Office

OFFICE of'-is:

In the Old Testament the word is often used in periphrastic renderings, e.g. "minister .... in the priest's office," literally, act as priest (Exodus 28:1, etc.); "do the office of a midwife," literally, cause or help to give birth (Exodus 1:16). But the word is also used as a rendering of different Hebrew words, e.g. ken, "pedestal," "place" (Genesis 40:13, the King James Version "place"; Genesis 41:13); `abhodhah, "labor," "work" (1 Chronicles 6:32); pequddah, "oversight," "charge" (Psalms 109:8); ma`amadh, literally, "standing," e.g. waiting at table (1 Chronicles 23:28); mishmar, "charge," observance or service of the temple (Nehemiah 13:14 the King James Version).

Similarly in the New Testament the word is used in periphrastic renderings, e.g. priest's office (Luke 1:8,9); office of a deacon (diakonia, 1 Timothy 3:10); office of a bishop (episkope, 1 Timothy 3:1). the Revised Version (British and American) uses other renderings, e.g. "ministry" (Romans 11:13); "serve as deacons" (1 Timothy 3:10). In Acts 1:20, the Revised Version (British and American) has "office" (margin "overseership") for the King James Version "bishoprick."

T. Lewis

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'OFFICE'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.