ἄγγελος

ἄγγελος, -ου, ὁ,

[in LXX chiefly for מַלְאָךְ ;]

1. a messenger, one sent: Matt 11,10, Jak 22,25.

2. As in LXX, in the special sense of angel, a spiritual, heavenly being, attendant upon God and employed as his messenger to men, to make known his purposes, as Luk 1,11, or to execute them, as Matt 4,6, The ἄ. in Åb 1,20-2:1, al., is variously understood as

(1) a messenger or delegate,

(2) a bishop or ruler,

(3) a guardian angel,

(4) the prevailing spirit of each church, i.e. the Church itself. (Cf. Swete, Ap)., in l.; DB, iv, 991; Thayer, see word; Cremer, 18; MM, VGT, see word)