The Angel Gabriel

Excerpt

A prominent angel. Gabriel reveals eschatological mysteries in Dan. 8:15–26; 9:21–27 and announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus in Luke 1:11–20, 26–38. The etymology of the name is disputed, meaning “God is my Warrior” or perhaps “Man of God.” Gabriel and Michael are the only two angels explicitly named in the OT. In the more developed angelology of Jewish apocalyptic traditions, they appear regularly together with Raphael and others as prominent archangels who stand in the presence of God (1 En. 9:1; 10:1–12; 1QM 9:14–16; Luke 1:19; cf. Rev. 8:2, 6).

In Daniel Gabriel serves primarily as interpreter of visions and mysteries; in later apocalyptic sources his functions are more varied. In 1 Enoch he is identified as one of the holy angels whose role is to oversee the garden of Eden, the serpents and the cherubim (1 En. 20:7); in 10:9–10 he is sent in judgment against the children born from the “Watchers” (fallen angels). In the War Scroll at Qumran the names of Michael, Gabriel, Sariel, and Raphael are written on the shield of the towers carried into battle (1QM 9:14–16).

In Luke’s birth narrative Gabriel appears again in a revelatory role, announcing to Zechariah and Mary the fulfillment of eschatological hopes in the births of John, the Elijah-like forerunner of the Lord (Luke 1:11–20), and Jesus, the messianic king from the line of David (vv. 26–38). More

Strauss, Mark L. “Gabriel.” Ed. David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 : 474. Print.

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