(gr. "evangelistës", "messenger of good news").
They are included among the gifts of the ascended Lord (Eph. 4:11).
In the NT the only one who receives this name is Philip (Acts 21:8), although there is no doubt that there were many more who were. Paul said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”
He was the apostle who had been given a special commission, to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, among the Gentiles.
Timothy was exhorted to do the work of an evangelist, even though he had other gifts (2 Tim. 4:5). Although there was and is a special gift given to some to proclaim the gospel, we read of others who helped spread the good news, such as when there was persecution in Jerusalem; “All” were scattered except the apostles, and they went everywhere proclaiming the good news of the word (Acts 8:4).
The four Evangelists is a term frequently used to designate the writers of the four gospels. In works of art they are frequently symbolized with the four cherubim of Revelation (Rev. 4:6 ff., cp. Ez. 1:5 ff.).
Irenaeus already symbolized the Gospels, according to their character, in the following way:
Matthew as a man;
Marcos as a lion;
Lucas as an ox;
Juan as an eagle.
Meaning of EVANGELISTS
They are included among the gifts of the ascended Lord (Eph. 4:11).
In the NT the only one who receives this name is Philip (Acts 21:8), although there is no doubt that there were many more who were. Paul said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”
