deacon
Mike Abendroth
Behind
the Word “Deacon”: A New Testament Study
—
D. Edmond Hiebert
[D. Edmond Hiebert, Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California]
The English word “deacon” is a loan-word coming through the Latin (diaconus) from the Greek word διάκονος.1 The basic meaning of the term is a “servant.” When a person refers to someone appointed as a “deacon” in a local church, the concept of a servant is united with that of office. The term “deacon” thus denotes an office involving the basic duty of rendering service to others. A deacon then is one who is placed in an official position for a ministry of service to benefit others.
The Greeks, with their strong sense of personal freedom, held a rather low view of servants. They did not exalt the servant’s position, but they did have a keen understanding of various aspects involved in the servant concept. They developed a remarkable variety of terms to express different aspects of it.2 These terms naturally shade into each other and frequently it is not necessary to seek to bring out the different shades of meaning involved. But each term can be used to convey its own distinct emphasis.
Perhaps the most common was the word δου̂λος, “a slave, a bond-servant. “As the opposite of a man who is “free,” this term carries the thought of one who belongs wholly to his master and is obligated to do his master’s will. The early church found it a fitting term to express the spiritual reality that a believer belongs wholly to his heavenly Lord and consequently must obey Him in total submission.
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The term οἰκέτης was often used as the practical equivalent of the word δου̂λος (cf. 1 Pet 2:18), but it is more specific and denotes “a house-slave.” It portrays a closer and more intimate relationship between servant and master than δου̂λος (cf. Rom 14:4).
Two kindred terms, μίσθιος and μισθωτός, both rendered “hired servant,” embody the picture of one working for pay. These self-centered terms are not used in the New Testament in connection with its “servant” teaching. Jesus used the latter term of the inferior “hireling” as contrasted to the “good shepherd” (John 10:12–13).
Another term is θεράπων, denoting a willing servant who serves out of respect and concern for others; it carries a note of tenderness. As a technical term it was used to denote one who rendered a service of healing (cf. the English word “therapy”).
The word παι̂ς, which means “child,” was at times used of a person who was a slave (Luke 7:7); so used, the term expressed the affectionate attitude of the master toward his servant. This term is used of Christ as the Son and Servant of God,
The noun λατρεύς3 originally meant one who worked for pay, rather than out of compulsion as a slave; hence he was a hired servant. But in the Septuagint and the New Testament the cognate verb (λατρεύω) is always used of religious service, either to the true God or to false gods in heathenism.4 It thus expresses the thought of service to God in worship (Rom 1:9; Heb 9:9; 10:2 ).
The word λειτουργός denotes a public servant, one who discharges a public service on behalf of the people or the state. The term was used of the priests ministering in the temple. In Romans 13:6 Paul used it of pagan governmental officials, while in Philippians 2:25 he used it of the ministry of Epaphroditus to him on behalf of the Philippian church. Since this noun implies officers of rank and dignity, it is not used in the New Testament of the Christian ministry and its functions.5
Another noun conveying the servant theme is ὑπηρέτης (originally denoting an under-rower in a war galleyship). It denotes one who works under the direction of another as his superior. It is the word used in the Gospels of the officers of the Jews, acting under the direction of the high priest, who arrested Jesus in the garden. The term implies the position of a “staff-officer”6 (cf. Acts 13:5). In John 18:36 Jesus used the term of His own disciples, implying their dignity. In 1 Corinthians 4:1 Paul uses this term in referring to a Christian minister in the widest sense.
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The noun διάκονος refers to a servant in relationship to his activity, one who renders a service to another for the benefit of the one being served. Unlike the word for slave (δου̂λος) διάκονος implies the thought of voluntary service. It is used of the “servants” at the wedding in Cana (John 2:5, 7, 9). They were individuals who had voluntarily assumed this activity out of good will for the bride and groom. Among these various Greek words this one has the. nearest approximation to the concept of a love-prompted service. Thus basically the word “deacon” denotes one who voluntarily serves others, prompted by a loving desire to benefit those served.
The derivation of this word διάκονος is not certain. It has been held that the term is a compound of the preposition δία, meaning “through,” and the noun κόνις, “dust,”7 so that the term denotes one who hurries through the dust to carry out his service. But this suggested derivation is not generally accepted today.8 More probably the verbal root was διήκω, “to reach from one place to another,”9 akin to the verb διώκω, “to hasten after, to pursue.”10 Then the root idea is one who reaches out with diligence and persistence to render a service on behalf of others. This would imply that the deacon reaches out to render love-prompted service to others energetically and persistently.
The term behind the word “deacon” appears in three forms in the New Testament. The verb διακονέω occurs 37 times, with various renderings for it in English,11 generally, “to minister to” or “to serve.” The noun διακονία denotes the concept of the service being rendered; it occurs 33 times, with various renderings in English such as “ministry,” “ministering,” “service,” “serving,” or “doing service.” The personal noun διάκονος occurs 30 times. It is usually translated “servant” or “minister,” though three times it is rendered “deacon.” Together, these three Greek terms, all coming from the same root and having the same basic meaning, occur 100 times in the Greek New Testament. All these occurrences provide material for a study of the concept underlying the word “deacon” in the New Testament. As indicated in the renderings above, the noun διάκονος is used in an official as well as a nonofficial sense.
“Deacon” As an Official Term
In three verses the noun διάκονος is a technical term and is rendered “deacon.”
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Philippians 1:1
In addressing his letter to “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,” Paul added the unique expression “including the overseers and deacons.” This is the first certain occurrence of διάκονος as a term of office in the New Testament. Mention of only these two offices in the salutation of the epistle implies that they were the only two officially established offices in the Philippian church. Though they constitute two distinct offices, they are closely related; Paul names both with one preposition. The order gives precedence to the overseers. Both terms are in the plural; neither office was confined to a single individual. The plurals leave undetermined how many overseers and deacons the Philippian church had. That, of course, would depend on the size and needs of the local church.
The term “overseers” (or “bishops,” KJV) points to the basic duty of this office. The meaning of “deacons” simply points to a service function. No further hints of the respective duties of these two offices are given in this epistle. The order and basic meanings of the two terms suggest that the deacons somehow assisted the bishops in their ministries.
First Timothy 3:8,12
In 1 Timothy 3:8 and 12 the word διάκονος also clearly has a technical force to denote a specific office. In this chapter Paul discussed the qualifications of two church officers, the “overseers” and the “deacons.” The overseer is again placed first (3:1–7 ), but the discussion of the “deacons” follows in close connection (3:8–13 ). In verse 8 Paul listed the personal qualifications of deacons, in verse 9 their spiritual qualifications, and in verse 12 their domestic qualifications. Whether verse 11 refers to the wives of the deacons or to deaconesses has been much debated; possibly it means the latter.12
In 1 Timothy 3:10 Paul mentioned the testing of persons for appointment to the office of deacon. The meaning is not that they should be given a trial appointment as deacon, but rather that the church should constantly be examining and testing the members of the congregation, so that whenever the need for selecting deacons arises, they will know what members are qualified for appointment.
In this significant chapter on church leaders Paul gave some clear intimations concerning the function of the overseers
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(cf. vv. 2, 5 ), but he said nothing about the duties of deacons. Apparently Paul did not associate certain fixed duties with the office. The context suggests that the deacons served as assistants to the overseers. It may be suggested that “they were the church’s relieving officers.”13 In view of the designated qualifications, they would be men who shared with the overseers a concern for the total needs of the congregation, and under the guidance of the overseers they aided in relieving those varied needs as they were able.
Doubtful Usages of the Word Group
In a few passages where the terms in this word group are used it is not clear whether an official position is involved.
Acts 6:1-6
Many scholars accept the view that the origin of the office of deacon is described in Acts 6:1–6. The passage relates the story of seven members of the Jerusalem church who were appointed by the apostles to minister to material needs of the widows and the poor in the church. The personal noun διάκονος (“deacon”) does not occur, but the related noun διακονία occurs twice. In verse 1 that word refers to “the daily ministration” (KJV) or “the daily serving” (NASB) of the needed food to the widows, but in verse 4 the word refers to “the ministry of the Word,” the apostles’ preaching. This double usage indicates that the concept of “deacon service” is not limited to material things. The cognate verb διακονέω (v. 2 ) relates to serving tables, the apostles indicated that it was not fitting that they should curtail their primary work of preaching to “serve tables.” So they suggested that seven qualified men be appointed to take over this duty, which apparently up to then the apostles had taken care of. A relieving office was being established. But the seven who were appointed are nowhere called deacons.
While unquestionably Stephen faithfully performed his assigned task of serving tables, he did not regard himself as limited to such a material ministry. He also carried on an effective spiritual witness, as Acts 6:8–7:60 makes clear.
Romans 16:1
In Romans 16:1 the noun διάκονος (which may be either masculine or feminine gender) is applied to Phoebe, “who is a
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servant of the church which is at Cenchrea” (NASB). Again it is not certain whether the term is used here as a general designation of Phoebe’s voluntary ministries to others or is intended as an official term, calling her a deaconess of the Cenchrean church. “Of the church” (not “in the church”) may indicate that her ministries were not mere private efforts but were performed under the authorization and approval of the church. Dodd asserts, “We may assume that whatever the ‘deacons’ were at Philippi, that Phoebe was at Cenchreae.”14 Verse 2 makes clear that Phoebe was amply qualified for such an appointed service. The view that Phoebe held the office of deaconess in the church at Cenchrea seems the most plausible.15 If so, then this is the first occurrence of the official meaning of the term in the New Testament.
First Timothy 3:13
The English rendering, “They that have used the office of a deacon well” (KJV; cf. “served well as deacons,” NASB), limits the reference to the office of the deacon. The original is simply an articular participle and may accurately be rendered, “Those who have served well.” Since this clause has no limiting object, it seems best to hold that the verbal form here is used to include the acceptable service of both overseers and deacons. It forms a suitable conclusion to the discussion in verses 1–13 . The verb elsewhere is not restricted to the office of the deacon. The stress is on the action rather than the office.
Nonofficial Usages of the Word Group
In the vast majority of the New Testament occurrences of this word group, a nonofficial usage is clear. These occurrences give a fuller understanding of the concept that lies behind the term “deacon.” A variety of usages appears.
Waiters at Tables
The original sense of the verb διακονέω, “to wait at tables,” is clear in Luke 17:8. Jesus spoke of a slave owner ordering his slave, returning from work in the field, to gird himself “and serve me until I have eaten and drunk.” This is also the meaning in Acts 6:2. It is also the obvious meaning of the noun διάκονος in John 2:5, 9. This basic meaning of the cognate noun διακονία is evident in Luke 10:40 which uses it of Martha in whose home
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Jesus was a guest. While Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, Martha was “cumbered about much serving” (KJV). She was greatly concerned about getting an appropriate meal ready for Jesus; she was engaged in “deacon service” on behalf of Jesus personally. Peter’s mother-in-law, healed by Jesus, rendered a similar service in the privacy of her home (Matt 8:15). These terms were often used of the domestic services of women. Also angels rendered such a service to Jesus at the end of His wilderness temptation Matt 4:11). They were rendering “deacon service” to Him in supplying His physical needs after 40 days of fasting.
Rendering Service to Another
Often the scope of the service was broader than table service and denoted service generally for the benefit of another. Jesus used the noun διάκονοι to denote the personal servants of a great king (Matt 22:1–14). In the first part of the parable (vv. 3–4, 6, 8, 10 ) Jesus used the ordinary word for slaves (δου̂λοι), but later He changed to the word διάκονοι to denote those servants who stood in a close relationship to the king and served him personally in any desired capacity.
Jesus used these terms to depict the relationship of believers to Him: “If any one serve (διακονη̂) Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant (διάκονος) also be” (John 12:26). In this more general sense believers today are challenged to render “deacon service” to Christ Himself. Jesus added the encouraging assurance that such service will have its reward: “If any one serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26c). Such a love-prompted service to Him will express itself in service to others. Jesus taught that He would recognize such service as done unto Him (Matt 25:40–45).
Jesus taught that believers must voluntarily serve other believers, motivated and inspired by His own example of service (Matt 20:26–28; Mark 10:45). The terms thus came to denote loving service to brothers and neighbors, which is to be the distinguishing mark of Christ’s followers. Jesus taught His disciples that instead of lording it over others, they must be willing to serve others (Matt 20:25–26). Such service was the way to greatness among them, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant” (διάκονος; Matt 20:26). Those who aspire to be leaders must voluntarily stoop to serve.
Paul used the noun διακονία of the voluntary ministry which Stephanus and his family were rendering to the Corinthian
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church (1 Cor 16:15). It involved a voluntary use of strength and possessions for the benefit of others, thus furthering the fellowship of the church. And in Hebrews 1:14 this term is used of the angels who are “sent out to render service (εἰς διακονίαν) for the sake of those who will inherit salvation.” This pictures angels divinely sent to render “deacon service” to the saints. This service involves protecting believers and furthering their well-being. Thus these terms for service are often used in a general sense to denote any kind of service rendered for the benefit of others.
A Monetary Ministry
This family of words is also used of serving others through monetary means. When Jesus was preaching in the cities of Galilee, He was accompanied by certain women whom He had healed, who “were helping to support them out of their own means” (Luke 8:3, NIV). Out of love and gratitude they used their money to supply the material needs of Jesus and His disciples. They formed the first “Ladies Peripatetic Missionary Society” in that they used their material means to further missionary goals.
Paul used these terms in connection with the collection being raised for the poor saints at Jerusalem (2 Cor 8–9 ). In these chapters Paul did not use the word “money”; instead he used terms which characterized the collection as a spiritual service. By means of “this ministry to the saints” (2 Cor 9:1) the local churches reached out to believers elsewhere as a ministry in building up the whole body of Christ (Eph 4:12; cf. Acts 11:29; 12:29 ).
Dealing with money matters is commonly accepted as a phase of the work of church deacons. But when deacons deal with money, it should not be viewed simply in terms of cold cash; the money entrusted to them must be viewed as a means to minister to others for spiritual ends. When the Gentile believers sacrificially raised money for the Jewish believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:1–5), they were rendering “deacon service” toward them. They desired the total welfare of their fellow believers in Judea. Thus all believers have the opportunty to render “deacon service” to others through their material means.
Governmental Official
The term διάκονος is also used in the New Testament to denote governmental officials. Paul, speaking of the secular
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ruler, wrote, “for he is a minister [διάκονος] of God to thee for good” (Rom 13:4). This designation is repeated in the latter part of the verse. Human government is God’s beneficent arrangement for human welfare. It was established to further God’s moral order by punishing the evil and promoting the good.
Servants of a Spiritual Power
Διάκονος is often used figuratively in the New Testament of one who is the servant of a mighty spiritual power. This power may be either good or bad.
Paul used the noun διάκονος of false teachers who are the servants of Satan (2 Cor 11:15). Paul commented that it was no surprise that men should be the deceptive servants of Satan since Satan likewise transforms himself into an angel of light.
But in most instances the word denotes a good power, the God whom believers serve. Paul referred to his coworkers as διάκονοι of God. Paul said Epaphras was…a faithful servant of Christ” (Col 1:7). The apostle also used this noun to describe Tychicus (Eph 6:21; Col 4:7), and he used the verbal form in referring to Timothy and Erastus (Acts 19:22) and of Onesiphorus (2 Tim 1:16–18).
Paul also used διάκονος of himself to describe his position as furthering the cause of God. He used the term to describe his relation to the gospel and its message of hope (Col 1:23) and of his relationship to the church (Col 1:25). As commissioned by Christ, he performed a deacon service in voluntarily furthering the interest of both. His God-given ministry (διακονία) was among the Gentiles (Acts 21:19, 1 Tim 1:12). Paul described his God-given work as a “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18), a service that aimed at bringing men into spiritual reconciliation with God through the gospel.
Paul sent Archippus a special message: “Take heed to the ministry (διακονία) which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it” (Col 4:17). It was a delegated ministry and in thought the usage approaches the concept of the office of the deacon. But the context suggests rather that he had been chosen for pastoral service to replace Epaphras, their minister, while he was with Paul at Rome.16 The ministry Archippus was to perform was pastoral in function, but as a voluntary service for the spiritual benefit of the church it had the character of deacon service.
Being used of God to convey His message to others is another phase of such a ministry. Peter referred to this ministry by the
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Old Testament prophets when they made known to New Testament believers the sufferings and glory of the Messiah (1 Pet 1:12). To be the channels of making known to others the revealed message of God is a ministry in which deacons can freely share but it is not limited to the office of the deacon.
Christ as Servant
Paul used the word διακονος of Christ Himself: “Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God” (Rom 15:8). And Jesus said of Himself, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (διακονη̂σαι), and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; Matt 20:26). In the Upper Room, Jesus, the uncontested superior of His disciples, washed their feet (John 13:1–17) as a lesson of love-prompted service. Though the one being served is the accepted superior, He pointed them to “the actuality: I am among you as a servant…. He is instituting in fact a new pattern of human relationships” through His personal example.17 And “this summons to service becomes binding because behind it stands the sacrifice of Jesus, who came ‘not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45).”18 In His earthly ministry Jesus Himself was the “Deacon” par excellence. He set the example not only for deacons but for all believers.
Jesus said, “If any one serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there shall My servant also be” (John 12:26). When Jesus uttered those words He was facing the cross. He knew that for His incarnate ministry to be spiritually fruitful He must die (John 12:24). That imperative lies on all His followers: “Where I am, there shall my servant also be.” Believers too must be willing to die to self, if they are to be His fruitful servants.
Conclusion
The nontechnical usages of this word group extend beyond the narrow limits implied in the English word “deacon,” which designates an ecclesiastical office. These Greek words provide a spiritually rich concept of service. For a true understanding of the biblical import of the term “deacon” this high concept of “deacon service” must be retained.
The basic concept underlying the word “deacon” is that of a voluntary, love-prompted service for the benefit of others. It is a service that desires the true welfare of those ministered to.
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“Deacon service” may well involve prosaic, material “table service,” but it should go beyond such service and seek to further the highest spiritual welfare of others.
The work of the deacon, related to the local church and to the whole cause of Christ, must be spiritually motivated and be Christ-centered. It finds its motivation and encouragement in the self-sacrificing example and call of Christ. “The diakonos is always one who serves on Christ’s behalf and continues Christ’s service for the outer and inner man; he is concerned with the salvation of men.”19 It is a demanding and consuming service, but it has Christ’s sure promise of reward: “If any one serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26).
Charis,
Mike Abendroth
"We are here to preach sin black, hell hot, judgment certain, eternity long and salvation free." Vance Havner
1 1. The word has received various spellings in English: diacon, diacne, diakne, daecne, dekne, deken, deeken, deakon, decoun, deacone, deacon (Oxford English Dictionary [Oxford: University Press, 1971]. 3:56).
2 2. Ten Greek terms occur in the Greek New Testament, each conveying some aspect of the “servant” theme.
3 3. The noun λατρεύς and λάτρις do not occur in the New Testament; the cognate verb λατρεύω and the noun λατρεία do occur.
4 4. Richard Chenevix Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (reprint, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1947), p. 125.
5 5. Herman Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon of New Testament Greek, trans. William Urwick (reprint, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1954), p. 763.
6 6. Nigel Turner, Christian Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982), p. 280.
7 7. J. Stegenga, The Greek-English Analytical Concordance of the Greek-English New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963), p. 424.
8 8. Trench calls it “a mere fanciful derivation, and forbidden by the quality of the antepenultima in diakonos” (Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 32).
9 9. Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. 7th ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1890), p. 369.
10 10. Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon, p. 177; Liddell and Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 348; Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 32.
11 11. For a concordance of the Greek terms see W. F. Moulton and A. S. Geden, A Concordance to the Greek Testament. 3d ed. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1950), pp. 202-3. For their renderings in the King James Version see George V. Wigram and Ralph D. Winter, The Word Study Concordance (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1978), pp. 144-45: Robert Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible. 25th ed. (New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co., n.d.), page 64 of Index-Lexicon to the New Testament. For the renderings in the NASB see Robert L. Thomas, ed., New American Standard-Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries (Nashville: A. J. Holman, 1981), p. 1642.
12 12. The Greek text is literally, “Women in like manner…” and is capable of either interpretation. The KJV rendering “Even so must their wives…” introduces the former meaning into the text; and the NIV does the same. The ASV and the NASB render the words literally and leave the question open. See D. Edmond Hiebert, First Timothy (Chicago: Moody Press, 1957), pp, 70–71: and Ronald A. Ward. Commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus (Waco, TX: Word Books Publishers, 1974), pp. 60-61. Also see Robert M. Lewis. “The ‘Women’ of 1 Timothy 3:11, ” Bibliotheca Sacra 135 (April-June 1979): 167-75.
13 13. Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, s.v. “Deacon, Deaconess,” by Alfred Plummer. 1:285.
14 14. C. H. Dodd, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, Moffatt New Testament Commentary (New York: Ray Long & Richard R. Smith, 1932), p. 235.
15 15. Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon, p. 178; D. Edmond Hiebert, Personalities around Paul (Chicago: Moody Press, 1973), pp. 198-200; R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House. 1961), pp. 899-901; William Kelly, Notes on the Epistle of Paul, the Apostle, to the Romans (N.p.: C. A. Hammond, 1873), pp. 274-75. In favor of the nonofficial view see John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965), 2:226.
16 16. R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of S. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961), pp. 208-9; E. F. Scott, The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians, to Philemon and to the Ephesians, Moffatt Commentary (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1930), p. 93; Curtis Vaughan, “Colossians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978), 11:225.
17 17. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “διακονέω, διακονία, διάκονος,” by Hermann W. Beyer, 2:84.
18 18. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, s.v. “Serve, Deacon, Worship,” by K. Hess. 3:547.
[1]Bibliotheca Sacra. 1998 (electronic edition.). Dallas Theological Seminary: Dallas, TX
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