Guardian Angel

I agree with Ann. There is no indication in the Bible that each person is "assigned" a special angel, though there are Bible accounts of God using angels for believers.

Of course, God is the one who sends His angels - we are not to summon or contact them.

It might be helpful to do a study of angels using a concordance and looking up every account of or reference to angels. Billy Graham has a good book on angels. I would stay away from most books on angels as most out there are not biblical and are not even Christian.

 

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
Matthew 18:10
One of these little ones - One of my simple, loving, humble disciples.

Their angels - always behold - Our Lord here not only alludes to, but, in my opinion, establishes the notion received by almost all nations, viz. That every person has a guardian angel; and that these have always access to God, to receive orders relative to the management of their charge. See Ps 34:8; Heb 1:14.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Matthew 18:10
Verse 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, etc. That is, one who has become like little children--or, a Christian. Jesus then proceeds to state the reason why we should not despise his feeblest and obscurest follower. That reason is drawn from the care which God exercises over them. The first instance of that care is, that in heaven their angels do always behold his face. He does not mean, I suppose, to state that every good man has his guardian angel, as many of the Jews believed; but that the angels were, in general, the guards of his followers, and aided them, and watched over them, Heb 1:14.

The People's New Testament Commentary
Matthew 18:10
Despise not one of these little ones. Not merely one of the children, but those saints whom the world regards as insignificant and unimportant. "To despise" is, literally, "to look down upon," and hence, to neglect. This forbids all caste in the church.
In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father. The doctrine of guardian angels is emphatically taught in the Scriptures. See 2Ki 19:31; Ps 91:11; Heb 1:13; Ac 27:23. Who can afford to despise the children who have representatives right at the throne of God?

A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures
Matthew 18:10
Despise (kataphronêsête). Literally, "think down on," with the assumption of superiority. Their angels (hoi aggeloi autôn). The Jews believed that each nation had a guardian angel (Da 10:13,20; 12:1). The seven churches in Revelation (Re 1:20) have angels, each of them, whatsoever the meaning is. Does Jesus mean to teach here that each little child or child of faith had a special angel who appears in God's presence, "see the face of my Father" (blepousin to prosôpon tou patros mou) in special intimacy? Or does he simply mean that the angels do take an interest in the welfare of God's people (Heb 1:14)? There is comfort to us in that thought. Certainly Jesus means that the Father takes special care of his "little ones" who believe in Him. There are angels in God's presence (Lu 1:19).

 

Yes, I think it means that some there believed that people had personal angels. It could have been a superstition of the time or culture that one had an angel that looked like him/herself.

So this may reflect a cultural belief of the time but that does not mean it's biblical.

 

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

http://bible.cc/acts/12-15.htm

 

We've just studied this and I agree with you, annsni.

The context of Acts 12:15 is that the people of the house believed Peter had somehow sent a messenger (Mark? perhaps but not definitive) to give them news concerning his imprisonment or instructions about what to do if he were executed.

It makes much more sense than to say Peter's "Angel from heaven" were standing at the gate knocking.... as if an angel from God would be hindered by a gate if God had sent a message to them.

peace to youraying:

 

The context is actually that a real angel has just released Peter from prison. I can't see at all from the passage that they thought this was a human messenger!

Since the Jews did believe that people had angels that looked like them, this makes perfect sense. The Bible records in many places wrong views and beliefs held by people.

It serves as a sort of play on words and an intriguing contrast of what God can do vs. what men believe that a real angel has just released Peter - a miraculous event - and then when Peter appears, the people, due to their cultural superstition, think it's some kind of personal angel, when it's really Peter. It's actually kind of humorous.

 

My Guardian Angel does a first class job and I am thankful for him.