喜樂美語

核心畫面

Behind ministry sits Latin 'minister' = a servant, one who serves. The core picture is an organised body of people whose job is to serve — serve the public (a government department) or serve God and a congregation (the church sense). The shared thread is 'a role of service and the work it involves'.

ministry 背後是拉丁文 minister「僕人、服事的人」。核心畫面可以想成一群人組成、專門「服事、服務」的…更多收起ministry 背後是拉丁文 minister「僕人、服事的人」。核心畫面可以想成一群人組成、專門「服事、服務」的單位——服務大眾的（政府的某個部會），或服事上帝與會眾的（教會那邊的意思）。共通的線是「一份服事的職分，以及這份職分要做的事」。

From the word’s history

From Latin ministerium (service, office of a servant), from minister (servant). Both the government and the church senses descend from this same 'service / office' root — a minister is literally one who serves.

源自拉丁文 ministerium（服事、僕人的職務），來自 minister（僕人）。政府的部會和教會的職分都從這個「服事、職分」的字根長出來——minister 字面就是「服事的人」。

Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com), 'ministry' / 'minister'

Two branches

政府部會

把「服事的職分」放到國家層級：一個專門服務公眾某一塊事務（健康、教育）的政府單位。可以想成一群官員受託替全民管一件事——the Ministry of Health（衛生部）。

government department · noun · C1

A government department in charge of one area of work, such as health or education.

部 / 部會

神職與事工

把「服事」放回宗教場景：服事上帝與會眾。這條線把 ministry 從「當神職人員這個身分」延伸到「神職人員實際做的工作」。

clergy work · noun · C1

The work someone takes up on becoming a priest or church leader, most often in Protestant churches.

神職 / 牧職

原始詞典資料6 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

ministrynoun/ˈmɪnɪstɹi/

  • 1

    Government department, at the administrative level normally headed by a minister (or equivalent rank, e.g. secretary of state), who holds it as portfolio, especially in a constitutional monarchy, but also as a polity

    • She works for the ministry of finance.
    • He works for the ministry of defence.
  • 2

    The complete body of government ministers (whether or not they are in cabinet) under the leadership of a head of government (such as a prime minister)

    • The premier offered his last ministry's resignation to the monarch, and is asked to form a new one in accordance with the election results.
  • 3

    A ministration

  • 4

    The active practice and education of the minister of a particular religion or faith.

  • 5

    ChristianityThe clergy of nonapostolic Protestant churches.

  • 6

    ChristianityWork of a spiritual or charitable nature.

    • the present ministry of the Holy Spirit

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。