his evils, in this speaking most naturally… good things have been given to him by the Angels and by the word of God…a deliverance from evil, he gives by means of his Angels and his word.
On Dreams, that they are God-Sent Book 1
I “And Jacob dreamed, and behold a ladder was firmly planted on the Earth, the head of which reached up to heaven; and the Angels of God were ascending and descending on it…”
XII For God, not condescending to come down to the external senses, sends his own words or Angels for the sake of giving assistance to those who love virtue.
XIII When this light shines upon the mind, the inferior beams of words (that is of Angels) set.
XIX the archetypal and incorporeal beams of the rational spring of the all-perfecting sun; but when it descends and becomes unproductive, then it is again illuminated by those images of those beams, the immortal words which it is customary to call Angels.
XXII “And he dreamed a dream. And behold a ladder was planted firmly on the ground, the head of which reached to heaven, and the Angels of God were ascending and descending along It”…Now philosophers in general are wont to call these demons, but the sacred scripture calls them Angels, using a name more in accordance with nature. For indeed they do report (diAngellousi) the injunctions of the father to his children, and the necessities of the children to the father.
XXIII But the Angels–the words of God–move about in the minds of those persons who are still in a process of being washed, but who have not yet completely washed off the life which defiles them, and which is polluted by the contact of their heavy bodies, making them look pure and brilliant to the eyes of virtue.
XXV But the dream also represented the Archangel, namely the Lord himself, firmly planted on the ladder.
XXXIII “The Angel of God spake unto me in a dream…”…those also which are seen through the operation of his interpreters and attendant Angels, who are thought by the father who created them to be worthy of a divine and blessed lot.
XXXIV And he said unto him, Take now thy beloved son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer him up.” And when he had brought the victim to the altar, then the Angel of the Lord called him out of heaven, saying, “Abraham, Abraham,” and he answered, “Behold, here am I. And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the child, and do nothing to Him.” Also the practiser of virtue is also called one of this company dear to God, being deservedly accounted worthy of the same honour; for, says the scripture, “The Angel of God said to me in my sleep, Jacob: and I answered, and said, What is It?”
XL …those souls which are still in the body he must appear in the resemblance of the Angels, though without changing his nature.
XLI Why then do we any longer wonder, if God at times assumes the likeness of the Angels, as he sometimes assumes even that of men, for the sake of assisting those who address their entreaties to him? so that when he says, “I am the God who was seen by thee in the place of God;” we must understand this, that he on that occasion took the place of an Angel, as far as appearance went, without changing his own real nature…those who are unable to bear the sight of God, look upon his image, his Angel word, as himself. Do you not see that encyclical instruction, that is, Hagar, says to the Angel, “Art thou God who seest Me.
In the next segment, we will consider Philo’s On the Life of Moses, On the Confusion of Tongues, Questions and Answers on Genesis, On the Migration of Abraham and On the Giants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A plea: I have to pay for server usage and have made all content on this website free and always will. I support my family on one income and do research, writing, videos, etc. as a hobby. If you can even spare $1.00 as a donation, please do so: it may not seem like much but if each person reading this would do so, even every now and then, it would add up and really, really help. Here is my donate/paypal page.
Due to robo-spaming, I had to close the comment sections. However, you can comment on my Facebook page and/or on my Google+ page. You can also use the “Share / Save” button below this post.