RAPHAEL: A LYING ANGEL?
Table of Contents
In attempt to undermine the canonicity of the book of Tobit certain Protestants appeal to the following text where the archangel Raphael is alleged to have lied about his identity:
“He replied, ‘I am Azariah, the son of the elder Hananiah, one of your relatives (ton adelphon sou).’” Tobit 5:13 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
In this post I will prove that there is no lie or deceit taking place here.
I will demonstrate that the names which Raphael employed are theophoric ones intended to highlight the gracious help of God in dispatching him to provide the healing that Tobit and his wife sought from YHWH their God.
I will also show how Raphael’s statements point to the relationship between God’s spirit envoys and human believers.
But first I cite some relevant sections from the book in order to allow the readers to see the reason why Raphael was dispatched into the world.
THE PRAYERS OF TOBIT AND SARAH
“That same night I washed and went into my courtyard, where I lay down to sleep beside the wall. Because of the heat I left my face uncovered.I did not know that sparrows were perched on the wall above me; their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing white scales[d] on them. I went to doctors for a cure, but the more they applied ointments, the more my vision was obscured by the white scales, until I was totally blind. For four years I was unable to see, and all my kindred were distressed at my condition. Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years, until he left for Elam.
“At that time my wife Anna worked for hire at weaving cloth, doing the kind of work women do.When she delivered the material to her employers, they would pay her a wage. On the seventh day of the month of Dystrus,[e] she finished the woven cloth and delivered it to her employers. They paid her the full salary and also gave her a young goat for a meal. On entering my house, the goat began to bleat. So I called to my wife and said: ‘Where did this goat come from? It was not stolen, was it? Give it back to its owners; we have no right to eat anything stolen!’ But she said to me, ‘It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.’ Yet I would not believe her and told her to give it back to its owners. I flushed with anger at her over this. So she retorted: ‘Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your righteous acts? Look! All that has happened to you is well known!’[f]” Tobit 2:9-14
“Then sad at heart, I groaned and wept aloud. With sobs I began to pray:[a]
‘You are righteous, Lord, and all your deeds are just; All your ways are mercy and fidelity; you are judge of the world. And now, Lord, be mindful of me and look with favor upon me. Do not punish me for my sins, or for my inadvertent offenses, or for those of my ancestors. They sinned against you, and disobeyed your commandments. So you handed us over to plunder, captivity, and death, to become an object lesson, a byword, and a reproach in all the nations among whom you scattered us. Yes, your many judgments are right in dealing with me as my sins, and those of my ancestors, deserve. For we have neither kept your commandments, nor walked in fidelity before you. So now, deal with me as you please; command my life breath to be taken from me, that I may depart from the face of the earth and become dust. It is better for me to die than to live,[ b ] because I have listened to undeserved reproaches, and great is the grief within me. Lord, command that I be released from such anguish; let me go to my everlasting abode; Do not turn your face away from me, Lord. For it is better for me to die than to endure so much misery in life, and to listen to such reproaches!’
“[c]On that very day, at Ecbatana in Media, it so happened that Raguel’s daughter Sarah also had to listen to reproaches from one of her father’s maids.For she had been given in marriage to seven husbands, but the wicked demon Asmodeus[d] kept killing them off before they could have intercourse with her, as is prescribed for wives. The maid said to her: ‘You are the one who kills your husbands! Look! You have already been given in marriage to seven husbands, but you do not bear the name of a single one of them.Why do you beat us? Because your husbands are dead? Go, join them! May we never see son or daughter of yours!’
“That day Sarah was sad at heart. She went in tears to an upstairs room in her father’s house and wanted to hang herself. But she reconsidered, saying to herself: ‘No! May people never reproach my father and say to him, “You had only one beloved daughter, but she hanged herself because of her misfortune.” And thus would I bring my father laden with sorrow in his old age to Hades. It is far better for me not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord that I might die, and no longer have to listen to such reproaches in my lifetime.
“At that same time, with hands outstretched toward the window,[e] she implored favor:
‘Blessed are you, merciful God! Blessed be your holy and honorable name forever! May all your works forever bless you. Now to you, Lord, I have turned my face and have lifted up my eyes. Bid me to depart from the earth, never again to listen to such reproaches. You know, Master, that I am clean of any defilement with a man. I have never sullied my own name or my father’s name in the land of my captivity. I am my father’s only daughter, and he has no other child to be his heir, Nor does he have a kinsman or close relative whose wife I should wait to become. Seven husbands of mine have already died. Why then should I live any longer? But if it does not please you, Lord, to take my life, look favorably upon me and have pity on me, that I may never again listen to such reproaches!’
“At that very time, the prayer of both of them was heard in the glorious presence of God. So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the white scales from Tobit’s eyes, so that he might again see with his own eyes God’s light; and to give Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, as a wife to Tobiah, the son of Tobit, and to rid her of the wicked demon Asmodeus. For it fell to Tobiah’s lot[f] to claim her before any others who might wish to marry her. At that very moment Tobit turned from the courtyard to his house, and Raguel’s daughter Sarah came down from the upstairs room.” Tobit 3:1-17
3:8 Asmodeus: in Persian aeshma daeva, “demon of wrath,” adopted into Aramaic with the sense of “the Destroyer.” It will be subdued (8:3) by Raphael (v. 17), whose name means “God has healed.” New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)
As the above sections make clear, Raphael was sent by God in response to the prayers of Tobit and Sarah who sought the Lord’s mercy and help.
With the foregoing in view I now proceed to the meaning of the names that Raphael used to identify himself.
THE INTERPRETATION
Here, again, is the specific verse in question, this time with some added context:
“He answered, ‘I am Azariah,[a] son of the great Hananiah, one of your own kindred.’ Tobit exclaimed: “Welcome! God save you, brother! Do not be provoked with me, brother, for wanting to learn the truth about your family. It turns out that you are a kinsman, from a noble and good line! I knew Hananiah and Nathan, the two sons of the great Shemeliah. They used to go to Jerusalem with me, where we would worship together. They were not led astray; your kindred are good people. You are certainly of good lineage. So welcome!’”
5:13–14 Azariah, “Yhwh has helped”; Hananiah, “Yhwh has shown mercy”; Nathan is a shortened form of Nathaniah, “Yhwh has given”; Shemeliah may be a Greek corruption of the Hebrew name, Shemaiah, “Yhwh has heard.” NABRE
As the NABRE fn. indicates, the names Azariah and Hananiah are theophoric in nature which point to certain aspects and/or qualities of the God of Israel.
This is brought out by the lexicons, one of which I now cite:
Azaryah or Azaryahu: Azariah or Azariahu
Original Word: עֲזַרְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: `Azaryah
Pronunciation: ah-zar-YAH or ah-zar-YAH-hoo
Phonetic Spelling: (az-ar-yaw’)
Definition: Azariah or Azariahu
Meaning: Azarjah
Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root עָזַר (azar), meaning “to help,” combined with יָהּ (Yah), a shortened form of Yahweh, the name of God.
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for Azaryah or Azaryahu in the Strong’s Greek Dictionary, as these are Hebrew names. However, the Greek transliteration of the name in the Septuagint is often rendered as Azarias (Ἀζαρίας).
Usage: The name Azaryah or Azaryahu means “Yahweh has helped” or “Yahweh is my help.” It is a common Hebrew name found in the Old Testament, often given to individuals who were seen as recipients of God’s aid or favor.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, names were often theophoric, incorporating the name of God to reflect faith, divine attributes, or experiences. The name Azaryah signifies reliance on God’s assistance and was borne by several notable figures in the Bible, including priests, prophets, and kings. This reflects the cultural importance of divine help and protection in the lives of the Israelites (Strong’s Lexicon https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5838.htm; emphasis mine)
And:
Chananyah: Hananiah
Original Word: חֲנַנְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chananyah
Pronunciation: khan-an-yaw’
Phonetic Spelling: (khan-an-yaw’)
Definition: Hananiah
Meaning: Chananjah
Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root חָנַן (chanan), meaning “to be gracious” or “to show favor,” combined with יָהּ (Yah), a shortened form of Yahweh, the name of God.
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Greek equivalent for the name Hananiah, the concept of grace and favor is captured in the Greek word χάρις (charis), Strong’s Greek #5485, which is often used in the New Testament to describe God’s grace.
Usage: The name Chananyah means “Yahweh is gracious” or “Yahweh has favored.” It is a common Hebrew name found in the Old Testament, often given to individuals as a testament to God’s grace and favor.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, names were often given to reflect the character of God or to commemorate significant events. The name Hananiah, emphasizing God’s grace, would have been a reminder of the divine favor and benevolence that the Israelites believed was bestowed upon them. This name appears in various contexts, from priests and prophets to common individuals, indicating its widespread use and the cultural importance of acknowledging God’s grace. (Strong’s Lexicon https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2608.htm; emphasis mine)
As such the names which the archangel employed are deliberately chosen to symbolize the character of the God who sent him. As the following Catholic translation explains:
“Raphael replied, ‘I am Azariah,[a] son of Hananiah the elder, one of your relatives.’”
Footnotes
Tobit 5:13 The names are symbolic and express the mission of the angel: Azariah signifies “help of God”; Hananiah, “grace of God.” New Catholic Bible (NCB)
ANGELS AS GOD’S SONS AND MEMBERS OF GOD’S SPIRITUAL FAMILY
The Scriptures indicate that angels, like humans (particularly believers), are sons of God:
“One day, when the sons of God[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, the satan also came among them.” Job 1:6
Footnotes
1:6 Sons of God: members of the divine council; see Gn 6:1–4; Dt 32:8; Ps 82:1. The satan: lit., “adversary” (as in 1 Kgs 11:14). Here a member of the heavenly court, “the accuser” (Zec 3:1). In later biblical traditions this character will be developed as the devil (Gk. diabolos, “adversary”). NABRE
“One day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, the satan also came with them.” Job 2:1 NABRE
“Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size? Surely you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it? Into what were its pedestals sunk, and who laid its cornerstone, While the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job 38:4-7 NABRE
Psalm 29 [ a ]
The Lord of Majesty Acclaimed as King of the World
A psalm of David. Give to the Lord, you sons of God,[b] give to the Lord glory and might; Give to the Lord the glory due his name. Bow down before the Lord’s holy splendor! Psalm 29:1
Footnotes
Psalm 29 The hymn invites the members of the heavenly court to acknowledge God’s supremacy by ascribing glory and might to God alone (Ps 29:1–2a, 9b). Divine glory and might are dramatically visible in the storm (Ps 29:3–9a). The storm apparently comes from the Mediterranean onto the coast of Syria-Palestine and then moves inland. In Ps 29:10 the divine beings acclaim God’s eternal kingship. The Psalm concludes with a prayer that God will impart the power just displayed to the Israelite king and through the king to Israel.
29:1 Sons of God: members of the heavenly court who served Israel’s God in a variety of capacities. NABRE
“The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, also your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the sons of God? God is revered in the council of the holy ones. He is to be feared more than all who surround him. O Lord God of Armies, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:5-8 Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
Angels are even described as being fellow slaves along with God’s inspired human emissaries:
“I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers (ton adelphon sou) who bear witness to Jesus. Worship God. Witness to Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’” Revelation 19:10 NABRE
“It is I, John, who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said to me, ‘Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers the prophets (ton adelphon sou ton propheton) and of those who keep the message of this book. Worship God.’” Revelation 22:8-9 NABRE
In fact, according to the sacred writings human believers are destined to be like angels in that they shall be made immortal like them:
“Jesus said to them in reply, ‘You are misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels (hos angeloi) in heaven.’” Matthew 22:29-30 NABRE
“Jesus said to them, ‘Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels (isangeloi) and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.” Luke 20:34-36 NRSVUE
What this implies is that both the angels and redeemed humanity are spiritual siblings since they all have one spiritual Father.
It is little wonder, then, that Paul speaks of God having a spiritual family that dwell in both heaven and earth:
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named,” Ephesians 3:14-15
Footnotes
3:14–15 Every family: in the Greek there is wordplay on the word for the Father (patria, patēr). The phrase could also mean “God’s whole family” (cf. Eph 2:21). NABRE
In light the foregoing one can legitimately paraphrase the words of the angel in the following manner:
“He replied, ‘I am sent by YHWH your helper, since I am a son of the great gracious/merciful YHWH, and one of your spiritual brothers.’”
Or one may even render it this way:
“He replied, ‘I am sent by YHWH your helper, since I am a son of the great gracious/merciful YHWH, who is your relative seeing that he is your heavenly Father.’”
In a nutshell, the words spoken by Raphael were not lies, but were chosen deliberately to point out a greater spiritual reality, one which the Holy Spirit intended to be unpacked by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Now this does not mean that Tobit understand the significance and symbolism of these names at first, since he assumed that Raphael was indeed one of his relatives:
“Tobit exclaimed: ‘Welcome! God save you, brother! Do not be provoked with me, brother, for wanting to learn the truth about your family. It turns out that you are a kinsman, from a noble and good line! I knew Hananiah and Nathan, the two sons of the great Shemeliah. They used to go to Jerusalem with me, where we would worship together. They were not led astray; your kindred are good people. You are certainly of good lineage. So welcome!’” Tobit 5:14 NABRE
The real meaning would only become apparent later on, AFTER Raphael would have disclosed his identity to him and his family:
“Raphael called the two of them aside privately and said to them: ‘Bless God and give him thanks before all the living for the good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Proclaim before all with due honor the deeds of God, and do not be slack in thanking him. A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God and give thanks with due honor. Do good, and evil will not overtake you. Prayer with fasting is good. Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold,for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do evil are their own worst enemies.
“‘I shall now tell you the whole truth and conceal nothing at all from you. I have already said to you, “A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God with due honor.” Now when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and likewise whenever you used to bury the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner in order to go and bury that dead man, I was sent to put you to the test. At the same time, however, God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.’
“Greatly shaken, the two of them fell prostrate in fear. But Raphael said to them: ‘Do not fear; peace be with you! Bless God now and forever.As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting out of any favor on my part, but by God’s will. So bless God every day; give praise with song.Even though you saw me eat and drink, I did not eat or drink anything; what you were seeing was a vision. So now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. Look, I am ascending to the one who sent me. Write down all that has happened to you.’ And he ascended.They stood up but were no longer able to see him.They kept blessing God and singing his praises, and they continued to give thanks for these marvelous works that God had done, because an angel of God appeared to them.” Tobit 12:6-22 NABRE – Cf. Luke 1:19; Revelation 5:8; 8:2-5
This means that Tobit (along with the readers of the narrative) would have to reflect and ponder on the reason for Raphael identifying himself as Azariah the son of Hananiah, seeing that neither he nor God would lie to him. And it is precisely because this righteous Angel did and would not lie that we are forced to uncover the deeper hidden spiritual meaning in these names.
FURTHER READING
A Protestant Defends the “Apocrypha”
The Revelation of the Gospel in Adam’s Genealogy
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