Researched and prepared by Ruth Magnusson Davis
This post belongs to the series “Principal Matters from the 1537 Matthew Bible.” The purpose of the series is:
(1) To get to know the Table of Principal Matters in the Matthew Bible.
(2) To learn through bible studies from the Reformation.
“As the bees diligently do gather together sweet flowers, to make by natural craft the sweet honey, so have I done with the principal topics contained in the bible.”
So began John Rogers’ introduction to the Table of Principal Matters in the 1537 Matthew Bible. This Table was a concordance set at the front of the book which set out bible topics in alphabetical order. Under each topic were short headings with bible verses for further study. This Principal Matters Series follows the topics in the order of the Table. It also sets out the bible verses in full, taken from the Matthew Bible.
Topic: Angels
Under this topic there were some typesetting errors in the Table of Principal Matters, including the very first entry, which referred to Job xxv.a. However, Job 25 did not refer to angels, so I used Job 1, which did discuss angels and had some notes. (I confess that at times I was concerned that a note asserted more than anyone should claim to know about angels.) I also added Isaiah 5:5 under the 2nd entry, for the information in the verse and note.
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(1) The angels assist before God.
Job 1:6 Now upon a time, when the servants of God came and stood before the Lord, Satan came also among them.
Note a: By the servants of God here understand … angels by whom he orders the course and works of the world.
Note b: Came and stood before the Lord: Do not think that God sometimes appears to the angels and sometimes not, for the good angels do always see the face of God. Neither does God commune with the angels or with the devil with bodily speech, but the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures speaks many things to us according to our senses, and uses a manner of speaking familiar to us, attributing appearances, speaking, enquiring, and answering to God and to angels. Which thing man only observes to the intent that we may thereby more easily perceive his meaning. The communing of the angels here is no other thing than to give accounts of the offices enjoined them, which they give, knowing that God sees with what trust they did it; and to give thanks and wait for their reward.
Matthew 18:10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Job 38:7 [This verse is in the context of the creation of the world and the heavens. God said to Job…] Where were you when the morning stars praised me together, and all the children of God rejoiced triumphantly?
Note a: … he was praised by the angels, who here are called the children of God.
Unidentifiable scripture citations: Job.xxv.a, Dan vii.c.
(2) The angels minister to people.
Psalm 104:4 You make your angels spirits, and your ministers flames of fire.
Hebrews 1:13-14 To which of the angels did he say at any time, Sit on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for the sakes of those who will be heirs of salvation?
Isaiah 5:5 I shall tell you what I will do with my vineyard: I will take the hedge from it, that it may perish, and will break down the wall, that it may be trodden underfoot.
Note a: By the hedge and wall is figured the custody of angels, by whom the people of God (who are called the vineyard of the Lord) were compassed about and defended.
(3) Also, angels rebuke sinners.
Judges 2:1-2 And the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, I brought you out of Egypt, and have brought you into the land that I swore to your fathers. And I said that I would never break my covenant with you, but you were to have made no league with the inhabiters of this land; you were to have broken down their altars. But you have not obeyed my voice.
(4) Angels comfort the afflicted.
Genesis 21:17-19 Then God heard the voice of the child. And the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven and said to her, What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the child where he lies. Arise and lift up the lad, and take him in your hand; for I will make of him a great people. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the bottle with water and gave the boy a drink.
Luke 22:41-43 And [Jesus] went apart by himself, about a stone’s throw from them, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if you will, withdraw this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be fulfilled. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, comforting him.
Daniel 6:21-22 Daniel said to the king, O King, God save thy life forever! My God has sent his angel, who has shut the lions’ mouths so that they could not hurt me.
The German painting is entitled Schutzengel (Guardian Angel). It is by Bernhard Plockhorst from the late 19th century and depicts a guardian angel watching over two children.
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Notices:
– New Testament Scriptures are from the October Testament, the New Testament of the New Matthew Bible. Old Testament Scriptures and Apocryphal writings are taken directly from the Matthew Bible, with obsolete English gently updated, roughly as they will appear in the complete New Matthew Bible.
– Click here for information about the New Matthew Bible Project, our project to gently update the 1537 Matthew Bible.
– Sample scriptures from the New Matthew Bible are here.
– To find former topics, go to the main blog page, and under the category “Principal Matters Series” look for the subcategory with the right letter. For example, for “Abrogation,” look under Principal Matters Series/Principal Matters A/Abrogation. (Also, a few topics are linked at the end.)