Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
A “publisher of glad tidings;” a missionary preacher of the gospel (Eph. 4:11). This title is applied to Philip (Acts 21:8), who appears to have gone from city to city preaching the word (8:4, 40). Judging from the case of Philip, evangelists had neither the authority of an apostle, nor the gift of prophecy, nor the responsibility of pastoral supervision over a portion of the flock. They were itinerant preachers, having it as their special function to carry the gospel to places where it was previously unknown. The writers of the four Gospels are known as the Evangelists.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(publisher of glad tidings). ” They probably stood between the two. (Acts 21:8; Ephesians 4:11) The work of the evangelist is the proclamation of the glad tidings to those who have not known them, rather than the instruction and pastoral care of those who have believed and been baptized. It follows also that the name denotes a work rather than an order . Its use is nearly like our word missionary. The evangelist might or might not be a bishop-elder or a deacon.
The apostles, so far as they evangelized, (Acts 8:25; 14:7; 1 Corinthians 1:17) might claim the title, though there were many evangelists who were not apostles. If the gospel were a written book, and the office of the evangelists was to read or distribute it, then the writers of such books were pre-eminently THE evangelists. In later liturgical language the word was applied to the reader of the gospel for the day.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
EVAN'GELIST (a messenger of good tidings). T. the word means a preacher of the gospel who was not fixed in any place, but who travelled as a missionary to preach the gospel and establish churches. Acts 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2 Tim 4:5. The evangelists seem to have been an order of ministers standing between the apostles and the pastors and teachers. They could not impart the Holy Ghost. Acts 8:15. They were liable to be sent upon sudden errands. Acts 8:26. They might be officers in a particular church, yet evangelists, as was the case with Philip, who is the best known of the class. Acts 6:5.
" Paul made most use of them, as was to be expected; on his last journey to Jerusalem he was accompanied by no less than seven of them. Acts 20:4-5. They were the "vicegerents" of the apostles. Thus, Timothy was sent by Paul to report the condition of the Philippian church, Phil 2:19-23, completed the organization of the Ephesian church, and repressed the growth of errors during the absence of Paul. 1 Tim 1:3; 1 Tim 3:14-15; 1 Tim 4:13. The discourses of the evangelists were historical in their matter and turned chiefly upon the main facts of Christ's life.
" To Matthew is assigned as symbol the face of a man (because he traces the human descent of Christ, the Son of man); to Mark the lion, (because he sketches Christ as the conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah); to Luke the ox (with reference to Christ as the Victim slain for the sins of the world); and to John the eagle (because of his bold flight and steady gaze at the eternal Son of God).