Ministering (3010) (leitourgikos from léïtos = of the people + érgon = work; English liturgy = a prescribed form for public worship) in Greek referred especially to those who performed public duties or works of public use (public servants). It means related to the performance of religious or liturgical service. See also leitourgos (He 1:7-note) leitourgia ( Heb 8:6-note, He 9:21-9:21) Leitourgikos is found only in this verse in the NT. Most of the uses of this word group is found in the Septuagint (LXX) Greek translation of the Hebrew OT (which would have been very familiar to Jewish readers of this epistle) describing priestly service to God and public ministry to men including performance of both worship and charitable functions. Leitourgikos - 5 uses in the OT - Ex 31:10, Ex 39:1, Nu 4:12, 26, Nu 7:5, 2Chr 24:14 The Psalmist describes the ministering spirits as God's angels mighty in strength...who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word" with their purpose being to "serve (LXX = leitourgos) Him, doing His will." (Ps 103:20;21) Spurgeon comments: We are bidden to do these commandments, and alas we fail; let those unfallen spirits, whose bliss it is never to have transgressed, give to the Lord the glory of their holiness. They hearken for yet more commands, obeying as much by reverent listening as by energetic action, and in this they teach us how the heavenly will should evermore be done; yet even for this surpassing excellence let them take no praise, but render all to him who has made and kept them what they are. O that we could hear them chant the high praises of God, as did the shepherds on that greatest of all birth nights -- When such music sweet Their hearts and ears did greet As never was by mortal finger struck; Divinely-warbled voice Answering the stringed noise, As well their souls in blissful rapture took: The air, such pleasure loth to lose, With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly close. Our glad heart anticipates the hour when we shall hear them "harping in loud and solemn guise," and all to the sole praise of God. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; to whatever race of creatures ye may belong, for ye are all his troops, and he is the Generalissimo of all your armies. The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea, should all unite in praising their Creator, after the best of their ability. Ye ministers of his that do his pleasure; in whatever way ye serve him, bless him as ye serve. The Psalmist would have every servant in the Lord's palace unite with him, and all at once sing out the praises of the Lord. We have attached a new sense to the word "ministers" in these latter days, and so narrowed it down to those who serve in word and doctrine. Yet no true minister would wish to alter it, for we are above all men bound to be the Lord's servants, and we would, beyond all other ministering intelligences or forces, desire to bless the glorious Lord. Even as the priest was primarily ministering to God, Jamieson comments that the ministering of angels is not properly rendered to men, since the latter have no power of commanding them, though their ministrations to God are often directed to the good of men Matthew Henry adds that Angels are ministering spirits under the blessed Trinity, to execute the divine will and pleasure; they are the ministers of divine Providence. Gill comments that ministering spirits is a rabbinical term frequent in Jewish writings and so quite familiar and appealing to the Jewish recipients of this epistle. Are they not - Greek here is ouchi which when used in a question expects an affirmative answer. The point is in fact, yes, the angels are ministering spirits. Their destiny is to continue to minister to us throughout eternity but Jesus’ destiny is to reign and it follows that He is immeasurably superior to the angels. The superiority of the Son to angels is sure: They all (no exceptions) minister regardless of their "rank". The Son is ministered to. The angels "stand" (Lk 1:19) before God, while the Son is "seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (He 1:3-note He 1:13-note) SENT OUT TO RENDER SERVICE: eis diakonian apostellomena (PPPNPN): (Ge 32:1, 32:2, 32:24; 1Pe1:12) (Ps 91:11, 91:12; Da 6:22; 9:21, 22, 23; 10:11, 10:12; Mt1:20; 2:13; 24:31; Lk 16:22; Acts 5:19; 10:3 10:4; 12:7, 12:23; 27:23) They are spirits sent from God to care for those who will receive salvation (NLT) commissioned to serve the heirs of God's salvation (Phillips) sent on a commission for the sake of those who are about to inherit salvation (Wuest) and are sent to help those who will receive salvation (ICB) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation (Amp) being sent out to render service (ALT) Sent out (3010) (apostello from apo = from + stello = send) means literally to send forth and here used in the present tense indicating that the angels are continually sent out to minister a truth we see clearly testified to throughout Scripture. Apostello - 132x in 130v - Mt 2:16; 8:31; 10:5, 16, 40; 11:10; 13:41; 14:35; 15:24; 20:2; 21:1, 3, 34, 36f; 22:3f, 16; 23:34, 37; 24:31; 27:19; Mark 1:2; 3:14, 31; 4:29; 5:10; 6:7, 17, 27; 8:26; 9:37; 11:1, 3; 12:2ff, 13; 13:27; 14:13; Luke 1:19, 26; 4:18, 43; 7:3, 20, 27; 9:2, 48, 52; 10:1, 3, 16; 11:49; 13:34; 14:17, 32; 19:14, 29, 32; 20:10, 20; 22:8, 35; 24:49; John 1:6, 19, 24; 3:17, 28, 34; 4:38; 5:33, 36, 38; 6:29, 57; 7:29, 32; 8:42; 9:7; 10:36; 11:3, 42; 17:3, 8, 18, 21, 23, 25; 18:24; 20:21; Acts 3:20, 26; 5:21; 7:14, 34f; 8:14; 9:17, 38; 10:8, 17, 20, 36; 11:11, 13, 30; 13:15; 15:27, 33; 16:35f; 19:22; 26:17; 28:28; Rom 10:15; 1 Cor 1:17; 2 Cor 12:17; 2 Tim 4:12; Heb 1:14; 1 Pet 1:12; 1 John 4:9f, 14; Rev 1:1; 5:6; 22:6. NAS = puts(1), send(17), send forth(3), sending(3), sends(1), sent(104), sent...away(1), set(1). Does this mean they are still be sent out today to render service to believers? Without a doubt! Robertson says that the present tense signifies sent forth repeatedly, from time to time as occasion requires. One of the earliest examples of an occasion that God deemed necessitated the sending out of an angel is found after Adam sinned and God drove the man out and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen 3:24) Comment: Cherubim, like all angels, are spirit beings, but they can take on physical bodies. Adam and Eve were barred by a flaming sword from the garden that God had planted for their enjoyment. There was no way back in. The fact that the tree of life remained, even though guarded by angels and a sword, was a ray of hope. Is it not possible that because He had it guarded and did not uproot it, that one day its fruit may be eaten again? Indeed, one day we will see it again (Rev 22:2). Adam and Eve were no longer welcome in God’s presence, but they had the hope that one day Paradise would be regained. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. The Nelson Study Bible: NKJV. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) God used His angelic messengers to not only warn Lot but to withdraw Lot from harm's way: And when morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up, take your wife and your two daughters, who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city." But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city." (Ge 19:15;16) Comment: Unfortunately, there is a "lot of Lot in a lot of us" isn't there? A potentially confusing Scripture on this topic of angelic service is "The Angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them." (Ps 34:7) because here the Angel of the LORD (see Angel of the LORD: summary) when compared to other Scriptures is undoubtedly the pre incarnate Christ. Even the context of the verse supports that this is not a reference to a created angel, for we are never commanded to fear angels but to "Fear God and give Him the glory" (Rev 14:7-note) (fear God - This phrase occurs 18x in NAS and is worth taking a moment to study the uses - make a list of the truths you learn and then pray over that list! = Ge 22:12; 42:18; Ex 18:21; Deut 25:18; Job 1:9; Ps 55:19; 66:16; Eccl 5:7; 8:12, 13; 12:13; Luke 18:2, 4; 23:40; Acts 13:16, 26; 1Pet 2:17; Rev 14:7) Solomon appropriately sums up Ecclesiastes writing that "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. " (Eccl 12:13) The writer of Hebrews notes later that God "does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham." (He 2:16-note). 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