Topical Bible: Angel (A Spirit): Functions of Ministers to Jesus During his Passion

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In the biblical narrative, angels are depicted as spiritual beings created by God to serve as His messengers and ministers. Throughout Scripture, they fulfill various roles, including delivering divine messages, executing God's judgments, and providing guidance and protection to believers. One of the most profound roles of angels is their ministry to Jesus Christ, particularly during His Passion—the period encompassing His suffering, crucifixion, and death.

Ministry in the Garden of Gethsemane

The Gospel of Luke provides a poignant account of angelic ministry to Jesus during His time of deep anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. As Jesus prayed fervently, anticipating the suffering He was about to endure, an angel appeared to Him to provide strength and comfort. Luke 22:43 states, "Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him." This angelic presence underscores the divine support and encouragement provided to Jesus in His moment of profound human vulnerability and distress.

Significance of Angelic Support

The angel's ministry to Jesus in Gethsemane highlights several key theological themes. Firstly, it emphasizes the full humanity of Jesus, who, despite being divine, experienced genuine human emotions and physical weakness. The angel's strengthening presence serves as a testament to the Father's care and provision for His Son, even as Jesus faced the impending crucifixion.

Secondly, the angelic intervention illustrates the spiritual reality of Jesus' mission. While His suffering was to be borne in the physical realm, the support from an angelic being signifies the heavenly acknowledgment and endorsement of His redemptive work. It serves as a reminder of the spiritual warfare surrounding the events of the Passion, with angels playing a crucial role in the divine plan of salvation.

Role in the Resurrection

While not directly related to the Passion, it is worth noting the role of angels in the events immediately following Jesus' crucifixion. Angels were present at the tomb, announcing the resurrection to the women who came to anoint Jesus' body. Matthew 28:2-6 describes an angel of the Lord who rolled back the stone and proclaimed, "He is not here; He has risen, just as He said." This angelic announcement marked the triumph of Jesus over death and the fulfillment of His redemptive mission.

Conclusion

The ministry of angels to Jesus during His Passion serves as a profound testament to the divine orchestration and support of His sacrificial work. Through their presence and actions, angels provided strength, comfort, and affirmation of Jesus' mission, highlighting the intersection of the heavenly and earthly realms in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. As spiritual beings, angels continue to serve as messengers and ministers, pointing believers to the hope and victory found in Christ's Passion and resurrection.

Nave's Topical Index

Luke 22:43
And there appeared an angel to him from heaven, strengthening him.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem.
... it was formerly called a demon, or angel of Satan ... that sex can exist without the
functions of the ... our mortal bodies on account of His Spirit Who dwelleth in us. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/to pammachius against john of.htm

The Form of Concord. AD 1577.
... who taught otherwise, though he were an angel from heaven. ... It is characteristic of
the spirit of the age ... use of the divine attributes and functions, except in ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 45 the form of.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... also, who strive to discharge earthly functions are eager ... The angel reveals and
manifests and certifies that our ... at the descent of the Spirit; whereas others ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... Christ in the flesh is a virgin, in the spirit he is ... he saw a great vision and heard
an angel, or the ... of the body and in a place of darkness, Jesus entered the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire ...
... writer of these sacred books, or rather the Spirit of God ... and unless a bishop, who
is the angel [the second ... But the person of him who ministers is clearly not ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period ii the church from.htm

Period I: the Imperial State Church of the Undivided Empire, or ...
... the property which is liable to the functions of swineherd ... womb of the Virgin Mary,
as the angel announced. ... Now the Paraclete, or the Spirit, is through the Son ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period i the imperial state.htm

Tendencies of Religious Thought in England, 1688-1750.
... God; if it be not, though an angel should bring it ... Nothing of the wild spirit of
universal negation which was ... in the case of the resurrection of Jesus, or not ...
/.../tendencies of religious thought in.htm

Introduction to Oration ii.
... virtue and nearness to God, performing the functions of the ... Such was Paul, and everyone
of like spirit with him ... Joshua which he puts into the angel's mouth, let ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/introduction to oration ii.htm

part i
... of mankind, angels of consolation, instruments or ministers of the ... "Thy labour is
in vain, thou fallen angel, I am ... Say thus mentally to the evil spirit, as he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

A Traveler's Note-Book
... purity"is the root of the religion of Jesus, the blessedness ... in heart; the warfare
of Paul, the spirit against the ... who should be a friend, but hides his face ...
/.../merriam/the chief end of man/iii a travelers note-book.htm