Hermes Trismegistus

Trismegistus, ī, m. (τριςμέγιστος), der überaus Große, Beiwort eines Hermes (Merkur), der bei den Ägyptern in alten Zeiten ein Gesetzgeber gewesen sein u. vieles geschrieben haben soll, Lact. 1, 6, 3 u. 6, 25, 10. – Dav. Trismegisticus, a, um, trismegistisch, des Trismegistus, praecepta, Longin. in Augustin. epist. 234, 1.

ἄγγελος, ου, ὁ (Hom.+) ‘messenger’.

① a human messenger serving as an envoy, an envoy, one who is sent

ⓐ by humans (Hom.+; ins, pap; Gen 32:4, 7; Jdth 1:11; 3:1; 1 Macc 1:44; 7:10; Jos., Ant. 14, 451, Vi. 89): in his earthly ministry Jesus ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους (Diod S 2,18,1 the king of India to Semiramis; 4, 65, 4) Lk 9:52; of John the Baptist’s disciples 7:24; of Joshua’s scouts Js 2:25 (cp. Josh 7:22).

ⓑ by God (prophets Hg 1:13; Mal subscr.; a priest Mal 2:7.—1 Esdr 1:48f. S. also Theognis 1, 769, where the poet is Μουσέων ἄγγελος; Epict. 3, 22, 23; 38; Ael. Aristid. 37 K.=1 p. 15 D.; Maximus Tyr. 11, 9c Plato, as the one who brings us information about God, is called ὁ ἐξ Ἀκαδημίας ἄγγ.; Oenomaus in Eus., PE 5, 20, 3; 5 Carnus the soothsayer is ἄγγ. of the gods) of John the Baptist as forerunner Mt 11:10; Mk 1:2; Lk 7:27 (all Mal 3:1; cp. Ex 23:20).

② a transcendent power who carries out various missions or tasks, messenger, angel (ἄ. as a spirit-being, oft. connected w. the nether world in Gr-Rom. sources [EZiebarth, Neue attische Fluchtafeln: NGG 1899, 127ff no. 24; IG XII/3, 933–74. Other material in Dibelius, Geisterwelt 209ff. S. also the oracles: Theosophien 13 p. 169, 31; Ps.-Callisth. 1, 1, 3 ἐπεκαλεῖτο τοὺς ἀγγέλους καὶ θεὸν Ἄμμωνα; 2, 25, 1; Porphyr., Ad Marcellam 21 ἄγγελοι θεῖοί τε κ. ἀγαθοὶ δαίμονες; Hierocles 3, 424; 23, 468.—ἄ. w. θεοί and δαίμονες Damascius (V/VI A.D.) 183 Ruelle; ἄ. w. δαίμονες and ἥρωες Proclus, Rep. II 243 Kroll, Tim. III 109 Diehl.—FCumont, RHR 72, 1915, 159–82; FAndres, D. Engellehre d. griech. Apologeten 1914 and in Pauly-W. Suppl. III 1918, 101ff; Rtzst., Myst. 171, 2; Bousset, ARW 18, 1915, 170ff] and as a transcendent power in Judaism [LXX; En 10:7; 20:1; 99:3 al.; Essenes in Jos., Bell. 2, 142; Philo, cp. Schürer III 881–85 (on Philo) w. lit.; Joseph.; Test12Patr; prayers for vengeance fr. Rheneia (I B.C.) 9f κύριε ὁ πάντα ἐφορῶν καὶ οἱ ἄνγελοι θεοῦ; on this Dssm. LO 353f; 357=LAE 414; 418f; SIG 1181 w. note 2; PFouad 203, 3f (I A.D.); on this PBenoit, RB 58, ’51, 549–65; PKatz, TZ 10, ’54, 228–31. Loanw. in rabb.—Bousset, Rel. 320ff; J-BFrey, L’Angélologie juive au temps de J-Chr.: RSPT 5, 1911, 75–110; HKuhn, JBL 67, ’48, 217–32 Jewish apocalypses], likewise in the magical pap, w. their mixture of gentile and Jewish infl. [PGM 1, 76 an ἄ. as a star fr. heaven; 4, 570ff; 998; 1112; 13, 329; 585; 609; 744]. Cp. the ins APF 3, 1906, 445 no. 67; 451 no. 94. The more common term in polytheistic lit. for beings intermediate between gods and humans is δαίμων [q.v.], which monotheistic writers reserved for reference to a realm hostile to God’s interests, while retaining the term ἄ. for intermediate beings, either those loyal to God or those in rebellion [s. c].)

ⓐ as messengers of God, angels (LXX; Philo, Somn. 1, 190; transcendent messengers of the gods in Hom. are not intermediate beings. Yet the description of Hermes, the κῆρυξ τῶν θεῶν, as their ἄγγελος ἄριστος [Diod S 5, 75, 2] may have made it easier for Gr-Romans in general to understand ἄ. as God’s heavenly messenger; cp. the messenger of the god Men: EA 18, ’91 p. 92f, no. 2, 5f [lit.]) mostly w. gen.: κυρίου (Gen 16:10f al.) Mt 1:20; 2:13, 19; Lk 1:11; 2:9; Ac 5:19; 12:7, 23. τοῦ θεοῦ (Gen 31:11; 32:2 al.; Philo, Deus Imm. 1; Jos., Bell. 5, 388) Lk 12:8f; 15:10; J 1:51 (HWindisch, ZNW 30, ’31, 215–33; also s. below on Lk. 2:15). ἄ. θεοῦ (Gen 21:17 A; Judg 13:6 B; Jos., Ant. 1, 73; Orig., C. Cels. 8, 31, 18) Gal 4:14; Hb 1:6 (Ps 96:7; Dt 32:43); 1 Cl 29:2 (Dt 32:8). Abs. (Num 20:16; Judg 13:11; Tob 6:4ff al.) Lk 1:13, 18, 38; 2:10, 13, 15, 21; J 20:12; Ac 7:53; 1 Ti 3:16; 1 Pt 1:12 (in wordplay on the superiority of human beings to angels s. Sextus 32; on their status and classification s. also Orig., C. Cels. 4, 29, 16) al. ἅγιοι ἄ. (PGM 4, 1934, 1938) Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26; Ac 10:22; Rv 14:10; 1 Cl 39:7 (Job 5:1); Hv 2, 2, 7; ἐκλεκτοὶ ἄ. 1 Ti 5:21 (ἄ. as witnesses so TestLevi 19:3 and SIG 1181, 10=Dssm. LO 351–62 [LAE 413–24]; cp. Jos., Bell. 2, 401); ἄ. ἰσχυρός (cp. Da 4:13; Ps 102:20) Rv 5:2; 18:21. Their abode is heaven, and so they are ἄ. τῶν οὐρανῶν Mt 24:36 (unless οὐρ.=θεοῦ); ἄ. ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς Mk 12:25; ἄ. ἐν οὐρανῷ 13:32; ἄ. ἐξ οὐρανοῦ Gal 1:8, cp. Mt 22:30; 28:2; Lk 22:43. They return to heaven when they have fulfilled their mission on earth 2:15. Hence ἄ. φωτός (cp. SJCh 78, 17) 2 Cor 11:14; ἄ. φωταγωγοί B 18:1. There the good are united w. them after death Hv 2, 2, 7; Hs 9, 27, 3. They appear in dazzling light Lk 2:9; Ac 7:30 (Ex 3:2); ISm 6:1; cp. the ‘shining face’ of Ac 6:15; or in white garments J 20:12; cp. Mt 28:3; Lk 24:4. Called πνεύματα Hb 1:7; 1 Cl 36:3 (both after Ps 103:4). πνεύματα λειτουργικά serving spirits Hb 1:14. Their voice is like thunder J 12:29; γλῶσσαι τῶν ἀ. language of angels 1 Cor 13:1 (after the analogy of the languages of the gods, Plato in Clem. Al., Strom. 1, 143; cp. 2 Cor 12:4; Rv 14:2f; TestJob 48–50; GSteindorff, Apk. d. Elias: TU 17, 3a, 1899, 153). They bring messages fr. God to men Lk 1:11f; Mt 28:2ff, and were also active in the giving of the law νόμος διαταγεὶς διʼ ἀγγέλων Gal 3:19; cp. Ac 7:38, 53; Hb 2:2 (Jos., Ant. 15, 136 τῶν ἐν τοῖς νόμοις διʼ ἀγγέλων παρὰ τ. θεοῦ μαθόντων; cp. Did., Gen. 110, 15 κἂν γὰρ διὰ ὑπουργῶν ἀγγέλων ποιῇ ἃ βούλεται θεός). As guardian angels of individuals (Tob 5:6, 22; cp. PGM 1, 172ff; Ael. Aristid. 50, 57 K.=26 p. 519 D.: ὁ σὸς Ἑρμῆς ἐστιν, to whom Aristid. has been entrusted since his birth) Mt 18:10 (PBarry, ET 23, 1912, 182); Ac 12:15 (JMoulton, JTS 3, 1902, 514–27, ET 14, 1903, 5ff); Lk 4:10 (Ps 90:11); Hv 5:1f. They conduct the blessed dead into heaven Lk 16:22 (Hermes does this acc. to Pythag. [Diog. L. 8, 31]); instruct humans to do good Hv 3, 5, 4; δικαιοσύνης m 6, 2, 1 (ParJer 8:12); rejoice at the repentance of a sinner Lk 15:10; cp. the ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας Hm 12, 4, 7; 12, 6, 1 al. They preside over various realms ἄ. ὁ ἔχων ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρός Rv 14:18; ἄ. τῶν ὑδάτων 16:5; the four winds 7:1. God assigns them διακόσμησις γῆς Pa (4) (cp. ἄγγελοι ἐπὶ τῶν ἐξουσιῶν GrBar 12:3). An angel, Thegri, rules the animal world Hv 4, 2, 4 (Synes., Ep. 57 p. 192b δαίμονες as leaders of the grasshoppers). ἄ. τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ προφητικοῦ m 11:9; τὸν ἄ. τὸν τιμωρητήν Hs 7:6; cp. ὁ ἄ. ὁ μέγας Hs 8, 4, 1.—As creator of the world AcPlCor 1:15. On ἄ. τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν Rv 1:20, cp. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14 (on the textual problems associated w. these vss. s. RCharles, ICC Comm. 1920, I, clvii; clxf; II 244; RBorger, TRu 52, ’87, 42f) and s. on ἀστήρ.—Subordinate to Christ Mt 4:11; 13:41; 16:27; Hb 1:4ff (Ps 96:7; B-D-F §254, 2); 1 Pt 3:22; Rv 5:11f; glorify him J 1:51 (JFritsch “… videbitis … angelos Dei ascendentes …,” VD 37, ’59, 1–11). δώδεκα λεγιῶνας ἀ. Mt 26:53; μυριάσιν ἀ. Hb 12:22; cp. Rv 5:11. Seven principal angels (Tob 12:15) Rv 8:2, 6; 15:1, 6; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9 (GDix, The Seven Archangels and the Seven Spirits: JTS 28, 1927, 233–50). Six angels, created first, to whom the management of all creation is entrusted Hv 3, 4, 1. Angels at the Parousia Mt 24:31; 2 Th 1:7. Μιχαὴλ καὶ οἱ ἄ. αὐτοῦ Rv 12:7. Revered by people (Celsus 1, 26 Ἰουδαίους σέβειν ἀγγέλους; 5, 6) θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀ. worship of angels Col 2:18; λατρεύειν ἀγγέλοις as a sign of Jewish piety PtK 2 p. 14, 26=Clem. Al., Strom. 6, 41 p. 452, 9. Christ as σεμνότατος ἄ. Hv 5:2; m 5, 1, 7; cp. ὁ ἅγιος ἄ. Hs 5, 4, 4 v.l.; ὁ ἔνδοξος ἄ. Hs 5, 4, 4; 7:1ff; 8, 1, 2. ὁ ἄ. κυρίου Hs 7:5; 8, 1, 2ff; called Michael in Hs 8, 3, 3, where it is to be noted that Michael was the guardian angel of God’s people (WLueken, D. Erzengel Michael 1900; MDibelius, Hdb. exc. on Hs 5, 6, 8 p. 575f).

ⓑ intermediate beings gener., w. no ref. to their relation to God (opp. ἄνθρωποι; s. 2 above immediately before a) 1 Cor 4:9 (cp. TestJos 19:9 ἔχαιρον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ οἱ ἄγγελοι κ. οἱ ἄνθρωποι κ. πᾶσα ἡ γῆ).—Ro 8:38 ἄ. as serving spirit-powers seem to be differentiated fr. the ἀρχαί, who rule.

ⓒ evil spirits (Lactant., Inst. 2, 15, 8 daemonas Trismegistus ἀγγέλους πονηρούς appellat. Cp. also Job 1:6; 2:1; Philo, Gig. 16; TestAsh 6:4; PGM 4, 2701; αἱ πονηραὶ δυνάμεις, διάβολος καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ Did., Gen. 45, 5; ADieterich, Nekyia 1893, 60f) τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ Mt 25:41; cp. Rv 12:9. ὁ δράκων καὶ οἱ ἄ. αὐτοῦ vs. 7; ἄ. τῆς ἀβύσσου 9:11 (s. Ἀβαδδών); ἄ. πονηρός B 9:4; ἄ. τῆς πονηρίας in contrast to guardian angels Hm 6, 2, 1; ἄ. Σατανᾶ, which causes physical pain 2 Cor 12:7; esp. called ἄ. τρυφῆς καὶ ἀπάτης Hs 6, 2, 1f; leading men into evil B 18:1. Of the angels’ fall and their punishment (cp., in the opinion of many, Gen 6:2; En 6ff; 54; Book of Jubilees 5; SyrBar 56:13; LJung, Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian, and Mohammedan Lit. 1926; ALods, Congr. d’Hist. du Christ. I 29–54) ὁ θεὸς ἀγγέλων ἁμαρτησάντων οὐκ ἐφείσατο 2 Pt 2:4; ἀ. τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχήν who did not keep to their proper domain (s. ἀρχή 7) Jd 6. From the pass. already quoted above w. Gen. 6:2 (cp. also TestReub 5:3; Jos., Ant. 1, 73 ἄγγελοι θεοῦ γυναιξὶ συνιόντες; and polytheists’ concept of erotic desires of transcendent beings: HUsener, Weihnachtsfest² 1911, 74f; Rtzst., Poim. 228ff. Herr der Grösse 14f; and GJs 14:1) some conclude that the angels were subject to erotic desires; this is held to explain the regulation that women are to wear a veil in church services, since angels are present (cp. Origen, Orat. 31 and Ps 137:1 ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψαλῶ σοι) 1 Cor 11:10 (for another view and for the lit. s. ἐξουσία 7; s. also JFitzmyer, [Qumran angelology] NTS 4, ’57/58, 48–58; LJervis, JBL 112, ’93, 243–45: angels mediate God’s presence). In 6:3 οὐκ οἴδατε, ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν; it is not certain whether only fallen angels are meant; θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀ. worship of angels Col 2:18 polemicizes against what appears to be a type of gnostic reverence for angels. (On Qumran angelology s. Fitzmyer, cited above.)—OEverling, D. paulinische Angelologie u. Dämonologie 1888; Dibelius, Geisterwelt 1909; GKurze, D. Engels-u. Teufels-glaube d. Ap. Pls 1915; MJones, St Paul and the Angels: Exp. 8th ser., 16, 1921, 356–70; 412–25; EPeterson, D. Buch von den Engeln ’35; JMichl, D. Engelvorstellungen in Apk I ’37; ELangton, The Angel Teaching of the NT ’37; JBernardin, JBL 57, ’38, 273–79; ESchick, D. Botschaft der Engel im NT ’40; WMichaelis, Z. Engelchristol. im Urchristent. ’42; GHatzidakis, Ἄγγελος u. Verwandtes: SBWienAk 173, 1914.—B. 1486. DELG. DDD 81–96 (lit.). M-M. New Docs 5, 72f. TW. Sv.