Do We Have “Guardian Angels?” -
Matthew 18:10, CEB - “Be careful that you don’t
look down on one of these little ones. I say to you that their angels in heaven
are always looking into the face of my Father who is in
heaven.
Four reflections ago, when we were
talking about Matthew 17:22-23, we learned that in most popular translations of
Matthew there is no verse 17:21. I
explained that this is because the translators have to make a decision about
what they believe to be the most reliable original copy of the text and go with
that. Biblical scholars call these
textual variants. Today we encounter two
more. Both Matthew 18:10 and 18:11 are
not found in all the original manuscripts.
The interesting thing here is that most modern translators have decided
to keep verse 10 and leave out verse 11.
As I stated in our earlier reflection, I choose to trust the majority
scholar opinion in most cases when it comes to textual variants, so our reflection
today is on 18:10 and the next reflection will start with verse 12. But just in case you’re dying to know what
the omitted verse 11 is, you can find it in Luke 19:10.
In verse
10, Jesus makes one more warning about children. He cautions his audience to not look down on
children because “their angels are always looking into the face of my Father
who is in heaven.” Who are “their angels?” This is one of the key biblical texts where the
notion of “guardian angels” comes from – the idea that we all have an angel
assigned to us to watch over us and help us out at times. This concept actually precedes the New
Testament for within Judaism in the Intertestamental Period (the period between
when the last Old Testament book was written and the first New Testament book
was written), not only was there a belief that all believers had and angel
assigned to them, but also a demon. That
idea survives to this day in the sometimes comical depictions of an angel on
one shoulder and the demon on the other whispering into both ears about what
they should do.
As is
often the case, a lot more could be said about this topic than is appropriate
for a devotional. So, for the sake of
time, let me summarize what I’ve learned.
There isn’t much biblical evidence to support a well-conceived concept
of personal guardian angels. However,
there is an abundance of biblical support for the idea that God uses angels to
serve humanity and respond to their needs.
The point Jesus is making to his disciples in the verse above is that
angels are watching over the children and those angels have a direct connection
to God. Jesus is pointing out that
because God is so concerned with children, we should be too. This is in keeping with the message Jesus has
been making in the first half of Chapter 18.
As for whether the children (and us) have guardian angels assigned to them
personally, we just don’t know. If that
is the way God chooses to keep watch and care over us, I’m fine with that. But what I’m sure of is that God does choose
to keep watch are care over us, whether God does it with angels or not. How God chooses to take care of me is
something I can leave up to God. I’m
just glad that I am under God’s watch and care.
I hope you are too.
Question: Do you
believe and trust in God’s watch and care over you and those you love?
Prayer: God, thank
you for the beneficial ministry of angels to humanity. Thank you for all the ways You watch and care
over us. Help us to trust more fully in
that truth. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray
for people today that are completely or almost completely isolated from other
people.
Song: Angels Watching
Over Me – Amy Grant
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