The question that nobody dares to ask. What’s the difference between an angel and an extraterrestrial? At first glance it may seem like a provocation, but in the light of what the biblical texts and apocryphal documents tell us, this question deserves attention. If we carefully analyze the words of Jesus, the stories of the prophets and the descriptions of celestial entities in ancient texts, we discover a surprising truth: angels are not of this Earth.
Who are angels according to the Bible?
— Matthew 18:10 – Angels see the face of the Father
In the Gospel of Matthew (18:10), Jesus clearly states:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
Here the word “little ones” indicates those who humble themselves, according to the Greek verb tapeinòsei, from “tapeinò”, or “to lower oneself, to humble oneself”. And already in this sentence we notice an important detail: the angels are in heaven, they see the face of the Father, and they are not on Earth except when they temporarily intervene.
— Matthew 22:30 – Like angels in heaven
When the Sadducees ask Jesus about the Levirate marriage, He replies:
“At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
Here too: the angels are in heaven, they don’t belong to the earthly world. Their kingdom is elsewhere.
— Jesus and the twelve legions of angels
At the moment of his arrest in Gethsemane, Jesus clearly says:
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)
A Roman legion consisted of about 6,000 soldiers. Twelve legions means over 72,000 entities ready to intervene. We are not talking about ethereal figures, but organized units, almost heavenly armies.
Jesus and the kingdom “not of this world”
In John 8:23, Jesus says:
“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world”.
And he reiterates the concept before Pilate (John 18:36):
“My kingdom is not of this world”.
In the Greek text, the expression is enteuthen, which indicates a motion from a place. Jesus is saying that his kingdom does not come from Earth, but rather from another dimension or location: the heavens.
The function of angels: messengers or… visitors?
The Greek word “anghelos” means “messenger”. But as Biglino points out, “messenger” is a function, not a species. A messenger can be a man, an animal or something else. What matters is the nature of the individual who brings the message.
The angels described in the Bible appear in various forms: human, luminous, terrible or shining. Some are peaceful, like the one who consoles Hagar (Genesis 16), others are terrifying, like the one Gideon meets (Judges 6), who makes fire come out of a rock and disappears “walking” (not “vanishing into thin air”).
Did angels have a body?
According to the Church Fathers, angels had a material structure, even if it was made of a more “subtle” matter: fiery, ethereal. Only in 1215, at the IV Lateran Council, was it established that they were pure spirits.
But in apocryphal texts, such as the Apocalypse of Moses, we read that the serpent (before his punishment) had hands, feet, wings and ears: he was a corporeal being, with language and intellect. This confirms the idea that angels were not spiritual beings, but rather “other”, non-human individuals.
The apocalypses: journeys in the heavens and angelic hierarchies
The Apocalypse of Baruch, the Apocalypse of Peter, and even the canonical one of John, tell us about angels that guide journeys in the heavens, heavenly armies, kingdoms of light. Jesus himself, speaking of the end of the world, says that he will return “on the clouds of heaven with all his angels, shining seven times more than the sun”.
And in the famous passage about the 144,000 (Revelation 7), we read about a special group that is “marked” before the destruction. They are joined by a “great multitude” that no one can count. All gathered in the “Heavenly Jerusalem”: a city not of this world, populated by angels and selected souls.
Angels and aliens: two names for the same thing?
The biblical descriptions of angels – luminous, frightening, alien – often coincide with the stories of those who today claim to have met extraterrestrial beings. Both:
- They are not human
- They come from another world
- They possess different powers
- They travel in a “non-terrestrial” way
- They belong to a well-defined hierarchy of angels (Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Virtues, Archangels, Angels)
And yet, perception changes depending on the name. Someone who says “I saw an angel” is considered a witness to a miracle. Someone who says “I saw an alien” is ridiculed or accused of lying. But what difference is there, objectively?
The cult of angels: from faith to idolatry
In the Synod of Laodicea (363-364 AD) the cult of angels was forbidden, as it was considered idolatrous. It was established that:
“Those who worship angels are to be anathema”.
A strong signal: angels were not seen as spiritual beings to be venerated, but as entities dangerously similar to “alternative divinities”. The cult of angels was therefore suppressed to reaffirm Christian monotheism.
Conclusion: are angels extraterrestrials?
If we accept the content of the sacred texts literally, the answer is yes. Jesus clearly says:
“My kingdom is not of this world”.
Angels are ‘in heaven’ and do not belong to Earth. They are described as beings with superior technology and abilities, organized in armies, led by commanders such as Michael, the archangel ‘chief of the legions’.
So why not consider them for what they are: non-terrestrial beings?
Perhaps it’s time to reconsider our categories. Perhaps “angel” and “extraterrestrial” are just two different labels to describe the same experience.
And if that were really the case… who is our guardian angel? Or perhaps we should say… our guardian alien?
