Dictionaries :: Ministering, Ministration, Ministry

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Ministering, Ministration, Ministry:

"the office and work of a diakonos" (see MINISTER, A, No. 1), "service, ministry," is used

(a) of domestic duties, Luk 10:40;

(b) of religious and spiritual "ministration,"

(1) of apostolic "ministry," e.g., Act 1:17, 25; 6:4; 12:25; 21:19; Rom 11:13, RV (AV, "office");

(2) of the service of believers, e.g., Act 6:1; Rom 12:7; 1Cr 12:5, RV, "ministrations" (AV, "administrations"); 1Cr 16:15; 2Cr 8:4; 9:1, 12, RV, "ministration;" 2Cr 9:13; Eph 4:12, RV, "ministering" (AV, "the ministry," not in the sense of an ecclesiastical function); 2Ti 4:11, RV, "(for) ministering;" collectively of a local church, Act 11:29, "relief" (RV marg. "for ministry"); Rev 2:19, RV, "ministry" (AV, "service"); of Paul's service on behalf of poor saints, Rom 15:31;

(3) of the "ministry" of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel, 2Cr 3:8;

(4) of the "ministry" of angels, Hbr 1:14, RV, "to do service" (AV, "to minister");

(5) of the work of the Gospel, in general, e.g., 2Cr 3:9, "of righteousness;" 2Cr 5:18, "of reconciliation;"

(6) of the general "ministry" of a servant of the Lord preaching and teaching, Act 20:24; 2Cr 4:1; 6:3; 11:8; 1Ti 1:12, RV, "(to His) service;" 2Ti 4:5; undefined in Col 4:17;

(7) of the Law, as a "ministration" of death, 2Cr 3:7; of condemnation, 3:9.

Ministering, Ministration, Ministry:

akin to leitourgos (see MINISTER, A, No. 2), to which the meanings of leitourgia correspond, is used in the NT of "sacred ministration,"

(a) priestly, Luk 1:23; Hbr 8:6; 9:21;

(b) figuratively, of the practical faith of the members of the church at Philippi regarded as priestly sacrifice, upon which the Apostle's life-blood might be poured out as a libation, Phl 2:17;

(c) of the "ministration" of believers one to another, regarded as priestly service, 2Cr 9:12; Phl 2:30.
See SERVICE.

Ministering, Ministration, Ministry:

"of or pertaining to service, ministering," is used in Hbr 1:14, of angels as "ministering spirits" (for the word "do service" in the next clause, see A, No. 1). In the Sept., Exd 31:10; 39:13; Num 4:12, 26; 7:5; 2Ch 24:14.