Judging Angels in Heavenly Realms
Paul's declaration in 1 Corinthians 6:3—"Is it not certain that we are to be the judges of angels?"—stands as one of the New Testament's most enigmatic statements about the eschatological role of believers [1]. The apostle deploys this assertion rhetorically, shaming the Corinthian church for taking trivial disputes before secular courts when their future dignity includes participation in cosmic judgment. The verse presumes knowledge of this future role without explaining its mechanics, leaving interpreters across centuries to wrestle with what judging angels entails and which angels fall under this judgment.
The Scope of Angelic Judgment
The interpretive tradition overwhelmingly identifies these angels as fallen beings rather than the elect angels who serve God. John Gill articulates the consensus: "by angels, all confess that demons are intended" [6]. This interpretation rests on the logic that righteous angels require no judgment, having remained faithful to their Creator. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary specifies that believers will judge "bad angels," noting that "we who are now 'a spectacle to angels' shall then 'judge angels'" [8]. This reversal—from being observed by angels to judging them—underscores the dramatic elevation of redeemed humanity in the eschatological order.
Yet the tradition does not entirely exclude good angels from some form of recognition in the final judgment. The same Presbyterian commentary suggests that "perhaps, too, good angels shall then receive from the Judge, with the approval of the saints, higher honors" [8]. This speculative note acknowledges that the saints' participation in Christ's judiciary authority might extend to affirming rewards for faithful angelic service, though this remains a minority consideration compared to the emphasis on judging fallen angels.
Aquinas on Angelic Judgment
Thomas Aquinas addresses the question systematically in the Summa Theologica, distinguishing between judgment as discussion (examination of deeds) and judgment as retribution (assignment of reward or punishment). one tradition argues that "the judgment of discussion nowise concerns either the good or the wicked angels, since neither is any evil to be found in the good angels, nor is any good liable to judgment to be found in the wicked angels" [2]. For Aquinas, fallen angels have no merit to assess, and elect angels have no sin to examine. The judgment of retribution, however, already occurred when angels made their irrevocable choice for or against God at the moment of their creation.
Aquinas further establishes that Christ's judiciary power extends to angels "not only with regard to His Divine Nature, as He is the Word of God, but also with regard to His human nature" [3]. This Christological foundation proves crucial: if Christ as the God-man judges angels, then believers who share in His glorified humanity participate derivatively in that judgment. The closeness of Christ's assumed nature to God, Aquinas argues, grounds His authority over angelic beings, and by extension grounds the saints' participation in that authority.
The Nature of Saintly Participation
The tradition carefully qualifies how believers exercise this judgment. Adam Clarke, drawing on Lightfoot, emphasizes that Paul writes "we shall judge angels," not merely "the saints shall judge angels," suggesting this role belongs specifically to apostles and ministers of the Gospel who, "by the preaching of the Gospel," already exercise a form of judgment against demonic powers [5]. This interpretation connects the future eschatological judgment to the present spiritual warfare conducted through Gospel proclamation.
John Gill expands this understanding by clarifying what the judgment is not: "this is to be understood not of their future final judgment and condemnation at the last day" in the sense that believers determine the sentence [6]. Rather, the saints participate in approving and administering the verdict already pronounced by Christ. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary states that "the saints shall join in approving the final sentence of the Judge on them," and that "believers shall, as administrators of the kingdom under Jesus, put down all rule that is hostile to God" [8]. This administrative role positions believers as Christ's assessors rather than independent judges.
Reverence and Restraint in Present Judgment
The tradition contrasts this future authority with present restraint. Commenting on 2 Peter 2:11, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes that even good angels, though greater in power than human blasphemers, refrain from bringing "railing accusation" against fallen angels "before the Lord" [4]. The commentary explains: "In the presence of the Lord, the Judge, in reverence, they abstain from judgment. Judgment belongs to God, not the angels" [4]. This restraint highlights the extraordinary nature of the saints' future role: "How great is the dignity of the saints who, as Christ's assessors, shall hereafter judge angels!" [4].
This present restraint establishes a pattern. If angels themselves defer judgment to God, how much more should human believers avoid presumptuous claims about spiritual powers in the present age. The future judgment of angels belongs to the eschatological unveiling of Christ's kingdom, not to present spiritual discernment or authority.
The Dignity of Redeemed Humanity
The doctrine of judging angels reveals the extraordinary dignity conferred on redeemed humanity. Aquinas observes that angels "are part of the universe" alongside corporeal creatures, all constituting "one universe" [7]. Yet within this unified creation, glorified humans occupy a unique position through union with Christ. The incarnation elevates human nature above angelic nature precisely because Christ "nowhere doth He take hold of the angels, but of the seed of Abraham He taketh hold" [3]. The hypostatic union—God assuming human nature, not angelic—establishes the ontological basis for humanity's eschatological authority over angels.
This authority extends to approving Christ's sentence on fallen angels who once held "exalted" positions and still retain "traces of their former power and glory" [4]. The judgment thus vindicates God's justice in the cosmic rebellion and demonstrates that grace, not original dignity, determines final standing in the kingdom.
Sources
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 6:3 (BBE) — Is it not certain that we are to be the judges of angels? how much more then of the things of this life?”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of Those Who Will Judge and of Those Who Will Be Judged at the General Judgment, Art. 8: Article: Whether at the coming judgment the angels will be judged? I answer that, The judgment of discussion nowise concerns either the good or the wicked angels, since neither is any evil to be found in the good angels, nor is any good liable to judgment to be found in the wicked angels. But if we speak of the judgment of retribution, we must distinguish a twofold retribution. One corresponds to the angels' personal merits and was made to both from the”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of Christ's Judiciary Prayer, Art. 6: Article: Whether Christ's judiciary power extends to the angels? I answer that, The angels are subjects of Christ's judiciary power, not only with regard to His Divine Nature, as He is the Word of God, but also with regard to His human nature. And this is evident from three considerations. First of all, from the closeness of His assumed nature to God; because, according to Heb. 2:16: "For nowhere doth He take hold of the angels, but of the seed of Abraham He taketh hold." Consequently, Christ's soul is ”
- 2 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Peter 2:11: which are--though they are. greater--than these blasphemers. Jude instances Michael (Jde 1:9). railing accusation--Greek, "blaspheming judgment" (Jde 1:9). against them--against "dignities," as for instance, the fallen angels: once exalted, and still retaining traces of their former power and glory. before the Lord--In the presence of the Lord, the Judge, in reverence, they abstain from judgment [BENGEL]. Judgment belongs to God, not the angels. How great is the dignity of the saints who, as Christ's assessors, shall hereafter judge angels! Me”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 6:3: Know ye not that we shall judge angels? - Dr. Lightfoot observes that "the apostle does not say here, as he said before, the saints shall judge the angels, but We shall judge them. By angels, all confess that demons are intended; but certainly all saints, according to the latitude with which that word is understood, i.e. all who profess Christianity, shall not judge angels. Nor is this judging of angels to be understood of the last day; but the apostle speaks of the ministers of the Gospel, himself and others, who, by the preaching of the Gospel, through the p”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 6:3: Know ye not that we shall judge angels,.... Meaning not the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, called "angels", Rev 1:20 whose doctrines are examined, tried, and judged by the saints, according to the word of God; nor the good angels, who, were it possible that they could, or should publish a Gospel contrary to what has been preached by the apostle, would be contradicted, condemned, and accursed by him, see Gal 1:8 but the evil angels, the devil and his angels: and this is to be understood not of their future final judgment and condemnation at the”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of the Production of the Angels in the Order of Natural Being, Art. 3: Article: Whether the angels were created before the corporeal world? I answer that, There is a twofold opinion on this point to be found in the writings of the Fathers. The more probable one holds that the angels were created at the same time as corporeal creatures. For the angels are part of the universe: they do not constitute a universe of themselves; but both they and corporeal natures unite in constituting one universe. This stands in evidence from the relationship of”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 6:3: judge angels--namely, bad angels. We who are now "a spectacle to angels" shall then "judge angels." The saints shall join in approving the final sentence of the Judge on them (Jde 1:6). Believers shall, as administrators of the kingdom under Jesus, put down all rule that is hostile to God. Perhaps, too, good angels shall then receive from the Judge, with the approval of the saints, higher honors.”