Sentences, Books I–II

Chapter 1 (54).

1. Whether all heavenly spirits are sent, with two opinions and the authorities on which they rely. We must also investigate whether all those heavenly spirits are sent out to announce things. — Some think that among that multitude there are some who go out on an errand, and others who always stand within, as it is written in Daniel 1: Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Likewise Dionysius says in The Hierarchy 2, called the sacred principality, concerning the preeminence of the spirits: "Those higher hosts never withdraw from the inner presence, because those who are preeminent never undertake the use of an external office." Those who deny that angels are sent except for the lower orders rely on these authorities.

2. An objection to them. They are met with Isaiah's statement 3: One of the Seraphim flew to me—and that is a higher, more excellent order. Therefore, if angels from that order are sent, there is no doubt that angels from the other orders are sent as well. The Apostle also says 4: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service? On these testimonies some assert that all angels are sent. It should not seem unfitting if even the higher angels are sent, since the one who is Creator of all also descended to these lower things.

3. The question: if all are sent, why is only one order designated by the name ‘Angels’? Here a question arises: if all are sent and are God's messengers, why is only one among the nine orders designated by the name ‘Angels’? — Some answer 5 that all are indeed sent, but some more often, as if under an assigned office; these are properly called Angels or Archangels. Others are sent more rarely—namely, the higher ones—when an extraordinary cause arises outside the common dispensation; when they undertake the ministry of angels, they also take the name. Hence in the Psalm 1: He makes his angels spirits, because those who are spirits by nature sometimes become angels, that is, messengers.

¹

Chapter 1. The text is composed from the Summa of Sentences, II, 6 (more likely in the form PL 171, 1115 A–C than 176, 87 C–88 A), and Hugh, On the Sacraments, I, 5, 33 (PL 176, 262 B–C); their common source is Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels, homily 34, no. 12 (PL 76, 1254 A–C). more often and as if under an assigned office, and these are properly called Angels or Archangels; others are sent more rarely, namely the higher ones, when a cause arises outside the common dispensation, and when they undertake the ministry of angels they also take the name. Hence in the Psalm 1: He makes his angels spirits, because those who are spirits by nature sometimes become angels, that is, messengers.

²

Chapter 2 (55).

1. Some think Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael belonged to a higher order; these are names of spirits, not orders. They think Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael belonged to a higher order. "Michael 2 is interpreted ‘Who is like God?’; Gabriel, ‘strength of God’; Raphael, ‘medicine of God.’" These are not names of orders but of spirits. — Some say each of these is the proper and singular name of one spirit; others say they are not singular, determinate names of one spirit, but names that belong now to this spirit, now to that, according to the quality of the matters they are sent to announce or carry out. Some names of demons are similar: some think them proper to one, others common to many. For the devil, called thus in Greek, is interpreted as ‘accuser’ or ‘one flowing downward’; in Hebrew he is called Satan, that is, ‘adversary.’ He is also called Belial, that is, ‘apostate’ or ‘without a yoke.’ He is also called Leviathan, that is, ‘their addition’ 3. You will find many other names, either proper to one spirit or common to many.

2. How those who say all angels are sent explain the authorities cited above which seem to oppose them. Those who assert that all angels are sent explain the previously cited authorities of Daniel and Dionysius 4 as follows: the higher hosts are said to stand before God and never withdraw from the inner presence not because they are never sent, but because they rarely go out to external things; even then they do not withdraw from the inner presence, but always stand before and contemplate God. Those sent frequently do the same 1.

3. Whom others say are sent and whom they say are not, with an explanation of the authorities that seem to oppose them. Others say that the three highest orders—Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones—stand before the Creator in such a way that they do not go out to external things; the three lower orders, however, are sent out; and the three middle orders stand between the two groups, not only in dignity or place but also in office, because they receive the divine command from the higher orders and carry it to the lower. Therefore, since the highest announce God's command to the middle, the middle to the lowest, and these to human beings, they rightly say that all are called angels. Perhaps for this reason the Apostle said 2 that all spirits are ministers of the Son and are sent for service; or by ‘all’ he included not every order, but individual angels from the lower orders. They explain what Isaiah says 3 by Dionysius's words 4: "Those spirits who are sent receive the name of the office they carry out." Hence they say the angel sent to Isaiah to cleanse and set the Prophet's lips aflame belonged to one of the lower orders; he was said to be a Seraph because he came to burn and consume Isaiah's sins.