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am-bas´a-dor (מל×ך, mal'aÌ„kh, “messengerâ€; לוּץ, 'luÌ„c, “interpreterâ€; ציר, cı̄r, “to goâ€; hence a messenger; Ï€ÏεσβευÌω, presbeuÌoÌ„, “to act as an ambassador,†literally, to be older): An ambassador is an official representative of a king or government, as of Pharaoh (); of the princes of Babylon (); of Neco, king of Egypt (); of the messengers of peace sent by Hezekiah, king of Judah, to Sennacherib, king of Assyria (). The same Hebrew term is used of the messengers sent by Jacob to Esau (); by Moses to the king of Edom (). For abundant illustration consult “Messenger†(מל×ך, mal'aÌ„kh) in any concordance. See CONCORDANCE. The inhabitants of Gibeon made themselves pretended ambassadors to Joshua in order to secure by deceit the protection of a treaty (“covenantâ€) ().
In the New Testament the term is used in a figurative sense. As the imprisoned representative of Christ at Rome Paul calls himself “an ambassador in chains†(); and in includes, with himself, all ministers of the gospel, as “ambassadors ... on behalf of Christ,†commissioned by Him as their sovereign Lord, with the ministry of reconciling the world to God. The Bible contains no finer characterization of the exalted and spiritual nature of the minister's vocation as the representative of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Saviour of the world.