Minister

In biblical usage, a minister is one who serves another in an official or personal capacity. The Hebrew mesharet (servant, attendant) and Greek diakonos (deacon, servant) both convey the idea of active, purposeful service. In the Old Testament, Joshua was Moses's minister (mesharet), attending him personally (Exodus 24:13); the Levites ministered to the priests in the sanctuary (Numbers 3:6); and angels are called God's ministers who do his will (Psalm 103:21).

In the New Testament, diakonos designates both the general servant of all (as Jesus taught: whoever would be great among you must be your servant, Matthew 20:26) and the specific church office of deacon. Paul calls himself a minister of the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6) and of the gospel (Colossians 1:23). Civil rulers are also described as ministers of God for justice (Romans 13:4). The concept of ministry is thus deeply tied in Scripture to the reversal of status — the greatest as servant of all.