Guardian Angels

We all possess a variety of beliefs. Some we have accepted casually from others; some we have personally researched and know to be well founded. No one has the time to critically examine all his present beliefs. Such an attempt would leave no time to learn new things. Meanwhile, we “know” many things because we have received them from family, religious or national tradition. That a belief is based upon tradition does not imply that it is bad nor that it is false. But when sharing a tradition with others, we may wish to be careful in describing its basis.

For a very long time Christians have known that God assigns to each of us a lifelong personal guardian angel. But since I have not found this teaching in the Bible, I have wondered how and when we learned it.

The closest biblical reference is in the words of Jesus: “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.” [Matthew 18:10 NRSV].

In Genesis 48:15 Jacob referred to “the angel who has redeemed me from all harm.” There are of course many biblical references to the protection of angels, be those angels single or legion. These texts are certainly consistent with the idea of a personally-assigned lifelong guardian angel, yet none is explicit in such teaching.

“When he [Peter] knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’” [Acts 12:13-15 NRSV]

Interpreting this passage, the SDA Bible Commentary suggests “The Jews believed that a guardian angel was assigned to each man, and that when the angel appeared in human form he assumed the man’s likeness. During the intertestamental period the Jews developed a complicated angelology.” [6BC 272]

According to the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, “It is the opinion of Bible scholars generally that Zoroastrianism made a generous contribution to Jewish angelology.” [Tenney, editor, vol. 1 p. 166]

Frequent references to angels are found in the following works of the apocrypha and pseudepigrapha [c. 250 - 100 BC]: Tobit [An angel named Raphael is a major character.], 2 Esdras [An angel named Uriel provides most of the information.], 1 Enoch [A number of angels are named, together with their functions.], and The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs.

However in these sources I have found no specific reference to individually assigned personal guardian angels.

In 2 Enoch [c. 150 AD] we are informed “And there are angels over seasons and years, and there are also angels over rivers and oceans, angels over fruit and grass, and of everything that breeds; and angels of all people, and all their life they organize and write it down before the face of the Lord.” [2 Enoch 19:4, 5]

Clement of Alexandria [c. 150-215] quoted the New Testament apocryphal Apocalypse of Peter in this fashion: “Scripture says that infants which are exposed are delivered to a guardian angel, and that by him they are trained and reared.”

The church leader Origen [c.185-254] and his disciples expanded the idea of an individually assigned lifelong personal guardian angel to about its present form.

“Each believer, although the humblest in the Church, is said to be attended by an angel, who is declared by the Savior always to behold the face of God the Father, and as this angel was certainly one with the object of his guardianship...”

Origen’s disciple Gregory Thaumaturgis [c. 213-270] took the idea farther:

“...those beings who are not seen, but yet are more godlike, and who have a special care for men, it shall be addressed to that being who, by some momentous decision, had me allotted to him from my boyhood to rule, and rear, and train, — I mean that holy angel of God who fed me from my youth, as says the saint dear to God, meaning thereby his own peculiar one.…He, I say, did recognize and praise some superior angel as his own...”

Hear now from Methodius [c. 260-312] “Whence, also, we have received from the inspired writings, that those who are begotten, even though it be in adultery, are committed to guardian angels...”

Jerome [c. 343-420] wrote regarding the admirable Paula, “I call Jesus and his saints, yes and the particular angel who was the guardian and the companion of this admirable woman...”

Later patristic references include these:

“And let not the face of the angel, appointed my guardian from the day of my birth, be turned away from me; but may he be the companion of my journey even until he bring me to Thee… —The History of Joseph the Carpenter [date?]

“…and, behold, the angel who had already appeared to him when awake, appeared to him in his sleep, saying: I am the angel appointed by God as thy guardian:…—The Gospel of the Pseudo-Matthew [8th or 9th century?]

Ellen White supported this tradition, and specified that in addition to the one angel thus assigned, any number of additional guardian angels could be called as needed:

“Every redeemed one will understand the ministry of angels in his own life. The angel who was his guardian from his earliest moment; the angel who watched his steps, and covered his head in the day of peril; the angel who was with him in the valley of the shadow of death, who marked his resting place, who was the first to greet him in the resurrection morning--what will it be to hold converse with him, and to learn the history of divine interposition in the individual life, of heavenly co-operation in every work for humanity!”

—Ed. 305.

“A guardian angel is appointed to every follower of Christ. These heavenly watchers shield the righteous from the power of the wicked one. This Satan himself recognized when he said: ‘Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not Thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?’ Job 1:9, 10. The agency by which God protects His people is presented in the words of the psalmist: ‘The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.’ Psalm 34:7. Said the Saviour, speaking of those that believe in Him: ‘Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father.’ Matthew 18:10. The angels appointed to minister to the children of God have at all times access to His presence.”

—GC 512.

“I already had one guardian angel attending me continually, but when necessary, the Lord would send another to strengthen, and raise me above the power of every earthly influence. Then I saw for the first time the glory of the new earth as follows.”

—2SG 51.

“These angels were well acquainted with the words of Jesus to his disciples, for they had been with him in the capacity of guardian angels, through all the scenes of his life, and had witnessed his trial and crucifixion.”

—3SP 199.

“I saw that the company of guardian angels around them had doubled.”

—1SG 185.

“When you are in danger of unconsciously doing wrong and exerting an influence which will lead others to do wrong, your guardian angel will be by your side, prompting you to a better course, choosing your words for you, and influencing your actions.”

—3T 363, 364 (cf. MYP 90).

“I have been shown your peril and your guardian angel preserving you again and again from yourself, keeping you from making shipwreck of faith.”

—11 MR 307 (8T 175).

Conclusion and Summary:

From the early years of the Christian church, believers have treasured the knowledge that not only does God protect them with guardian angels in whatever numbers required, but that each is entrusted to the particular care of a personal lifelong guardian angel. This holy tradition has been preserved and taught by many Christian leaders, including Ellen White, whose eloquent testimony is included above. I have been interested to discover how long Christians have known of this divine gift. I conclude that this information has been known since very early times, although God did not see fit to spell it out in the Bible.

Ellen White cautioned us, “...When the time of trial shall come, there are men now preaching to others, who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested, they knew not their great ignorance.” —5T 707, 708 (1889).

In sharing with others, I wish to explain whether any particular concept is taught explicitly in the Bible, is a reasonable assumption consistent with scripture, is a treasured tradition, or is endorsed by post-biblical inspiration. The idea of a personal lifelong guardian angel is a holy tradition which we hold in common with all other Christians, but for which we have no explicit biblical teaching. I continue to believe in personal guardian angels. But especially when sharing with others, I wish to be clear about the basis for my belief.

I would be happy to provide a longer version of this report, with references, for any who should so request.