Abstract:
Hebrews’ references and allusions to angels are investigated in the light of early
Jewish apocalyptic imagery and against the backdrop of similarities with a number
of aspects that possibly underlie the Qumran community. It became clear that the
author of Hebrews has a complex and more developed understanding of angels.
Firstly, the author presents a “high” Christology in Heb 1–2, which argues about
Christ’s exaltation to the right hand of God, a position as King and Judge that differs
from the other “sons of God,” i.e. the angels (1:4–5). As they have inferior positions,
roles and names, the angels should worship this “Firstborn” (1:6). They are made
to be winds, fl ames of fi re, servants (1:7) and messengers of God to humanity
(2:2). After his temporary humiliation (2:7), Christ now rules whereas the angels
are still carrying out their duties through the aeons as servants of God. Secondly,
Heb 12–13 takes the reader into heaven and presents an apocalyptic glimpse of a
festal gathering of earthly believers and angels in the heavenly Jerusalem, sharing
in an act of cultic worship within the “congregation of the Firstborn.” Thirdly, the
character of Moses as a “son of God” (Heb 3) and that of Melchizedek (Heb 7),
who was perceived as the archangel Michael in some circles of early Judaism, were
positioned alongside the angels by the author of Hebrews. His angelology is clearly
subordinate to his Christology – a picture which becomes even clearer against the
backdrop of the position of angels in the early Jewish apocalyptic world. Fourthly,
Christian hospitality is based on the argument that those entertained might even be
angels. The appeal is rooted in the belief of the visitation of angels amongst humans
in an anthropomorphic form which makes them unrecognizable to humans. This
argument completes the circle of relations between Christ, the angels and humans
in Hebrews: Christ occupies the ultimate position in heaven and the angels are
subordinate to him. Angels are nonetheless of a higher rank than humans, being the
messengers of God.
