ἄγγελος, -ου, ὁ,
[in LXX chiefly for מַלְאָךְ;]
1. a messenger, one sent: Mt 11:10, Ja 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 Lk 1:11, or to execute them, as Mt 4:6. The ἄ. in Re 1:202:1, 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, s.v.; Cremer, 18; MM, VGT, s.v.)