Minister

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Easton's Bible Dictionary - Minister

Minister [S]

one who serves, as distinguished from the master.

  • Heb. meshereth, applied to an attendant on one of superior rank, as to Joshua, the servant of Moses ( Exodus 33:11 ), and to the servant of Elisha ( 2 Kings 4:43 ). This name is also given to attendants at court ( 2 Chronicles 22:8 ), and to the priests and Levites ( Jeremiah 33:21 ; Ezekiel 44:11 ).

  • Heb. pelah ( Ezra 7:24 ), a "minister" of religion. Here used of that class of sanctuary servants called "Solomon's servants" in Ezra 2:55-58 and Nehemiah 7:57-60 .

  • Greek leitourgos, a subordinate public administrator, and in this sense applied to magistrates ( Romans 13:6 ). It is applied also to our Lord ( Hebrews 8:2 ), and to Paul in relation to Christ ( Romans 15:16 ).

  • Greek hyperetes (literally, "under-rower"), a personal attendant on a superior, thus of the person who waited on the officiating priest in the synagogue ( Luke 4:20 ). It is applied also to John Mark, the attendant on Paul and Barnabas ( Acts 13:5 ).

  • Greek diaconos, usually a subordinate officer or assistant employed in relation to the ministry of the gospel, as to Paul and Apollos ( 1 Corinthians 3:5 ), Tychicus ( Ephesians 6:21 ), Epaphras ( Colossians 1:7 ), Timothy ( 1 Thessalonians 3:2 ), and also to Christ ( Romans 15:8 ).

    These dictionary topics are from
    M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
    published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
    [S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary
    Bibliography Information

    Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Minister". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". .

    • King James Dictionary - Minister

    Minister

    Servants.

    Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but MINISTERS by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. ( 1 Corinthians 1:1 Psalm 3:5-6 )

    Source: A King James Dictionary. (Used with permission. Copyright © Philip P. Kapusta)
    Bibliography Information

    "Entry for 'Minister'". A King James Dictionary.

    Smith's Bible Dictionary - Minister

    Minister. [E]

    This term is used in the Authorized Version to describe various officials of a religious and civil character. Its meaning, as distinguished from servant, is a voluntary attendant on another. In the Old Testament it is applied (1) to an attendance upon a person of high rank, ( Exodus 24:13 ; Joshua 1:1 ; 2 Kings 4:43 ) (2) to the attaches of a royal court, ( 1 Kings 10:5 ; 2 Chronicles 22:8 ) comp. Psal 104:4 (3) to the priests and Levites. ( Ezra 8:17 ; Nehemiah 10:36 ; Isaiah 61:6 ; Ezekiel 44:11 ; Joel 1:9 Joel 1:13 ) One term in the New Testament betokens a subordinate public administrator, ( Romans 13:6 ; 15:16 ; Hebrews 8:2 ) one who performs certain gratuitous public services. A second term contains the idea of actual and personal attendance upon a superior, as in ( Luke 4:20 ) The ministers duty was to open and close the building, to produce and replace the books employed in the service, and generally to wait on the officiating priest or teacher. A third term, diakonos (from which comes our word deacon), is the one usually employed in relation to the ministry of the gospel: its application is twofold, --in a general sense to indicate ministers of any order, whether superior or inferior, and in a special sense to indicate an order of inferiors ministers. [DEACON] [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary

    Bibliography Information

    Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Minister'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901.