Investiture_of_the_Archangel_Michael

<i>Investiture of the Archangel Michael</i>

Investiture of the Archangel Michael

Apocryphal text

The Investiture of the Archangel Michael (alternatively, the Book of the Investiture of the Holy Archangel Michael[1] or the Book of the Investiture of Michael[2]) is an apocryphal text of the New Testament. It is an Old Nubian-language text, purportedly written by John the Apostle, which describes the importance of Michael, an archangel, in Christianity, as well as the role of Satan in several biblical events.

A fragment from an Old Nubian translation of the text with Michael's name in red

Background

In most of Christianity, Michael, an archangel, is of fairly little importance.[3] In the Christianity of Egypt, particularly of Old Nubian-language writings, he is relatively more important, and he appears in several texts.[3]

Description and contents

The Investiture of the Archangel Michael is a Coptic-language apocryphal writing; while it is unknown when it was first written, there are manuscripts and translations into the Sahidic and Fayumic dialects from the ninth century, though there are earlier (seventh-century, as in the case of John of Parallos's Contra Libros Haereticorum) attestations of its existence.[upper-alpha 1][4] The most complete manuscript of the text is dated between 892 and 893, and it includes the Investiture of Gabriel the Archangel.[1] It has also been attested to in Old Nubian and Greek,[1] and an original Greek edition of the text may date to before 600.[2]

In two of the three main manuscripts of the text, John the Apostle is the purported writer.[1] It describes the fall of Satan and his replacement by Michael; the creation of the seven archangels (including Satan, known as Saklataboth) and their purposes (to worship God); Satan causing the beheading of John the Baptist; John the Baptist's age at death, varying between 31 and 34 between manuscripts; and the theological importance of reverence for Michael.[5]

Though there are several similarities between the Investiture of the Archangel Michael and the Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, particularly a shared cosmological belief system and shared physical description of hell, their theological understandings of heaven and hell are dissimilar.[6]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. Kelly 2006, p. 236, describes a "late fifth-century" copy of the text existing.

Citations

  1. [1]
    Lundhaug 2019, p. 62.
  2. [2]
    Lanzillotta & van der Vliet 2022, p. 140.
  3. [3]
    Lundhaug 2019, p. 59.
  4. [4]
    Lundhaug 2019, pp. 59–63.
  5. [5]
    Lundhaug 2019, pp. 64–67, 70.
  6. [6]
    Lanzillotta & van der Vliet 2022, pp. 145, 147.

Works cited

  • Kelly, Christopher (2006). Ruling the later Roman Empire. Revealing Antiquity. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674039452.
  • Lanzillotta, Lautaro Roig; van der Vliet, Jacques (2022). The Apocalypse of Paul (Visio Pauli) in Sahidic Coptic. Vigiliae Christianae, Supplements. Brill. ISBN 9789004526471.
  • Lundhaug, Hugo (2019). "Textual fluidity and monastic fanfiction: The case of Investiture of the Archangel Michael in Coptic Egypt". In Gilhus, Ingvild Sælid; Tsakos, Alexandros; Wright, Marta Camilla (eds.). The archangel Michael in Africa: History, cult, and persona. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781350084735.
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