“Because Joseph (Mary’s betrothed) was a righteous man and did not want to expose her
to a public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife’” (Matthew 1:19).
In the beginning of the New Testament we find an angel appearing to Joseph and explaining part of the mystery of this unique birth, which the heavenly Father is bringing about by the Holy Spirit. The angels, or at least this angel and Gabriel who visited Mary, knew about the incarnation of the Son of God before any human beings, since they were instrumental in delivering messages from God to Mary and Joseph.
Angels will abound throughout the process of salvation in Christ Jesus. They accompany the Holy Family from Bethlehem to Egypt. They attend to Jesus after His traumatic ordeal in the desert following His confrontation with the devil. Jesus revealed to His disciples that the Son of man would come in glory accompanied by angels. After Christ’s burial angels were found within the empty tomb. Yet there is one place they do not go.
When the Son of God was crucified and buried, He went to the very gates of hell and burst through to search out and liberate the souls of those who were apart from the Heavenly Father. Angels could not, would not accompany Him to the ultimate victory, that which the Lord of life would wage against the forces of death. It’s why at Pascha night we sing with great joy that Christ is risen, and the tombs are empty. And in the most famous of all homilies recited throughout Orthodox Christendom conceived by St. John Chrysostom we dare to mock the power that death once held over us: “O death, where is your victory, O hell, where is your sting!” (I Corinthians 15:55)
That task was not for angels to announce. The great mystery of Christ’s incarnation in human flesh, overwhelming as it was, did not exceed their ability to reveal—yet in the even greater mystery of Christ’s descent into the darkest regions of death, there was no role for angels. The Son of God alone could go there as Liberator and Shepherd to that flock so long away from their true fold.
How touching to witness in these times a revival of interest in angels taking place. Many wear angel pins on their lapels. They speak of having an angel on their shoulder. Some feel inspired by their presence; others that they have been visited by an angel either in their sleep or while awake. All that spiritual enthusiasm is good, positive, yea wonderful; nevertheless we must bear in mind that angels are never, nor have ever been free agents. The dark angels, of course, are the exception. The angels of light, of peace, and of joy are all in touch with the source of everything good and perfect, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are messengers on assignment, with orders from the Holy Trinity.
One common misconception is that many feel the highest compliment one can give to a good Christian is: “She’s an angel!” or when a loved one passes from this life, “Now he’s one of the angels.” That’s impossible. Angels are pure spirits. They are created, but not the same way we human beings are. Some had fallen from heaven along with Satan, about whom Jesus Himself said: “I beheld Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). Salvation is from Jesus Christ for human beings, not the angels. This is why the Orthodox Church can proclaim that Mary, the Holy Theotokos and mother of God is indeed “more honorable than the cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim.” Even the highest orders of angels, those nearest the throne of glory, beholding the Son of God, did not give Him birth. They are not the agents of our salvation. Only a human being, a special woman, was able to so please the Father and do His will for our eternal benefit.