How many archangels are there?

[historia]

Question for debate:

How many archangels are there?

[historia]

Archangel
Meaning “chief of the angels.” The prefix “arch” means “chief” or “principal.” This definition, coupled with the fact that “archangel” in the Bible is used only in the singular, indicates that there is just one archangel. The Bible gives the name of the archangel, identifying him as Michael. —Da 12:1; Jude 9; Re 12:7.

Okay, so, in citing Daniel 12:1, it seems this glossary understands that, when that verse calls Michael "the great prince" that "prince" essentially means "angel." There are even some LXX and other Greek manuscripts that render Dan. 12:1 as Michael "the great angel," ....

I don't read that to mean that the word "prince" and "angel" are synonyms

I'm not saying they are generally synonyms. I'm just noting that, in this particular context, Daniel is using the word "prince" to mean an angel.

Earlier in the text (10:20-21), for example, it says:

Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I am through with him, the prince of Greece will come. But I am to tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth. There is no one with me who contends against these princes except Michael, your prince."

In all of these cases, the author is not referring to literal human princes. He's using the term "prince" as a way of referring to angels (or 'demons' if they are evil).

That's why, when the LXX translates "the great prince" as "the great angel" in 12:1 it's just making plain what the text is saying implicitly. No?

[JehovahsWitness]

I'm not saying they are generally synonyms. I'm just noting that, in this particular context, Daniel is using the word "prince" to mean an angel.

.... He's using the term "prince" as a way of referring to angels (or 'demons' if they are evil).

Okay if you are just saying that in this context the individuals being referred to are NOT human but rather SPIRITS then ...yes. I agree, all of these individuals are spirit beings ie intelligent life forms invisible to humans. And evidently in the spirit realm there is "rank and position" with Almighty God YHWH occupying the supreme position as universal ruler and everbody else having various positions below Him.

Michael, for example is refered to as one of the foremost Princes (and you have already referred to the Prince of Persia) so certain spirits or angels* seem to have particular powers / authority and/or senority, ranking as "Princes". But how many of these high ranking spirits can be identified as occupying the position of "archangel"...as I said the indication seems to be just one.

* Angel means messenger (so a spirit that takes on the role of "messenger" can be referred to as an "angel") It's worth noting that while we colloquially use "spirits" and "angels" as synonyms, not all spirits are angels (messengers) and evidently not all angels are "Princes".

LXX: "the great" = "the principal /the chief/the sar (hebrew) "
+
LXX "angel" = (spirit) messenger

[historia]

I'm not saying they are generally synonyms. I'm just noting that, in this particular context, Daniel is using the word "prince" to mean an angel.

.... He's using the term "prince" as a way of referring to angels (or 'demons' if they are evil).

Okay if you are just saying that in this context the individuals being referred to are NOT human but rather SPIRITS then ...yes.

I'm not "just" saying they are "spirits."

And evidently in the spirit realm there is "rank and position" with Almighty God YHWH occupying the supreme position as universal ruler and everbody else having various positions below Him.

Yeah, it seems in this nomenclature one would refer to God as "king." So, "prince" isn't just any spirit, but an angel.

Angel means messenger (so a spirit that takes on the role of "messenger" can be referred to as an "angel")

Sure, that's true of human mesengers too. But, by the time we get to the books of the Second Temple period, including Daniel and the NT, "angel" has a narrower semantic meaning that reflects how we are using that term here.

Michael, for example is refered to as one of the foremost Princes (and you have already referred to the Prince of Persia) so certain spirits or angels* seem to have particular powers / authority and/or senority, ranking as "Princes". But how many of these high ranking spirits can be identified as occupying the position of "archangel"...

Just sticking with the text of Daniel, the author describes Michael as "one of the chief princes" (Daniel 10:13), which, in the way he's using this nomenclature, would mean one of the 'chief angels', which is essentially what 'archangel' entails, right?

[JehovahsWitness]

..
the author describes Michael as "one of the chief princes" (Daniel 10:13), which, in the way he's using this nomenclature, would mean one of the 'chief angels', which is essentially what 'archangel' entails, right?

I'm not sure that Prince and angels are absolute synonyms ; after all wouldn't that in Hebrew be written "sar of sars" (ie chief of chiefs ?) but I see where you're coming from.

Just sticking with the text of Daniel

Its wiser to take a wholistic approach which enables us to determine that the spirit world angels (as a class rather than a specific role or activity) are indeed essentially messenger spirits who are not all princes.

[tam]

Peace to you,

Question for debate:

How many archangels are there?

There are at least two archangels. We know Michael is one (Jude 1:9). But Michael is also described as being 'one of the chief princes' (Daniel 10:13), meaning there is more than one.


Peace again.

[historia]

the author describes Michael as "one of the chief princes" (Daniel 10:13), which, in the way he's using this nomenclature, would mean one of the 'chief angels', which is essentially what 'archangel' entails, right?

I'm not sure that Prince and angels are absolute synonyms

Nor does my argument depend on them being such.

after all wouldn't that in Hebrew be written "sar of sars" (ie chief of chiefs ?)

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If you wanted to say 'prince of princes' (or chief of chiefs), you could say sar sarim, as Daniel himself does earlier in the text at 8:25.

In 10:13, however, he's not describing a single ruler of the angels (as the expression 'prince of princes' might suggest), but rather a group of first-class or first-rank princes/angels, and so instead uses the adjective rishon, meaning 'first' (in rank).

That's also what arch- in archangel means: 'to be first' (in rank or power).

This is, I think, not coincidental: Daniel's description of Michael as "one of the chief princes" is likely the origin (or at least a major influence) in later descriptions of Michael and other named angels as archangels.

Its wiser to take a wholistic approach

I agree that we should look at this holistically, including looking at how Second Temple Jewish texts continued to develop this idea of a group of high angels.

Jude is clearly familiar with these texts, as he explicitly quotes from 1 Enoch (vv. 14-15), and his reference to the archangel Michael contending over the body of Moses (v. 9) is itself a reference to an intertestamental work called the Ascension of Moses.

[JehovahsWitness]

I agree that we should look at this holistically, including looking at how Second Temple Jewish texts continued to develop this idea of a group of high angels.

You'll get no argument from me as to there being a group of high angels but as to whether they all have been attributed the title of archangel , the fact remains that the specific term is attributed only once to a named individual. To read the Hebrew "one of the principal Princes" as "One of the principal angels" is more of a theological interpretation than a strict reading of the words written. That may or may not be justifiable depending on which text one uses to support one's position and how one interprets said text but I don't see that the existence of other "Princes" detracts from the unique authority of an Archangel any more than the existence of other " gods" detracts from YHWH's (Jehovah's) Godship.