Minister

Minister one who serves, as distinguished from the master. (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 (2Kings 4:43). This name is also given to attendants at court (2Chr 22:8), and to the priests and Levites (Jer 33:21; Ezek 44:11).

(2.) Heb. pelah (Ezra 7:24), a "minister" of religion. Here used of that class of sanctuary servants called "Solomon's servants" in Ezra 1:2-58 and Neh 7:57-60.

(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).

(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).

(5.) Greek diaconos, usually a subordinate officer or assistant employed in relation to the ministry of the gospel, as to Paul and Apollos (1Cor 3:5), Tychicus (Eph 6:21), Epaphras (Col 1:7), Timothy (1Thess 3:2), and also to Christ (Rom 15:8).