Forms: 2–4 ewan(i)geliste, 3–8 evangelist(e, -yste, (4 euuan-, evaungelist, -istte), 4– evangelist. Also 4 aphet. (after þe) wangelist(e, -yst. [a. Fr. évangéliste, = Pr., Sp. and It. evangelista, ad. L. ēvangelista, ad. Gr. εὐαγγελιστής, agent-n. f. εὐαγγελίζεσθαι: see EVANGELIZE.]
1. One of the writers of the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 81. Seint Iohan þe ewangeliste in apocalipsi.
c. 1225. Juliana, 31. Þe worldes wealdent þat wiste sein iuhan his ewanigeliste unhurt.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 67. And sende Sent Mark þe euangelist in to Egypt.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13977 (Gött.). Als tellis luca þe wangeliste.
a. 1330. Roland & V., 153. Jones broþer, þe wangelist.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 243. Cryst clepid hym-self so þe ewangelistes bereth witnesse.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., II. (1520), 14/2. This Asarias and his sone Joas and his nevewe Amasia Mathew the evangelist putteth not in the lyne of Cryst for theyr offences.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. viii. (1634), 27. The three Evangelists write the Historie in base and simple speech.
1686. J. Scott, Chr. Life, II. II. vii. 666. The same may be said of the three other Evangelists.
1697. Locke, 2nd Vind. Reas. Chr., 126. He is of opinion … if we had nothing but the four Evangelists, we could not be saved.
1833. Cruse, Eusebius, VI. xxxi. 250. In this he most clearly establishes the consistency of two evangelists.
1845. Corrie, in Encycl. Metrop., 879/1. The Evangelist relates the circumstances attendant on the baptism of Christ.
transf. 1587. Golding, De Mornay, xxxiii. 621. He [Apollonius of Thyanie] fetched a yoong wench to life againe; but yet his counterfet Euangelist Philostratus durst not auowe that she was starke dead.
† 2. The book of the Gospels; a copy of the Gospels. Obs. [A med.L. use of evangelista; cf. apostolus for a lectionary from the epistles.]
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxii. 260. We swere on the holy euangelist, by vs corporally touched.
1618. Barnevelt’s Apol., F iij b. Let the Aduocate remember what Christ thunders out in the Euangelist.
1713. Steele, in Guardian, No. 21, ¶ 8. To see a well dressed young man produce an evangelist out of his pocket.
3. a. gen. One who preaches the gospel.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. lxvii. 11. The Lorde shal geue the worde, with greate hoostes of Euangelistes.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John, 69 b. They [the Pharisees] were as blynde in soule as the beggar, beyng now an euangelyste, was before in body.
1559. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. vi. 11. A Woman … is not called to be an Apostel, nor Evangel[i]st.
transf. 1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 16. The new evangelists will, I dare say, disappoint the hopes that are conceived of them.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes (1858), 325. The French Revolution found its Evangelist in Rousseau.
1883. M. Schuyler, in Harper’s Mag., Sept., 559/1. Mr. Norman Shaw has been the chief evangelist of this strange revival.
b. One who evangelizes or brings the gospel to (a heathen nation, etc.); = APOSTLE 3 b.
Mod. St. Boniface the evangelist of Germany.
c. In the primitive Church, the designation given to a certain class of teachers, mentioned in Eph. iv. 11 after ‘apostles’ and ‘prophets,’ and presumably having the function of preaching the gospel to the unconverted. The title has at various periods been revived, usually denoting an itinerant preacher having no fixed pastoral charge. At present, in the usage of various Protestant denominations, it means chiefly a layman commissioned to perform home missionary work.
1382. Wyclif, Acts xxi. 8. Philip euangelist. Ibid., Eph. iv. 11. He ȝaf ȝiftis to men … And he ȝaf summe sotheli apostlis, summe forsoth prophetis, othere forsothe Euangelistis.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 21. Many offices and dignytees of the chirche … as apostles, prophetes, euangelistes, doctours.
1588. J. Udall, Demonstr. Discipl. (Arb.), 23. Timothie and Titus … were Euangelists, a degree aboue ordinarie ministers.
1611. Bible, 2 Tim. iv. 5. Indure afflictions, doe the worke of an Euangelist.
1681. Burnet, Hist. Ref., II. 368. It was designed, that there should be in every diocese some who should go round a precinct, and preach like evangelists.
1732. Neal, Hist. Purit., I. 165. He [John Knox] was a sort of Evangelist over the whole kingdom.
1839. Yeowell, Anc. Brit. Ch., iv. (1847), 39. Evangelists, who appear to have acted as pioneers and forerunners of a stationary ministry.
1852. Conybeare & H., St. Paul (1862), I. xiii. 409. The term Evangelist is applied to those missionaries who … travelled from place to place.
1881. Bible (Revised), Eph. iv. 11.
