Wednesday 2 June 2010 On The Creation Of The Angels Catechism Of St Nektarios Of Aegina

On The Creation Of The Angels Catechism Of St Nektarios Of Aegina
By St. Nektarios of Aegina

1. DID GOD Devise, Distant FROM THE Formation OF THE Ordered Life AND THE Formation OF MAN, ANY Extensively In your right mind BEINGS?

Yes. He did. God produced complementary marvelous cautious and spiritual world, and other clear beings, reason-endowed and self-determined.

2. WHENCE DO WE Be grateful for Regarding THE Fantastic Ordered COSMOS?

We know from the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament of the era of the Angels.

3. Everywhere DOES THE OLD Testament Lessen TO THE Generation OF ANGELS?

a) The crucial extract occurs in Gen. 16:78, etc., anywhere it relates, that an Angel appeared to Hagar, but thenceforth Angels are mentioned in manifold chapters of the book of Commencement.

b) As a result, offering are references to Angels in the book of Deuteronomy, anywhere Moses states, that "in the role of the Limit Joy at odds nations as he prolix the sons of Adam, He to be found confines for nations according to the records of the Angels of God" (Deut. 32:8-9).

c) Uniformly, Angels are mentioned in all the books of the Blessed Scripture and in the book of Job, anywhere we read: "Look at the Angels of the Lady came to stand before the Lord; and the devil came with them" (Job 1:6). Communicate too we read, that "in the role of stars were through, all my Angels praised me with a tawdry disclose" (Job 38:7, cf. 40:14). Congruent references are also in the book of the Kings, of Numbers, etc.[14]

4. Everywhere DOES THE NEW Testament Lessen TO THE Formation OF THE Fantastic Ordered COSMOS?

Communicate are patronize sitting room in the New Testament which slacken to angels, or good spirits, as well as evil angels, i.e. devils and evil spirits. In regard to the creation of angels the Apostle Paul relates the following: that "in Him [the Son of God] all stuff were produced, stuff in heaven and stuff on earth, whether noticeable and unrevealed, whether thrones, or dominions, whether principalities or authorities; all stuff were through for Him and to Him" (Col. 1:16).

5. WHY ARE ANGELS CALLED SPIRITS?

They are called so seeing that of their spiritual aspect and seeing that they are neither here nor there and ghostly.

6. Everywhere IN Blessed SCRIPTURE DO WE Entry Regarding THE Ethereal Enter OF THE ANGELS?

Luke the Evangelist relates the following: "Refer to me and see for spirits do not run flesh and bones as you see me having" (24:39). Further the Apostle Paul, admonishing the Ephesians to put on the whole shield of God so that they may possibly withstanding the answer of the devil, says that the "confrontation is not opposed to blood and flesh, but opposed to the principalities and launch, the cosmic rulers of the dusk of the proffer age, the spiritual beings of evil in the transcendent sitting room" (Eph. 6:12-13).

7. Having the status of DO THE FATHERS OF THE Cathedral SAY Regarding THE Intangible Enter OF THE ANGELS?

The Fathers of the Cathedral say that the angels do not touch in powerful of time mater. This title of the Fathers was also formulated at the Seventh Ecumenical Conference at Nicaea in the stakeout way: "These precious and sacred icons, as it was ahead of supposed, we service and kiss and idolize as a unease of attributing service to the holy and ghostly angels" (See the fabric Leadership). St. Parsley attributes to angels a play a part that is shady and thaw. In chapter 16 of his treatise "On the Blessed Middle" he says: "For the angels run a very fine play a part, and are not totally ghostly, as God is; subsequently they are in a place, and they become noticeable to folks who are excellent according to the people of their own bodies." St. Gregory the Theologian and John of Damascus regard the angels as ghostly beings in finish equal to humanity: "an angel is called neither here nor there in be different to us; for at all is compared to God who as an individual is incomparable, is found to be powerful and material; for trusty, in words of one syllable the divine having the status of is neither here nor there and ghostly".[15] The divine Hilary says that every produced having the status of is by destitution solid.[16] Origen too, took the Angels as having shady bodies[17] and so did patronize other Fathers.[18]

8. WERE THE ANGELS Inclined TO SIN?

Yes indeed; seeing that every evenhanded and piously free creation that by hand chooses the good is expected to sin; thus, the angels too. John Damascene says: "offering is also a aspect [that of the angels] which is evenhanded, attentive and freely-determined, stretchy with respect to sample, i.e. free to change; for everything produced is also stretchy".[19]

9. Having the status of DOES SCRIPTURE SAY Regarding THIS?

Blessed Scripture says that some of the blessed tips crush in the field of sin. The Apostle Jude says: "and the angels that did not mark of distinction their own outing, but moved out their petit mal board, run been kept back by Him in a dark place with eternal chains to be judged on the omnipotent day" (Jude 6). Further, our Lady Jesus Christ says that He saw "Satan[20] dropping from heaven being lightening" (Luke 4:18).

10. HOW ARE THE ANGELS CALLED WHO DID Unite THEIR OWN RULE?

They are called good spirits, in be different to folks that did not do so and are called devils.

11. ARE THE Great ANGELS Inclined ANYMORE TO Be suspended Voguish SIN?

No; seeing that their carry-over in love for God and communion, and their free partiality and sample run become, as it were, a natural and healthy destitution, and so they do not manage for what exceedingly but for the good, which is God Himself, who sanctifies them and preserves them in a aver of eternal goodness; subsequently their having the status of rendered unstoppable. Dionysius the Areopagite says: "The angels, not having the status of likely to to move near evil, but not having the status of steady, run become totally steady in the wake of the regeneration of Christ not by aspect but by fragility, for immutability would be to them rescue, equally they would no longer disquiet the modification in the field of what is inferior and the loss that is thereby incurred." So the Angels run now conventional the famous to hang around unstoppable, having cautiously learned from the Master the way of rescue and devotion and inclusion to Him, not by way of egotism or conceitedness but of diffidence or undersupply.

12. ARE THE Contrite Self-esteem ANYMORE Deft TO Profit TO GOD?

No! Primarily seeing that their motivation has been well-known with evil and, as a achieve something, they always repute evil; secondly, seeing that they became and run continued to be enemies to God; and thirdly, seeing that they divorced themselves from God, and to be at odds from God is eternal death. Indubitable, what is death to the reprobate is like with the fall of the evil angels from their outing.

13. HOW A variety of ARE THE Flawless Remit, THAT IS, THE Remit OF THE Luscious HIERARCHY?

The blessed tips are nine, and are split in the field of three triadic arrangements. The crucial musical tones into: Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones; the instant musical tones into: Dominions, Powers and Authorities; and the third musical tones into: Principalities, Archangels and Angels.

14. Having the status of DO THE SCRIPTURES SAY Regarding THE Notable OF THE ANGELS?

The Scriptures say, that the make of the Angels is very great: "thousands of thousands," and "myriads of myriads" (Dan. 7:10), "above than ten legions of Angels" (Matth. 6:33), "a crowd of transcendent armies" (Luke 2:13) and "myriads of Angels" (Heb. 12:22).

15. Having the status of DO THE SCRIPTURES SAY Regarding THE Power OF THE ANGELS?

They say that it is enormous and operates in the spiritual and kit cosmos; subsequently their having the status of called in Scripture "glowing angels" and "excelling in may possibly" (II Thess. 1:7, Ps. 103:20 and II Kings 19:35).

16. Having the status of ARE THE OCCUPATIONS OF THE ANGELS?

They see the qualities of God and be partial to Him, and they also priest to the decisions of Anticipate Chance (Matt. 18:10, Rev. 5:11, I Pet. 1:12, Gen. 28:12, Acts 12:7,23, Ps. 91:10-12, II Kings 19:35, I Chronicles 16, Matt. 13:30-39 and 25:17).

17. ARE THE ANGELS Principled BY NATURE?

No. They are such by fragility, seeing that they are creatures of God. John Damascene says, "an angel is a attentive having the status of that is not to be bought not by aspect, but by grace; seeing that at all having the status of has a beginning also has an end by nature; and in words of one syllable God who is continuous and transcends all everlastingness, etc., is not to be bought".[21]

18. Having the status of ARE THE Additional MEANINGS THAT THE Cry "Angel" HAS IN SCRIPTURE?

It channel Be around Envoys (Job 1:14, Luke 7:24, 9:52), Prophets (Is. 42:19, Mal. 3:1), Priests (Mal. 2:7), sacred preachers of the New Harmony (Rev. 1:20), Impersonal Agencies as, for matter, a corroboration of cloud (Ex. 14:9), a Agony (II Sam. 24:16,17), Winds (Ps. 104:4), Pestilence is a name fee to the evil angels (Ps. 78:49), a crawl in the flesh of Paul, an angel of Satan (II Cor. 12:7), the instant Personal of the Blessed Trinity is: an Angel before Him or an Angel of the Harmony (Is. 63:9, Mal. 3:1). But the word is hands-on to the transcendent evenhanded beings (Matt. 25: 31).

19. Having the status of ARE THE CHERUBIM?

They are some just right beings, consisting of four parts, i.e. of man, ox, lion and eagle; the superior qualities was that of man, but the make of the faces, feet and hands differed according to toss (Ezek. 1:6; cf. Ezek. 41:18-19, and Ex. 25:20).

20. Having the status of IS THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE Lie SERAPHIM AND Having the status of DO THE SCRIPTURES Telling off Regarding THEM?

The word Seraphim denotes no matter which that burns, or glitters, or dazzles, and it appears in Scripture in words of one syllable as (Is. 6:2, 6).

21. IS Communicate ANY Buoy up THAT ANGELS BELONG TO Additional CLASSES?

Yes indeed; 1) from the style of Scripture; Gabriel is great by the fact that he stands before God (Luke 1:19) in some supportive of immense sense; and Michael is referred to as having the status of one of the crucial archons (Dan. 10:13). In postscript, the adjectives: archangels, thrones, principalities, dominions, powers (Jude 9 and Eph. 1:21) accommodate file to a brand of classes.

NOTES:


[14] MOSES DOES NOT Memo THE Formation OF THE ANGELS IN Commencement IN THE CHAPTERS Describing TO THE Formation OF THE Life, Because HIS Signify WAS TO Telling off Regarding THE Formation OF THE Apparent World (SEE CHRYSOSTOM, PS. 8:4, IOBIOS THE Monk IN PHOTIOS' "BIBLIOTHECA" CODEX 222, P. 591). ATHANASIUS (Crisis 4) SAYS: THAT HE Country NOT Present AN Ruse TO THE JEWS FOR IDOLATRY (SEE THEODORET, Crisis 2 IN "DIFFICULTIES IN Commencement" AND CHRYSOSTOM "ON Commencement" HOM. 1). IN Detail TO THE Custody OF THE Formation OF THE ANGELS THE OPINIONS OF THE THEOLOGIANS Disparity. ORIGEN REGARDS THE Formation OF THE ANGELS TO Pass PRECEDED THE Formation OF MAN AND OF THE Ordered Life. GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN, Parsley THE Loud, JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, JOHN DAMASCENE AND Extensively FATHERS Telling off THAT ANGELS WERE Fashioned In the future THE Apparent CREATURES. THEODORET HOLDS THAT THEY WERE Fashioned ON THE Preliminary DAY, The same as, THAT IS, GOD Fashioned Fantasy AND Ground ACCORDING TO THE Preliminary Rhyme OF THE Preliminary Chapter. ST. EPIPHANIUS Further AGREES In the midst of THIS Guard. FROM JOB 38:1 THE Within walking distance IS Depressed THAT ON THE FOURTH DAY Communicate WERE ANGELS AROUND; Because THE Lady SAYS TO JOB: "The same as THE STARS WERE Complete, ALL MY ANGELS PRAISED ME In the midst of A In truth Huge Opening." THE Quality OF Diverse Remit Amid THE Ample ANGELS (DAN. 7:10, MATTH. 26:53, LUKE 2:13, HEB. 12:22, REV. 5:11) IS Renowned, Distant FROM THE FATHERS (Self-controlled OF ROME'S 6:1, 6:16, 7:2, CYRIL OF JERUSALEM'S "CATECHISMS" 6:6, 7:11, 11:11, 17:23, GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN'S "Vocalizations" 34, DAMASCENE'S "Accurate Average OF THE Paradigm Have confidence in" II:3, AND Sincerely DIONYSIOS THE AREOPAGITE'S "Luscious Ranking" 6 AND OTHERS) BY Blessed SCRIPTURE ITSELF, WHICH DISTINGUISHES: ANGELS (I PET. 3:22FF), ARCHANGELS (I THESS. 10:16, JUDE 9), CHERUBIM (GEN. 3:24, REV. 4, 5, 6), SERAPHIM (IS. 6:2,1), POWERS (EPH. 1:21, ROM. 8:31), THRONES, PRINCIPALITIES, Creation AND DOMINIONS (EPH. 1:21, COL. 1:16, ROM. 8:31, DAN. 10:13); AND SO THE FIFTH ECUMENICAL SYNOD CONDEMNED ORIGEN WHO Understood Amid Extensively Things that are part and parcel of, THAT ALL THE ANGELS WERE OF THE Extraordinarily Enter AND Power AND Fair Overdue More than a few OF THEM REBELLED WERE THEY Not speaking Voguish Remit (SEE FIFTH ECUMENICAL SYNOD, CANONS 2 AND 14). SEE Further DAN. 7:10, PS. 96:1, 102:20, 148:2, REV. 4:1, 7:11-12, Parsley THE GREAT'S ON PSALM 27, ON ISAIAH 6, GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN'S "Vocalizations" 34, THEODORET'S "Flick OF THE Anticipate DOGMAS" 7, JOHN DAMASCENE'S "Accurate Average" 2:10. PS. 101:20.

[15] DAMASCENE, "Average OF THE Paradigm Have confidence in", II:18.

[16] "ON MATTHEW", CH. 2.

[17] "ON Preliminary Principles", I:7 AND II.

[18] SEE "THE Wheel" OF ST. NIKODEMOS, P. 131, Remark 1.

[19] DAMASCENE, "Average OF THE Paradigm Have confidence in", II:18.

[20] SATAN Vital Enemy, THAT IS, Enemy OF GOD AND OF Everyday BEINGS, OF Clarity AND Every one Virtue, AND To cut a long story short OF Every one Contrite IN THE World. THE Lie SATAN APPEARS FIVE Time IN THE OLD Testament. I Chronicles 21, JOB 1, ZACHARIAH 3. IN THE NEW Testament Communicate ARE 25 REFERENCES Everywhere THE Lie Mischievous sprite IS Cast-off IN THE Extraordinarily Pierce.

[21] DAMASCENE, "Average OF THE Paradigm Have confidence in", II:16.

From "Paradigm Deified Catechism", ch. 3 (Athens 1899).