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Throne (angel)
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In Christian angelology, thrones (Ancient Greek: θρόνος, pl. θρόνοι; Latin: thronus, pl. throni; Hebrew: אוֹפַנִּים) are a class of angels. This is based on an interpretation of Colossians 1:16.[1] According to 1 Peter 3:21–22, Christ had gone to Heaven and "angels and authorities and powers" had been made subject to him.[2]
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in his work De Coelesti Hierarchia includes the thrones as the third highest of nine levels of angels.[3]
According to the Second Book of Enoch, thrones are seen by Enoch in the Seventh Heaven.[4]
Christian angelology
[edit]According to Matthew Bunson, the corresponding order of angels in Judaism is called the abalim, aralim or erelim,[5] but this opinion is far from universal. The Hebrew word erelim is usually not translated "thrones", but rather "valiant ones", "heroes", or "warriors".[citation needed] The function ascribed to erelim in Isaiah 33:7 and in Jewish folklore[6] is not consistent with the lore surrounding the thrones.
Thrones are sometimes equated with ophanim since the throne of God is usually depicted as being moved by wheels, as in the vision of Daniel 7:9 (Old Testament). Rosemary Ellen Guiley (1996: p. 37) states that:
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The 'thrones'; also known as 'ophanim' (offanim) and 'galgallin', are creatures that function as the actual chariots of God driven by the cherubs. They are characterized by peace and submission; God rests upon them. Thrones are depicted as great wheels containing many eyes, and reside in the area of the cosmos where material form begins to take shape. They chant glorias to God and remain forever in his presence. They mete out divine justice and maintain the cosmic harmony of all universal laws.[7].
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him".
- ^ "Bible Gateway passage: 1 Peter 3:21–22 – King James Version". Bible Gateway.
- ^ Dionysius the Areopagite (1899). "Works, vol. 2. – The Celestial Hierarchy". www.tertullian.org. pp. 1–66.
- ^ Rutherford H. Platt, Jr. (1926). The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden. Entry: The Book of the Secrets of Enoch, chapter XX.
- ^ Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z. New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1996. ISBN 0-517-88537-9.
- ^ Louis Ginzberg: Legends of the Jews 5:23, n. 64; 5:417, n. 117.
- ^ Guiley, Rosemary Ellen (1996). Encyclopedia of Angels. ISBN 0-8160-2988-1, p.37
References
[edit]- Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z. New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1996. ISBN 0-517-88537-9.
- Gulley, Rosemary Ellen (1996). Encyclopedia of Angels. ISBN 0-8160-2988-1.
External links
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Media related to Thrones (angels) at Wikimedia Commons
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Throne (angel)
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Terminology
Etymology of "Throne"
The term "Throne" applied to a class of angels derives from the Ancient Greek word θρόνος (thronos), meaning a seat, chair, or throne, often symbolizing royal authority, power, and stability. This linguistic root is evident in early Christian scriptural usage, where the plural form θρόνοι (thronoi) appears in the New Testament's Epistle to the Colossians (1:16), listing "thrones" among invisible spiritual entities created through Christ, interpreted by later theologians as denoting angelic orders. The explicit conceptualization of Thrones as a distinct angelic class, serving as divine attendants, emerged in Christian theological writings of the 4th to 5th centuries CE, particularly through interpretations of biblical apocalyptic visions involving God's seat of judgment.[1] A pivotal development occurred in Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's The Celestial Hierarchy (ca. 500 CE), where the term is adopted to describe these beings as supporters of the divine throne, underscoring their symbolic representation of God's unshakeable justice, authority, and immediate proximity to the divine presence. Pseudo-Dionysius describes the Thrones as immovably established in the divine presence, bearing the weight of divine order and contributing to cosmic harmony through their steadfast devotion. This theological adoption transformed the biblical reference into a structured element of angelology, highlighting the angels' role as stable foundations of divine governance.Relation to Ophanim
The Hebrew term Ophanim, meaning "wheels" or "cycles," derives from the root 'ofan, denoting a wheel or something that revolves.[7] These beings first appear in Ezekiel's visions as interlocked structures covered with eyes, symbolizing dynamic elements of the divine chariot.[8] In intertestamental Jewish literature, such as the First Book of Enoch, the Ophanim are portrayed as a class of celestial beings that, alongside cherubim and seraphim, encircle and guard the throne of glory, establishing a conceptual link to the throne-bearing role later attributed to them.[9] This association is elaborated in medieval Jewish texts like the Hekhalot literature, where Ophanim form part of the throne-world hierarchy, functioning as animate wheels supporting divine majesty.[10] In later Christian angelology, the Ophanim became equated with the Thrones, the third order in the Pseudo-Dionysian celestial hierarchy, as wheel-like entities bearing God's throne, though this identification developed after Pseudo-Dionysius and is not present in his original work. Distinct from other angel classes like the cherubim, which serve as multi-faced guardians of sacred spaces, the Ophanim emphasize unique mobility through their interlocking wheel form, enabling omnidirectional movement, and hold a specialized visionary role in revelations of the heavenly order.[11] The designation "Throne" emerged as a Greek interpretive overlay for these Hebrew wheel-entities in cross-traditional adaptations.[12]Scriptural References
In the Hebrew Bible
In the visions of the prophet Ezekiel, the Hebrew Bible presents the most detailed descriptions of wheel-like angelic entities associated with the divine throne. In Ezekiel 1:15-21, these appear as four interlocking wheels positioned beside the four living creatures, each appearing to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel, sparkling like topaz, and capable of moving in any direction without pivoting, thus facilitating seamless divine progression. The rims of the wheels are depicted as tall and daunting, covered entirely with eyes on all sides, which conveys an image of unceasing vigilance and all-encompassing awareness. This ocular motif underscores the prophetic emphasis on divine perception permeating creation.[13] Ezekiel 10:9-13 elaborates on these elements during a temple vision, identifying the wheels explicitly as ophanim (Hebrew for "wheels") and portraying them as sparkling like topaz, each like a wheel intersecting a wheel, and synchronized with the motion of the cherubim. Here, the ophanim bear the divine platform, lifting and directing it in unison with the creatures, their eyes again filling the rings to signify perpetual observation. These passages frame the ophanim as animate extensions of the heavenly realm, integral to the theophany's conveyance. A related image emerges in Daniel 7:9, where the throne of the Ancient of Days is envisioned as flames of fire, with accompanying wheels ablaze like burning fire, evoking themes of purifying judgment and authoritative dynamism. This fiery wheeled throne aligns with Ezekiel's motifs, portraying divine rule as both stationary in majesty and mobile in execution.[14] Collectively, these descriptions position the ophanim within the merkabah, or divine chariot, as bearers enabling God's traversal of heavenly and earthly domains while affirming his immediate presence. The wheels' design supports omnidirectional travel, reflecting unbounded sovereignty and the integration of throne with mobility in prophetic symbolism.[15]In the New Testament
In the New Testament, the term "thrones" (Greek: thronoi) appears explicitly in Colossians 1:16, where the Apostle Paul describes Christ as the creator of all things, both visible and invisible, including "thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers." This passage affirms that thrones are part of the invisible spiritual hierarchy established through Christ, positioning them among the angelic orders that uphold the cosmic structure under divine authority. Scholarly analysis interprets these thrones as denoting exalted angelic beings associated with kingly authority and governance in the heavenly realm.[16] An implicit connection to thrones emerges in Revelation 4:4-8, which depicts God's throne room surrounded by twenty-four elders seated on thrones and four living creatures covered with eyes, evoking the wheel-like ophanim from earlier scriptural visions. These elements suggest a continuity with prophetic imagery of divine mobility and omniscience, where the throne's attendants facilitate perpetual worship and revelation around the central divine seat.[17] Theologically, thrones in the New Testament context imply a role as mediators of God's will within the new covenant, channeling divine justice and order through Christ's redemptive work while subordinating all powers to his supremacy.[18] This underscores their function in bridging the heavenly and earthly realms, ensuring harmony in the created order as affirmed by Paul's emphasis on Christ's headship over every principality and power.[19]In Jewish Tradition
Merkabah Mysticism
Merkabah mysticism, an early form of Jewish esotericism spanning the 1st to 10th centuries CE, centers on visionary experiences of the divine chariot (merkavah) as described in Ezekiel's prophecy, with the Ophanim serving as its integral wheel-like components that facilitate contemplation of the divine throne.[20] In this tradition, the Ophanim are depicted not merely as mechanical elements but as living angelic entities propelling the chariot through the celestial realms, enabling mystics to achieve ecstatic union with the divine during ascent.[20] The Hekhalot texts, a corpus of mystical writings from this period, draw from Ezekiel's vision to portray the Ophanim as fiery wheels covered in eyes, integral to the structure of the divine chariot amid the heavenly palaces (hekhalot) that lead to the throne.[21] These texts emphasize the Ophanim's role in the cosmic hierarchy as propulsive elements of the merkabah, underscoring their functions in the visionary ascent.[21] Central to Merkabah practices is ma'aseh merkabah, or the "work of the chariot," which encompasses esoteric study and experiential techniques aimed at replicating Ezekiel's vision through meditative recitation of divine names, hymns, and adjurations to invoke the Ophanim and other chariot elements.[20] These methods, often involving prolonged contemplation and liturgical alignment with heavenly praises, were reserved for elite scholars of proven piety, influencing later meditative traditions by emphasizing theophanic encounters as pathways to spiritual elevation and divine secrets.[20]Role in Later Jewish Texts
In Talmudic and Midrashic literature, the Ophanim are portrayed as a distinct class of celestial beings within the angelic hierarchy, separate from the ministering angels (mal'akhim) that perform practical tasks such as delivering messages or executing divine decrees. They are depicted as wheel-like entities associated with the divine throne, contributing to the heavenly liturgy by singing praises to God, often in unison with other high-ranking angels like the Seraphim and Hayyot ha-Kodesh, reciting phrases such as "Holy, holy, holy" from Isaiah 6:3. This role emphasizes their function in perpetual worship and maintaining the cosmic order around the Merkabah, drawing from interpretive expansions of Ezekiel's vision.[22] In the Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah composed in the 13th century, the Ophanim are linked to the world of Asiyah (Action), the lowest of the four Kabbalistic worlds, where they serve as the angelic order closest to the material plane.[23] This portrayal builds on earlier mystical traditions and reinterprets the Ophanim within the theosophical system of divine attributes. Modern scholars of Jewish philosophy interpret the Ophanim as symbolic representations of cosmic cycles, embodying the interplay between eternal divine stability and temporal flux in Jewish mystical thought. This view highlights their wheel form as a metaphor for the rhythmic processes of emanation and return in Kabbalistic cosmology, influencing contemporary understandings of time, motion, and theophany in Jewish intellectual history.[24]In Christian Angelology
Pseudo-Dionysian Hierarchy
In the late 5th-century work De Coelesti Hierarchia (The Celestial Hierarchy), attributed to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, the Thrones occupy the third rank within the first and highest sphere of angels, following the Seraphim and Cherubim.[25] This hierarchy structures the celestial beings into three triads, with the first triad serving as the immediate attendants to the divine presence, contemplating and reflecting God's essence most directly. The Thrones are depicted as symbolic manifestations of divine stability and justice, embodying the unmovable and eternal foundation upon which God's sovereignty rests.[25] Pseudo-Dionysius describes the Thrones as denoting that which is exempt from and untainted by any base and earthly thing, the supermundane ascent up to the height of the divine visions, the unswerving stability of the Godlike powers, and their unchangeableness in the enjoyment of the divine images.[5] They are characterized as "seated" around the divine throne, not in a literal sense but as bearers of God's authority, purifying and elevating the lower angelic orders through their proximity to the source of all light and truth.[5] This positioning underscores their function in mediating the unchanging nature of the divine will, ensuring that heavenly harmony reflects the perfect stability of the Creator.[26] The Pseudo-Dionysian framework profoundly shaped Christian angelology in both Western and Eastern traditions, establishing the Thrones as essential symbols of divine justice and the unshakeable order of the cosmos. By portraying them as the foundational support for God's throne, the text influenced patristic and medieval theologians in viewing the Thrones not merely as attendants but as active participants in the eternal manifestation of righteousness. This conceptualization, rooted in the first hierarchy's contemplative purity, emphasized the Thrones' role in bridging the ineffable divine essence with the structured governance of creation.Medieval Interpretations
In high medieval Christian theology, Thomas Aquinas further developed the understanding of the Thrones as the third order in the celestial hierarchy, building briefly on Pseudo-Dionysian foundations by affirming their elevated contemplative role. In his Summa Theologica (c. 1265–1274), Aquinas explains that the Thrones are distinguished by their immediate apprehension of divine essences, serving as "seats" raised above earthly concerns to contemplate God's eternal types and thereby administer divine providence through pure intellectual union with the divine will.[27] This contemplative nature sets them apart from the lower angelic choirs—such as Dominions, Virtues, and Powers—which engage more directly in active governance of the material world, executing providence through mediation and enforcement rather than direct assimilation to God.[27] Aquinas emphasizes that the Thrones bear and manifest God's judicial power, ensuring the harmonious unfolding of providence without the intermediary actions required of subordinate orders.[27] In Eastern Orthodox variations during the medieval period, theologians like Maximus the Confessor (c. 580–662) portrayed the Thrones as intellectual "God-bearing" seats upon which the divine presence rests, radiating light and justice to lower beings.[28] This depiction aligns the Thrones with their function in upholding impartial judgment as an extension of God's sovereignty, distinct from the more adoring roles of Seraphim and Cherubim above them.[28] Medieval debates among scholastic and patristic interpreters often centered on the Thrones' number and precise functions, with some drawing symbolic connections to the four living creatures encircling God's throne in Revelation 4:6–8 and Ezekiel's visions. These discussions highlighted tensions between scriptural literalism and hierarchical symbolism, with the Thrones' role underscoring their mediation of providence in both cosmic order and final reckoning.In Islamic Tradition
Bearers of the Throne
In Islamic tradition, the Hamalat al-Arsh, or Bearers of the Throne, refer to a select group of angels tasked with supporting Allah's Arsh, the celestial Throne symbolizing divine authority and the apex of creation. These angels are described in the Quran as continuously engaged in worship, exalting their Lord with praises while believing in Him and seeking forgiveness for the faithful. Specifically, Surah Ghafir (40:7) states: "Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praises of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed."
The Quran further specifies that on the Day of Judgment, eight such angels will bear the Throne, underscoring their pivotal role during eschatological events. Surah Al-Haqqa (69:17) declares: "And the angels will be at its edges, and eight [angels] will, that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord above them." This configuration highlights their strength in upholding the Throne amid the cosmic upheavals of resurrection, with the angels positioned at the Throne's extremities to maintain its stability.
Hadith narrations elaborate on the extraordinary physical attributes of the Hamalat al-`Arsh, emphasizing their immense size and power as befitting their proximity to the divine essence. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: "I have been permitted to tell about one of Allah's angels who bears the Throne that the distance between the lobe of his ear and his shoulder is a journey of seven hundred years."[29] Such descriptions convey their colossal scale, far surpassing human comprehension, and their unyielding strength in sustaining the Throne without fatigue. These angels are among the closest to Allah, perpetually glorifying Him and distinct from other angelic classes responsible for tasks like recording human actions or delivering revelations.
In Islamic cosmology, the Hamalat al-Arsh function as foundational upholders of the created order, with the Arsh representing the boundary between the divine realm and the universe, thereby affirming Allah's absolute sovereignty over all existence. Their role ensures the structural integrity of the cosmos, setting them apart as exalted servants focused solely on bearing and venerating the Throne rather than intermediary functions in human affairs.