SOUNDING OUT:
Do the Work of an Evangelist (Part 2 of 3)

Considering the Word Family of Euangelistês:

  The three Greek words in this word family are the verb - euangelizoõ, and the nouns - euangelion and euangelistês. They are compound words derived from eu (well or good) and angelos (messenger) or angelia (message). Euangelion, usually translated “gospel,” is handled in the lexicons as “glad tidings” or “good news.” Euangelizõ, usually translated “preach,” is handled in the lexicons as “to proclaim as good tidings” or “to announce the glad tidings.” Euangelistês, always translated “evangelist,” is handled in the lexicons as “one who announces the glad tidings” or “preacher” or “teacher.” They are related in the basic arrangement that the evangelist (euangelistês) evangelizes (euangelizõ) the gospel (euangelion).

  Etymologically, the work of an evangelist would seem to be to preach (euangelizõ) the gospel (euangelion). There are five verses where euangelion and euangelizõ both occur: This polyptoton is emphatic.

  Besides these three terms, the root words eu, angelia, and angelos would contribute to an understanding. Other related words would include anangellõ – “to tell or rehearse,” angellõ – “to tell or announce,” apangellõ – “to bring word or to inform,” diangellõ - “to publish throughout,” epangellõ - “to declare, announce or promise,” epangelia and epangelma - “promise,” katangellõ – “to bring word down,” exangellõ - “to show forth,” parangellõ - “to charge or command,” and proeuangelizomai - “to preach the gospel before.”

The Three Occurrences of Euanqelistês:
  “Evangelist” is only used three times in the Bible. The first occurrence is Acts 21:8 where Philip is identified as an evangelist; the second use is Ephesians 4:11 where it is identified as a gift ministry; the third and last use is II Timothy 4:5 where Timothy was exhorted to “do the work of an evangelist.”

The Number “3” and Evangelist:
  There are several correlations between “evangelist” and the number three. The most obvious is that “evangelist” occurs three times. It is also the third gift ministry listed in Ephesians 4:11 and the third command in II Timothy 4:5. The third section in Acts contains the ministry of Philip, the evangelist, in Samaria and with the Ethiopian eunuch. Euangelizõ is used 54 times (the critical texts omit the first occurrence in Romans 10:15) which is (2 x 27) or (2 x 33).

  Three is the number of completeness or solidarity. The work of an evangelist not only gets people born-again, becoming a three-fold person of body, soul, and spirit, but he is also to teach them what that means and how to reproduce themselves and operate the sonship right of the ministry of reconciliation.

Philip the Evanqelist:
  The life of Philip takes on a special uniqueness when we think that he was the only person spoken of in the Bible as an evangelist. This does not mean that he is the only evangelist in the Word of God. However, he is the only one designated by God as one. Therefore, the life of Philip must be uniquely significant in a study of what it means to do the work of an evangelist.

   Philip, the evangelist, is first mentioned in Acts 6:5, where he was one of seven chosen “to serve tables.” From this we learned that he was (1) of honest report (2) full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom and (3) prayed for and ordained by the apostles. He is found again in Acts 8:5-40 where his name is mentioned 14 times. In Acts 8:40 he ends up at Caesarea. When he turns up again he is still in Caesarea (Acts 21:8), where he has at least four daughters. Now if Philip had “settled down” in Caesarea and raised a family he would have probably entertained Paul in Caesarea (Acts 9:30) as he did in Acts 21:8,9. He would have probably undershepherded Cornelius’ household after Acts 10:1, also.

  The record in Acts 8 could have happened as early as 33 or 35 AD. There may have been as much as 23-28 years between Acts 8 where Philip goes to Samaria and Acts 21 where Philip receives Paul in Caesarea. The account in John 4 where Jesus witnesses to the woman at the well happened in Samaria about seven to nine years previously. Jesus shared some awesome truths in the account of his visit to Samaria in John 4. In John 4:13,14, Jesus talks about living water; in 4:23,24, he talks about true worshippers; in 4:34 he says his meat is to do God’s will; and in 4:35-38 he talks about the harvest being ripe. In John 4:39-42 Jesus spends two days there and initiates great outreach. However, within seven to nine years, Jesus’ work was reversed and Simon subjected the people of Samaria with sorceries.

  The account in Acts 8 falls within the third section of Acts. The third great statement is Acts 9:31: “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” This multiplication could be in part attributed to evangelists like Philip who exercised their ministries. Next week we will look at Philip’s work in Acts and get a clearer picture of the work of an evangelist.