Was the Angel of the Lord a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus?

[jcrichton]

I happen to have a book called "Angels Among Us’ by Ron Rhodes in which he discusses that very question. He subscribes to the theory that the Angel of the Lord (note the capitals) was actually the preincarnate Christ. He notes that where the phrase Angel of the Lord is used, the word “Angel” doesn’t refer to a created being, but has its literal meaning: “messenger” or “one who is sent”.

Mr. Rhodes uses 3 lines of evidence to suuport his theory:

1. The Angel is identified as being Yahweh, or God;
2. Although the Angel is God, he is also seen to be distinct from Yahweh;
3. The Angel must be Christ because of what we know about the nature and function of each person in the trinity.
4. The Angel of the Lord is in fact God, as seen in these passages:
   (a) Exodus 3:1-2, “…the Angel of the Lord appeared to [Moses] in flames of fire from within a bush.” The “angel” identifies himself to Moses as “the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”(Exodus 3:6a) When Moses asked God what name he should give the Israelites, he was told to say “I Am has sent me to you”. No mere angel would identify himself this way.
   (b) Genesis 22:12 "…the Angel said “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me you son, your only son.” It’s clear that withholding Isaac from the Angel of the Lord is that same as withholding him from God.
   (c) Genesis 16:10, after Hagar fled into the desert the Angel appeared and promised that He would increase her descendants so that they would be too numerous to count. An ordinary angel wouldn’t have the power to make such a promise, only God can.
   In other instances, the Angel of the Lord forgave sins (Exodus 23:21), received worship (Joshua 5:14 and Exodus 3:5); and accepted sacrifices (Judges 13:19-23); and he always spoke on His own authority.
5. The Angel of the Lord is distinct from Yahweh, as shown in Zechariah 1:12 and again in Zechariah 3:1-2. In both passages the Angel of Yahweh is calling on Yahweh, one person of the trinity is interceding before another person of the trinity, much the same way as Jesus prayed to his Father. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus lives to intercede for those who come to the Father through Jesus.
6. Mr. Rhodes lists 5 considerations why the Angel of the Lord must be the second person of the trinity.
   (a) Christ is the only person of the trinity who has manifested visibly (John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15 and 1 Timothy 1:17 that no one has seen or can see God the Father. John tells us the same thing in John 1:18 and 5:37. John also records Jesus as saying that the Spirit cannot be seen by the world but his disciples can know him because he lives in them.
   (b) The Angel of the Lord and Jesus were both sent by the Father. This seems to be the relationship between the first and second person of the trinity, the Sender and the Sent One.
   (c) Both the Angel of the Lord and Jesus interceded to the Father and called upon the Father. We never see the reverse situation, the Father interceding to the Angel or to Jesus.
   (d) Both the Angel and Christ had similar ministries. Besides interceding for people, they revealed the truth, commissioned people for service, delivered the enslaved, comforted the downcast, protected God’s servants, and acted as Judge, among other things. (The passages cited in the book are too numerous to list here.)
   (e) The Angel of the Lord doesn’t appear anywhere after Jesus is born. After centuries of appearing to God’s people, the Angel suddenly disappears from the bible.
   It’s also important to note that in every other instance of an angel appearing, he is always referred to as an angel and did not allow anyone to worship him.

Mr. Rhodes notes that there are many early theologians who also held this view: Irenaeus (A.D. 125-200), church father Justin Martyr (A.D. 110-166), church father and defender of the faith Tertullian (A.D. 160-220), Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150-220), Origen (A.D. 185-254), Theophilus of Antioch (?-181), Cyprian (A.D. 200-258), Hilary (A.D. 315-367) and Saint Basil (A.D. 330-379). John Calvin wrote “For even though he [Christ] was not yet clothed with flesh, he came down, so to speak, as an intermediary, in order to approach believers more intimately. Therefore this closer intercourse gave him the name of angel. Meanwhile, what was his he retained, that as God he might be of ineffable glory.”
I pretty much paraphrased an entire chapter in the book, but I find his arguments persuasive.

***Hi, seagal!

I maintain that it is the Holy Spirit because though Jesus is called the Wisdom and Reflexion of God much of that is also attributed to the Holy Spirit… further, He is the other Paraclete which would be sent by Jesus to Guide the Church, bringing her the fullness of the Truth, and it is He Whom has Inspired the Sacred Writings as He makes friends of holy men (prophets) to whom He reveals the Mysteries of God. And, as Jesus, He too is the Creator; yet, unlike Jesus He is the Power of God through Whom Jesus enters into the world and is Resurrected–the Holy Spirit, though not always visible, is the Power that Yahweh and Yeshua use to make all things happe–note that the Father is Spirit, that the Son is Spirit and that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and also the Spirit of Christ!

Finally, there is an error which some do seem to make when making reference to a “visible” God–Jesus is not the only Person who is visible throughout the Holy Scriptures: John the Baptist tells us that the Father revealed to him that when he saw the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, come down and stay on top a man, that would be Jesus!

Maran atha!

Angel***

 

[jcrichton]

They are likely the Son only if the Angel is God.

Why does the phrase “Angel of God” mean it is God? I’m still confused here.

***Hi, NotWorthy!

…it is not just that Scriptures clearly note that it is the Angel of Yahweh but it is the context itself that reveals that it is not just a visit from one of Yahweh’s messengers.

When Scriptures speak about a messenger, “angel” it is almost always revealed that he is speaking for Yahweh God and is bringing news or a commandment–Scriptures never refers to the “angel” as Yahweh.

When Scriptures (Old Testament) speaks about the Angel of Yahweh the following text usually reveals that it is Yahweh Who is speaking or Who has been visiting and not just a mere “angel.”

Here’s an example:

9 When they arrived at the place which God had indicated to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son and put him on the altar on top of the wood.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven. “Abraham, Abraham!” he said. “Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not raise your hand against the boy,” the angel said. “Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your own beloved son.” ***13 Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham called this place “Yahweh provides”, and hence the saying today: “On the mountain Yahweh provides.” 15 The angel of Yahweh called Abraham a second time from heaven. 16 “I swear by my own self, Yahweh declares, that because you have done this, because you have not refused me your own beloved son,
17 I will shower blessings on you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will gain possession of the gates of their enemies. 18 All nations on earth will bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed my command.” (Genesis 22:9-18–NJB)

Though this particular version does not capitalize the “a,” from the context of the passage it is clear that the Angel of Yahweh is speaking and that it is Yahweh the One that is speaking and not that an angel is speaking about Yahweh.

I do not recall if this particular term is used beyond the Pentateuch–I’ll keep it in mind as I do some research.

Maran atha!

Angel–only a servant of Yahweh!