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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comFausset Bible Dictionary: Minister
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Minister mesharet. As Joshua was to Moses (; ), and Elisha's "servitor" (). The king's subordinate attendants, as "servants" are higher officials (). The angelic attendants of the heavenly King (). The priests and Levites, "ministers of our God" (). In New Testament leitourgos is a "public administrator", civil as the magistrate (; ), or sacerdotal as the Aaronic priests were () and as Christ was (), and as Paul figuratively was, presenting as a sacrifice before God the Gentiles converted by his ministry of the gospel () and their faith (), and as Christians minister their alms (; ).
Liturgy at Athens meant public service rendered gratuitously to the state; hence the sense of public Divine service (not restricted to sacrifice, ): . Hufretes is a greater man's "personal attendant" (literally, the rower under the steersman) or subordinate in waiting, as Mark was to Saul and Barnabas (); also (; ) interchanged with diakonos (; ), both applied to Paul. diakonos is also applied especially to deacons as distinguished from presbyter bishops (; -13).