Role of Fallen Angels in Genesis and Early Judaism
The concept of fallen angels in Genesis and early Judaism is primarily understood through interpretations of specific biblical passages, particularly Genesis 6:1-4, and later elaborations in Jewish tradition. While the term "angel" generally refers to a messenger or agent of God [1, 3], some angels are depicted as having rebelled or "fallen" from their original state.
The Epistle of Jude is a key New Testament text that speaks of "angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place" and are now "kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day" [2]. This passage is often understood to refer to the fall of Satan and his angelic followers [8]. However, some interpretations, particularly within early Jewish tradition, connect this verse to the "sons of God" mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4 [8].
Genesis 6:1-4 describes "the sons of God" taking "daughters of man" as wives, leading to the birth of the Nephilim. In Jewish tradition, these "sons of God" were often understood to be wicked angels whose intercourse with human women was the cause of their judgment [8]. This interpretation is found in texts like 1 Enoch, which Jude directly quotes later in his epistle [8]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary also suggests that Jude 1:6 might allude to the narrative in Genesis 6:2, noting the similarity with the "giving themselves over to fornication" mentioned in Jude 1:7 [10].
The idea of angels having a "first estate" or "principality" from which they fell suggests that they were created with a specific rank and purpose, which they abandoned [10]. The name "Michael," for example, means "Who is like God?" and he is identified as an archangel, a high rank among angels [6, 9]. The Bible names only two angels: Gabriel and Michael [4, 5]. Gabriel, whose name means "man of God," appeared to Daniel and later to Zacharias and Mary [7, 4, 5]. Michael is described as "one of the chief princes" and the "champion angel of Israel" [9].
While the Old Testament does not explicitly detail the fall of angels in the same way the New Testament does, the concept of spiritual beings who rebelled against God's order was present in early Jewish thought, influencing later biblical writers like Jude [8].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Angel — A word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of prophets (Isa. 42:19; Hag. 1:13), of priests (Mal. 2:7), and ministers of the New Testament (Rev. 1:20). It is also applied to such impersonal agents as the pestilence (2 Sam. 24:16, 17; 2 Kings 19:35), the wind (Ps. 104:4). But its distinctive application is to certain heavenly intelligences whom God employs in carrying on his government”
- Jude “Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. -- Jude 1:6”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Angels — By the word "angels" (i.e. "messengers" of God) we ordinarily understand a race of spiritual beings of a nature exalted far above that of man, although infinitely removed from that of God--whose office is "to do him service in heaven, and by his appointment to succor and defend men on earth. I. Scriptural use of the word .--There are many passages in which the expression "angel of God" is certainly used for a manifestation of God himself (Genesis 22:11) with Genesis 22:12 and Exod 3:2 with Exod 3:6 and Exod 3:14 It is to be observed, also, that side by side w”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 1:19: 1:19 I am Gabriel! Two angels are named in Scripture: Gabriel (Dan 8:16; 9:21) and Michael (Dan 10:13; 12:1; Jude 1:9; Rev 12:7).”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 1:19: And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel,.... The name of an angel well known to Zacharias from Daniel's prophecies, Dan 8:16 and is the first time we read of the name of an angel: the Jews say (a), the names of angels came out of Babylon, by the means of the Israelites; and it was there that Daniel became acquainted with this name of Gabriel, and also of Michael. Frequent mention is made of Gabriel in the Jewish writings (b): were there a particular angel appointed over conception, as the Jews say (c) there is, one would be ready to think it should be Gabri”
- Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 1:9: 1:9 Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels: In Jewish tradition, “archangel” was the highest rank of angel (see also 1 Thes 4:16). Michael is mentioned several other times in Scripture (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; Rev 12:7); the story about him fighting with the devil about Moses’ body is not in the Old Testament but is preserved in Jewish tradition (see Assumption of Moses).”
- Daniel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Daniel 8:15: 8:15-16 The name Gabriel means “man of God”; he appeared like a man to Daniel (see also 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26).”
- Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 1:6: 1:6 The angels might refer to the fall of Satan and his angelic followers, but no Old Testament passage clearly describes this event (see study notes on Isa 14:12-17; Ezek 28:12-19). Jude was probably referring to Gen 6:1-4; Jewish tradition understood the “sons of God” in Gen 6 to be wicked angels and viewed their intercourse with women as the cause of their judgment (see 1 Enoch 6–10; see also study notes on 1 Pet 3:19-20; 2 Pet 2:4). Jude later (Jude 1:14-15) quotes directly from 1 Enoch.”
- Jude (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jude 1:9: Michael, the archangel--Nowhere in Scripture is the plural used, "archangels"; but only ONE, "archangel." The only other passage in the New Testament where it occurs, is Th1 4:16, where Christ is distinguished from the archangel, with whose voice He shall descend to raise the dead; they therefore err who confound Christ with Michael. The name means, Who is like God? In Dan 10:13 he is called "One ('the first,' Margin) of the chief princes." He is the champion angel of Israel. In Rev 12:7 the conflict between Michael and Satan is again alluded to. about ”
- Jude (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jude 1:6: (Pe2 2:4.) kept not their first estate--Vulgate translates, "their own principality," which the fact of angels being elsewhere called "principalities," favors: "their own" implies that, instead of being content with the dignity once for all assigned to them under the Son of God, they aspired higher. ALFORD thinks the narrative in Gen 6:2 is alluded to, not the fall of the devil and his angels, as he thinks "giving themselves over to fornication" (Jde 1:7) proves; compare Greek, "in like manner to these," namely, to the angels (Jde 1:6). It seems to me m”