A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 1 · Chapter 10 · Part 2
Of Metaphors taken from Angels.
THE Creatures of God are divided into invisible, and visible— The invisible are Spirits foreign, (asomatoi) without bodies, and by them we understand Angels, because being in their own nature incorporeal, they cannot be seen by humane Eyes— The visible are whatsoever things have an existence in this whole universe, whether they be simple or mixt bodies. There are Good, and Bad Angels, and from both; some, though not many metaphors are taken.
1. From the good Angels, some think that the Ministers of the Gospel are by a metaphor called Angels, Judg. 2.1. Hag. 1.13. Mal. 2.7. —3.1. Matth. 11.10. Mark. 1.2. Luk. 7.27. 1 Cor. 11.10. Rev. 1.20. and 2.1, 8, 12, 18. and 3.1, 7, 14. and hence not improperly imply an analogy, from the Holy Angels of God to the Prophets, and other Preachers of the Word. But the Hebrew word foreign (Maleac) and the Greek foreign, (Angelos) being an indifferent and common noun,They are called Cherubims from the Hebrew word Rabcabh to ride because the Lord rid betwixt them, Psal. 18.10. denoting any Messenger or Legate, it is better to understand that term properly, because Ministers of the Gospel are really, and not metaphorically Gods Ministers.
Exod. 28.14. The King of Tyrus, is called by a metaphor, the annointed, foreign (cherub) by which term Angels are called Gen. 3.24. and Ezek. 28.14. The covering cherub. As if God had said, as Angels amongst created things are by Nature and Ministry Commissioned by me for the protection of men, so thou (King of Tyrus) didst in thine own conceit and fancy Judge thy self. This metaphor alludes to Gen. 3.24. As Junius and Tremellius in their notes say— This is a most elegant description of that Royal Majesty, by comparing it to that Cherub, which was placed by God in the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3.24. For as an Angel was appointed to keep that Garden, and arm'd with that flaming Sword which turned every way, it was a terror to all, so thou King of Tyrus, since the Kingdom became thine, didst fancy thy self to equal the Angels of God in Glory. Some think it has respect to those Angelical figures placed in the Sanctuary, Exod. 25.20. covering the Mercy Seat. Riding upon a cherub is attributed to God, Psal. 18.10. 2 Sam. 22.11. When the speech is of Winds, Storms, Clouds and Tempests, to which this name is ascribed by reason of their vehement swiftness, and dreadful effects. The Chald. renders it— And he is revealed in his Magnificence upon most swift Cherubs, and he is led in strength upon the Wings of the Wind.
2. As to what respects evil Angels or Devils, Christ calls Peter Satan, when he would disswade him from suffering, Matth. 16.23. Mark 8.33. Get thee behind me Satan. Erasm. paraphrase.Some take this as a Noun appellative, and so foreign (Satan) signifies any adversary, as if Christ had said— Give over to contradict the Will of my Father: 'tis thy part to follow, not to go before. Now thou gainsayest, studying to hinder what will save mankind, what the Father will have done, and what becomes me to do. Thou desirest to be a partaker of the Kingdom, and yet thou hinderest me, that am hastning willingly to the Cross whereby it is to be purchased; where you see me go (viz. the Kingdom of Heaven) there you ought also to bend your course. Thou dost not yet savour of God, but led by humane affections, resist the Divine Will. Hinder me not therefore, thou unprofitable monitor, but follow behind me, and rather act the part of a Disciple then a Master. But because our Saviour uses not the Greek foreign, (antikeimenos) or foreign, (antidikos) which signifies an adversary or opposer, but the Hebrew or Syriack, Satan, by which always the Devil is understood in the New Testament, and Christ uses the same phrase to the Devil, Luke 4.8. it is more rightly said that Christ calls Peter, Satan by a metaphor, because in his opposition he acted the Devils part, in giving Satanical Counsel directly contrary to the Will of God— From whence Luther fairly infers this maxime, Tom. 4. lat. fol. 363.that whatsoever Peter, with the universal Colledge of Apostles speaks from his own sence (in Divine matters) and not by Divine Authority and Revelation (as ver. 16.17, 18.) is to be accounted Diabolical and Opposite to Christ— See 1 Cor. 3.11. — 16.22. Gal. 1.8, 9. 2 Pet. 1.19, 20. &c. And then he adds— That Christ in this passage with Peter and his Apostles, prefigured the future History of his whole Church, to wit, that there should be some true confessors of Christ, viz. Good Bishops and Martyrs, who should confess and Preach Christ the Son of the Living God purely, by the example of Peter speaking from the Revelation of the Father— But because the same Peter and the Apostles a little after savour of the Flesh, yea, and (as Christ says) become Satans, it signifies that after the Successors of the Apostles and good Bishops, there would come Devilish Bishops: And that at length he that would usurp the title of Peters sole and only Successor, should follow Satan as his Father for Revelation, and would seek not the Kingdom of God, but of the World. Which Prophesie we see most palpably and horribly fulfilled, so far Luther.
John 6.70. Christ calls Judas Iscariot a Devil; because he was like him in Lies and Treachery, and so signally malicious that the Scripture says, he was of the Devil, John 8.44. 1 John 3.8. And the Son of the Devil, Act. 13.10.