Encyclopedia entry
Minister
Disambiguation
The source enumerates 5 distinct subjects under Minister. Jump to one below, or read in order.
One who serves, as distinguished from the master.
Minister (1)
#Heb. meshereth, applied to an attendant on one of superior rank, as to Joshua, the servant of Moses (Ex. 33:11), and to the servant of Elisha (2 Kings 4:43). This name is also given to attendants at court (2 Chr. 22:8), and to the priests and Levites (Jer. 33:21; Ezek. 44:11).
Minister (2)
#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 Neh. 7:57-60.
Minister (3)
#Greek leitourgos, a subordinate public administrator, and in this sense applied to magistrates (Rom. 13:6). It is applied also to our Lord (Heb. 8:2), and to Paul in relation to Christ (Rom. 15:16).
Minister (4)
#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).
Minister (5)
#Greek diaconos, usually a subordinate officer or assistant employed in relation to the ministry of the gospel, as to Paul and Apollos (1 Cor. 3:5), Tychicus (Eph. 6:21), Epaphras (Col. 1:7), Timothy (1 Thess. 3:2), and also to Christ (Rom. 15:8).
Also from Smith's (1884) +−
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 1:9,13) 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 minister’s 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]
In the Bible
108
Verses where Minister is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- 1 Chronicles 15:2
Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.”
- 1 Chronicles 16:4
David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 16:37
So David left Asaph and his associates there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to minister there regularly according to the daily requirements,
- 1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.
- 1 Chronicles 26:12
These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the house of the LORD, just as their relatives did.
- 1 Corinthians 9:13
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?
+102 more verses naming Minister.
Scripture on Minister
87
See all 87 +−
- Numbers 3Numbers 4Nehemiah 10Luke 4Romans 13Hebrews 8Exodus 24Exodus 30Exodus 39Exodus 40Deuteronomy 18Joshua 12 Kings 41 Chronicles 162 Chronicles 22Isaiah 60Jeremiah 33Ezekiel 45Joel 1Matthew 20Mark 10Acts 13Ephesians 61 Thessalonians 31 Peter 4Exodus 31Exodus 33Exodus 35Leviticus 7Leviticus 16Numbers 1Numbers 8Numbers 16Numbers 18Deuteronomy 10Deuteronomy 17Deuteronomy 211 Samuel 21 Kings 81 Kings 101 Chronicles 151 Chronicles 231 Chronicles 262 Chronicles 52 Chronicles 82 Chronicles 132 Chronicles 232 Chronicles 242 Chronicles 292 Chronicles 31Ezra 2Ezra 7Ezra 8Nehemiah 7Psalms 9Psalms 101Isaiah 56Isaiah 61Ezekiel 40Ezekiel 42Ezekiel 43Ezekiel 46Joel 2Matthew 25Matthew 27Acts 24Acts 261 Corinthians 31 Corinthians 92 Corinthians 9Galatians 2Ephesians 3Ephesians 4Philippians 2Colossians 41 Timothy 11 Timothy 4Philemon 1Hebrews 1Hebrews 6Hebrews 101 Peter 1
Minister references
29
Voices on Minister
24
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.