Diakonos

The word diakonos has a basic sense of “servant” or “messenger” in both the nt and secular Greek literature. This generic sense is applied to Tychicus, a faithful diakonos in the Lord who delivered Paul’s letters to the church congregations at Ephesus and Colossae (Eph 6:21–22; Col 4:7). The term was later used to designate someone holding an official position of church leadership, often called a deacon (1 Tim 3:8, 12).

Jesus taught that believers should voluntarily be a diakonos for other believers, motivated and inspired by His own example of service (Matt 20:26–28). He also used the term to describe the relationship of His followers to Himself (John 12:26).

Paul used the term to denote secular government officials as diakonois (plural of diakonos) of God (Rom 13:4) and false apostles as a diakonois of Satan (2 Cor 11:13–15). He also referred to himself as one who was a diakonos for the transmission of the gospel (Col 1:23). All this establishes that the term alone did not necessarily have a sacred or secular connotation.

The use of diakonos in connection with the office of overseer or elder suggests the role of the deacon in the early church was to assist the overseers or elders in caring for the needs of the church (Phil 1:1; compare Acts 6:1–4). The office of deacon likely did not carry the same level of authority over the church as that of overseer (see 1 Tim 3:1–13).

David Seal

Further Reading

Overseers and Deacons LRC:P

Diakonos WSNTDICT

Diakoneo TDNT

Deacon WBE