The Angel’s Self-Revelation in Tobit 12

Abstract

The archangel Raphael is one of the most important characters in the book of Tobit. He appears first at Tob 5:4, to accompany Tobias in his journey. The presence of the angel has a special significance in the development of the events in the following chapters. Before leaving the scene when his mission has been accomplished, Raphael calls Tobit and Tobias and gives a long farewell discourse (12:6b–15, 17b–20a). In his speech delivered within the innermost circle of the three most important characters of the book—Tobit, Tobias, and Raphael himself—the angel interprets his own figure both implicitly and explicitly: his claims depict an angelic being with a very complex scope of duties. In this study, offered in honor of John Collins, an exemplary scholar and a preeminent man, I examine the special multifunctionality of Raphael’s character. In my view, Tob 12 presents a kind of summary of the angelology of Palestinian Judaism of the last centuries Bce.1 First, in a predominantly technical section, I give an overview of the pericope. Then, in the second part, I evaluate the data concerning the character and work of the angel in question.