ANCIENT OF DAYS

ANCIENT OF DAYS occurs 3 times in Daniel (7*' u. 22) as a title of God in His capacity as Judge of the world. In the Vision of the Great Assizes He is depicted as a very old and majestic figure, with white hair and white raiment, seated on a fiery throne, and having the books ot the records of man opened before Him. The picture is no doubt suggested by the contrast between the Eternal God (Ps 55") and the new-fangled deities which were from time to time introduced (Jg 5', Dt 32"), rather than, as Hippolytus (quoted by Behr-mann, Das Buck Danid, p. 46) suggests, by the idea of God as making the ages old without turning old Himself. In the troublous times which are represented by the Book of Daniel, It was at once a comfort and a warning to remember that above the fieeting phases of life there sat One who remained eternally the same (Ps 901-' 102«-"). At the same time it is worth re-membering that the phrase in itself has no mystical significance, but, by an idiom common in Hebrew as in other languages, is merely a paraphrase for 'an old man.' H. C. O. Lanohesteb.

ANDREW.— One of the twelve Apostles, Simon Peter's brother (Jn 1"). He belonged to Bethsaida of GaUlee (v."), the harbour-town of Capernaum (see Bethsaida), and was a fisherman on the lake in com-pany with Simon (Mt 4i8=Mk 1"), whose home he also shared (Mk l^s). Ere he knew Jesus he had been influenced by the preaching of John the Baptist, and became his disciple, and it was on hearing the Baptist's testimony that he attached himself to Jesus (Jn l^-*"). He brought his brother Simon to the newly found Messiah (v."), thus earning the distinction of being the first missionary of the Kingdom of heaven; and it seems that, like the favoured three, he enjoyed a special intimacy with the Master (Mk 13'). Tradition adds that he was crucified at Patrae in Achaia, and hung alive on the cross for two days, exhorting the spectators all the while. David Smith.

ANDRONICUS.— A Christian greeted by St. Paul (Ro 16') as a 'kinsman,' i.e. as a fellow-countryman (cf. H.0 9' 16"- 21), who had been imprisoned for Christ; distinguished as an Apostle (in the largest sense of the name), and a believer from early days, having perhaps come to Rome after the persecution of Ac 11").

A. J. Maclean.

ANEM (1 Ch 6" only). — A town of Issachar, noticed with Ramoth. It appears to answer to En-gazmim (wh. see) in the parallel Ust (Jos 212').

ANER. — 1. One of the three Amorite chieftains, the other two being Mamre.'and Eshcol, who were in covenant with Abraham (Gn W^- '*). As Mamre is an old name for Hebron (Gn 232), and Eshcol is the name of a valley not far from Hebron (Nu 1323), it is natural to suppose that Aner also was the name of a locality which gave its name to a clan. 2. (1 Ch 6'" only). — A town of Manasseh, west of Jordan. The site is doubtful.

ANGEL. — 1 . Old Testament.— That in the OT the ex-istence of angels is taken for granted, and that therefore no account ot their origin is given, is to be explained by the fact that belief in them is based upon an earlier Animism,* such as is common to all races in the pre-polytheistic stage ot culture. The whole material for the development ot Israelite angelology was at hand ready to be used. It must therefore not cause surprise if we find that in its earlier stages the differentiation between Jahweh and angels should be one of degree rather than of kind (see Angel of the Lohd). This is clearly brought out in the earUest of the Biblical documents (J), e.g. in Gn 18; here Jahweh is one of three who are represented as companions, Jahweh taking the leading position, though equal honour is shown to all ; that the two men with Jahweh are angels is directly asserted in 19', where we are told that they

* This view is supported by the various names in the OT for angels, and their varied functions (see below).

ANGEL

went to Sodom, after it had been said in 18" that Jahweh 'went his way.' Moreover, Jahweh's original identity with an angel, according to the early Hebrew conception, is distinctly seen by comparing, for example, such la passage as Ex 3^ with v.'; in the former it Is the 'angel of the Lord' who appears in the burning bush, in the latter it is God; there is, furthermore, direct Identification in Gn IB'"- " 21"«- In the earUest document in which angels are mentioned (J) they appear only by twos or threes, in the later docu-ment (E) they appear in greater numbers (Gn 28" 32' ■ '); this is just what is to be expected, for J, the earlier document, represents Jahweh in a less exalted form, who Himself comes down to earth, and personally carries out His purposes; by degrees, however, more exalted conceptions of Him obtain, especially as the conception of His characteristic of holiness becomes reaUzed, so that His presence among men comes to appear incongruous and unfitting, and His activity is delegated to His messengers or angels (see Anqel

OF THE LOKD).

(a) The English word 'angel' is too specific for the Hebrew (mal'akh) for which it is the usual equivalent ; for in the Hebrew it is used in reference to men {e.g. Gn 32* W, Dt 22«, Jg 6», Is 33', Mai 1'), as weU as to superhuman beings. Besides the word mal'akh there are several other expressions used for what would come under the category of angels, viz.: 'sons of God' (.bene 'elohim),* Gn 6'- *; 'sons of the mighty' (bene 'elim), Ps 89' »> 29'; 'mighty ones' (gibborim), Jl 4" (3" EV); 'the holy ones' (qedoshim). Zee 14'; 'keepers' (shBmerim), Is 62=; 'watchers' ('irim), Dn 4" ("). There are also the three expressions: 'the host of Jahweh' (zeba' Jahweh), Jos 5"; 'the host of the height' (zeba' marom). Is 24^'; 'the host of heaven' (zeba' shamaim), Dt 17' (see also Cherubim, Sehaphim).

(6) Angels are represented as appearing in human form, and as having many human characteristics: they speak like men (1 K ig'); they eat (Gn 18«); they fight (Gn 32', Jl 4" (3»), cf. 2 S 5"); they possess wisdom, with which that of men is compared (2 S 14"- 20) ; they have imperfections (Job 4'*). On the other hand, they can become Invisible (2 K 6", Ps 104'), and they can fly, it, as appears to be the case, seraphim are to be included under the category of angels (Is 6').

(c) The functions ot angels may be briefly summarized thus: they guide men, e.g. an angel guides the children of Israel on their way to the promised land (Ex 232™-, see below), and it is by the guidance of an angel that Abraham's servant goes in quest of a wife for Isaac (Gn 24'- <»); in Job 3323 an angel guides a man in what is right ;t they are more especially the guides of the prophets (1 K 13" IQ'"-, 2 K l'- '», Zee 1»); they bring evil and destruction upon men (2 S 24i»- ", 2 K 19^, Ps 35« 78", Job 3322; in Pr 16" the wrath of a king is Ukened to angels of death) ; on the other hand, they are the protectors of men (Ps 34' W 91»), and save them from destruction (Gn IG'""); their power is super-human (2 K 6", t cf. Zee 12'); they report to God what is going on upon the earth (Job 1^ 2'), for which purpose they are represented as riding on horseback (Zee l'-'", cf. Ps 18" u°). Is 191 5); their chief duty above is that of praising God (Gn 28", Ps 1032»). AngeUc beings seem to be referred to as 'watchmen' in Is 62' and Dn 4" ("). An early mythological element regarding angels is perhaps re-echoed in such passages as Jg 52°, Is 402'- 26, and elsewhere.

(d) In Ezekiel, angels, under this designation, are never mentioned, though the angelology of this book

* Cf. the analogous expression 'sons of the prophets' (bene nebi'im).

t The word used in this passage is not the usual one for angel, though its sense of messenger' (mellz) is the same as that of mal'dkh.

X Though not specifically stated, angels are obviously referred to here.

5 Cf . the WalkuTe in Teutonic mythology.

31