Texts in Conversation
1 Enoch 40 describes four angels with roles such as interceding and restraining adversaries. The Testament of Benjamin also refers to angels with similar functions, following Jewish traditions that expanded and added details to angelic traditions.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Enoch 40:8
Pseudepigrapha
6 The third voice I heard praying and interceding for those who dwell on the earth and making requests in the name of the Lord of Spirits. 7 The fourth voice I heard fending off the Satans, forbidding them to come before the Lord of Spirits to accuse those who dwell on the earth. 8 After that I asked the angel of peace who went with me, who showed me everything that is hidden: 'Who are these four presences I have seen, whose words I have heard and written down?'
Testament of Benjamin 6:2
Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
Pseudepigrapha
1 The inclination of the good man is not in the power of the deception of the spirit of Beliar, for the angel of peace guides his soul. 2 He does not gaze with passion on perishable things, nor pile up riches out of a desire for pleasure. 3 He takes no delight in self-indulgence, he does not bring grief to his neighbor, he does not stuff himself with luxuries, he does not go astray through the lifting of his eyes, for the Lord is his portion. 4 The good inclination receives neither glory nor dishonor from people, and it knows no cunning, no lie, no fighting, and no insults, for the Lord dwells in him and lights up his soul, and he always rejoices toward everyone.
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Notes and References
"... Michael has a specific connection to trees and medicine. Thus he teaches agriculture in Vita 22:2; reveals the fruits of the tree to be eaten in the future by the righteous in 1 Enoch 25, and is one of the four who plant the trees in paradise in 3 Baruch 4:7; he helps Eve (together with other angels) to give birth to Cain ... Perhaps the archangel in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is originally connected with Michael who is portrayed as blowing the trumpet to call to judgment (Apocalypse of Moses 22:1). The 'angel of peace' Compare Testament of Dan 6:1-5; Testament of Asher 6:5; Testament of Benjamin 6:1) identifies the four faces with the four archangels (l Enoch 40:8), i.e., he himself is not to be confused with Michael. The 'interceding angel' (1 Enoch 89:76; 90:14; Testament of Levi 5:6) could well be Michael, but he is not called so, although there are some resemblances: e.g. in Testament of Asher 6:5, entering into, eternal life, or the dualism with 'Belial' in Testament of Benjamin 6:1 ..."
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