What is the meaning ofdiakoniain the Bible?

The Greek word is simple enough: it is one who serves, any servant who was not properly a slave; diakonia is any service whatever. It was very natural to use this word in speaking of evangelical service; but the word is used in the New Testament as elsewhere, to signify service; this service might be the ministry or service of the word, or of tables, or of angels, or any other service of whatever kind. The word is used in an absolute way with respect to service of angels in Hebrews 1:14. In 2 Timothy 4:11, it is said of Mark, "He is profitable to me for the ministry"; here it does not appear that it is merely a question of the ministry of the word; we see the use of this word diakonos with respect to Mark; when Paul and Barnabas departed from Antioch, they had Mark to "their minister [here, hupereteen]"; it was not, I suppose, to preach to them. At some later period perhaps he may have purchased to himself "a good degree," in the ministry, a more honourable service in the family. When Paul says (2 Cor. 11:8), "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do you service"; it is evident that it is in a figurative sense, however absolute, and it does not refer to the ministry of the word as such. He had been servant of the Corinthians, and others had paid his wages. In Romans 12:7, we find the word used absolutely, together with, and as distinguished from, divers ministries of the word; and in 1 Corinthians 12:5, it is used for all services, of any kind, done to Christ. The only time when it is used with the expression "the word," it has its usual sense modified by the expression "word," as it might be by any other. That is, "that service was occupied with this," in contrast with serving tables. But the service of tables was just as much a special service as that of the word; only of a lower character evidently in the administration of the family. And the fact is, that the only time this expression "ministry of the word" is found, the word ministry is used in an absolute way to signify the service of tables (Acts 6:1); and it is thus explained, in verse 2; then verse 4, the ministry of the word is contrasted with it; but it is added, "of the word"; and thus this word is not used in an absolute way with respect to the word, but on the contrary with respect to tables.

222 It appears to me, that it is limiting the thing, as the word does not limit it, when they pretend to confine the work of the ministry to the ministry of the word: for instance, Ephesians 4:12. Moreover, it is affirming what ought to be proved. At all events, in most of the passages, it is not so, as we have just seen. Angels have not the ministry of the word; and ministry is contrasted with that of the word in Acts 6, 1-5 The fact is, that what Mr. Wolff says is absolutely false and contrary to the ordinary known use of this word in the word and outside the word. If we consider attentively the use of the word diakonos, minister, he who does the service, this will come out with still greater evidence. For the word diakonos used absolutely one may consult John 2:5, 9; Matthew 22:13; ch. 20:26; ch. 23:11, and the parallel passages; also John 12:26. This idea of servant must naturally be modified (as the word 'service' (diakonia); see 2 Corinthians 3), according to the person whose servant one is, or the service one has to fulfil; one may be minister of God (2 Cor. 6:4), of the gospel (Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:23) of the Church (Col. 1:25), etc. The word, taken in its general use, has its general acceptation of servant (Rom. 16; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 12). Finally, the word diakonia has the general sense of service, and has to be modified in its application by words which are added — of the word (Acts 6), of death, of righteousness, of the Spirit, etc. (2 Cor. 3). There is not one passage which shews that the absolute sense signifies the ministry of the word, but quite the contrary.

διάκονος. This name is generally applied to the seven who were chosen to superintend the distribution of the funds of the church in Acts 6:3; but they are not there called deacons, and though the name may be applicable to them, yet it cannot be restricted to such service. The term applies to any service not otherwise specified. The Greek word is more often translated 'minister' and 'servant' than 'deacon.' It twice refers to Christ, Rom. 15:8; Gal. 2:17; also to Paul and others, Col. 1:7, 23, 25; to magistrates, Rom. 13:4; and even to Satan's emissaries, 2 Cor. 11:15. The Epistle to the Philippians was addressed to the saints and to the 'bishops and deacons,' or overseers and servants. In 1 Tim. 3:8-13 the moral qualifications of the deacon or minister are given, but what his work was is not specified; it is evident that they carried out their service officially. The service of deacon must not be confounded with 'gift.' Phebe was DEACONESS of the assembly in Cenchrea. Rom. 16:1.

The translators of the Bible might just as well have rendered the above words "minister" and "servant" by "deacon." For all three English words are but different translations of one and the same Greek word. Epaphras was a faithful servant, minister, or deacon. So was Phoebe. The Greek word is diakonos.

This word with its cognate verb occurs in the New Testament fifty times. Three times it is translated "deacon"; seven times "servant"; eighteen times "minister." The related verb diakoneo, to serve, or to minister, occurs twenty-two times.

Let us turn to a few of the passages where this Greek word, which in its English form is "deacon," is found.

With the help of the "Englishman's Greek Concordance," I give the following scriptures, with the words in the original referring to ministry. In this way the reader will, I hope, see how much more extensive the idea is than is commonly supposed. I put the English rendering in italics: ― The verb diakoneo=to serve or to minister, etc. Matt. 20:28. Not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Mark 1:13. Angels ministered unto him. Luke 4. She arose and ministered. Luke 10:40. My sister hath left me to serve alone. John 12:2. Martha served. 1 Tim. 3:10. Let them use the office of a deacon. Philemon. 13. He might have ministered unto me. To minister, therefore, is to serve; to minister in the word is only one part of the act. ― The noun diakonia=the act serving=the service. Luke 10:40. Martha was cumbered about much serving Acts 1:25. He may take part of this ministry. Acts 6:4. To prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Rom. 11:13. I magnify mine office. Rom. 15:31. That my service which (I have). 2 Cor. 5:18. The ministry of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 16:15. Addicted (or ordained) themselves to ministry of the saints. The substantive ― diakonos = the person serving, a servant, a minister. Matt. 22:13. Then said the king to the servants. Mark 10:43. Among you shall be your minister. John 2:9. The servants which drew the water. Rom. 13:4. For he (the ruler) is the minister of God to thee. Rom. 16:1. Phoebe our sister, a servant. 2 Cor. 2:15. If his (Satan's) ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. Phil. 1:1. With the bishops and deacons. 1 Tim. 3:12. Deacons be husbands of one wife. ― So the noun hupeeretees=servant, minister, officer. Mark 14:65. And the servants did strike him. Luke 1:2. Eyewitnesses and ministers of the word John 7:46. The officers answered, Never man spake Acts 13:5. And they (Barnabas and Paul) had also John to (their) minister.

The Greek word for deacon, diakonos, is the ordinary word for a servant, one who does menial work. It comes from the preposition, dia (through), and konis (dust), and described a messenger who became dusty through running on his master’s errands; or one who slept in the dust and ashes in the compound of the house, ready for any menial service. Around this very humble word, with no definite religious meaning, a ritualistic ecclesiastical idea has grown. This we should dismiss from our minds, and seek to gather the Scriptural meaning.

As to the deacons, this is a word that has acquired an ecclesiastical meaning foreign to the word of God. The Greek word for deacon, diakonos, simply means a servant, a waiting man, a messenger. It was the ordinary word for any one serving whether in an exalted or in a menial capacity. Out of this ordinary word has been coined the word, deacon, indicating in church circles today, a person with a religious status, giving the word an ecclesiastical meaning with no warrant from Scripture.

We have instructions as to the character of these deacons or servants of the assembly in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. This is to be noted, as they evidently had to do with the secular or business side of the assembly, serving tables (Acts 6:2), as the apostles described it, in contrast to their own more spiritual work of ministering the word of God. The work of the deacons would cover such duties as caring for the poor, attending to the comfort of the assembly in their comings together, etc. The wives of the deacons are specially mentioned, as they might usefully assist their husbands in such work. The wives had to be grave, not slanderers, faithful in all things.

The Greek word for deacon is diakonos, and this is the ordinary word for servant. The word of itself was in general use designating a servant. Evidently godly men were appointed to attend to the secular affairs of the assembly, such as ministering to the poor, attending to the funds attending to tables and the like, and were called deacons or servants.

And seeing the deacons attended to secular affairs in connection with the assembly they had need of circumspection, they had not to be double-tongued, one thing to a person’s face, another thing behind his back.

The word "deacon" means simply "one who ministers", or, "serves": for "minister" is really only another name for "servant." In the New Testament it has not the least meaning that it has come to have today, a man in charge of a "church." It refers to the lowly service of love, which has been associated with those who were younger in the Truth, and not, perhaps, gifted in a particular way. They yet have the service of the saints at heart, and are concerned with the little things in the practical life of the assembly: "serving tables," for instance: as we find in Acts 6:1-6. When I was a boy my Father and I used to go early to the meeting room to get it ready. Part of my work was to dust the seats. One day my Father remarked to me that this was the work of a deacon, and that "they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 3:13).

We should today look earnestly to our Lord Jesus Christ as Head, that He would raise up those who would be able to serve and minister to the saints, in this lowly way, loving them with the heart of Christ. The qualifications for the deacon are set forth with equal clearness to those of the bishop: "grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 3:8-13). Stephen and Philip should encourage the "deacons." We may see in Chapter 2 that Epaphroditus did the work of a deacon for the assembly in Philippi.

12 The duty of deacons is also, as for the elders, expressed in their name. The Greek word diakonos signifies servant. They served the assembly as its servants; there were also sisters (as Phoebe) with the same title. If we examine Acts 6, the seven who cared for the poor widows as deacons had this service specially allotted to them for their portion.

We have already seen that ministry is the exercise of a gift: even deaconship (diakonia) is called a gift (charisma). I am not speaking of the charge of deacon, but of the service of ministry called diakonia (Rom. 12:6-7).