One of the reasons we have a problem defining what the word deacon means is that we have taken a Greek word (the word is usually diakonos) and made it into an English word (transliterated). The result has been that we have attached a connotation to the word ‘deacon’ that often cannot be supported from scripture.

Many believers see the word ‘deacon’ and immediately think of Acts 6. They say this is the word in the passage and that the ‘chosen seven’ were selected to ‘serve tables’ (v2) so that the apostles could concentrate on ‘prayer, and to the ministry of the word’. What is often missed is that the word ‘ministry’ comes from the same root word.

The word diakoneo comes from the word ‘to be an attendant, to wait upon’ (Strongs reference 1249). In Acts 6 it is used to describe both practical work and spiritual. What is of greater significance is the qualities that the Lord looks for in a man (or woman – see Romans 16, Phebe was ‘a servant of the church’). They have to be of ‘honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom’. The men were to be godly, spiritual men no matter the nature of the work that God called them to do. It should be just the same today but we often relegate practical work for the Lord to a lower level than we should do.

The word can usually be translated ‘servant’. It carries the idea of someone who ‘attends to someone else’s needs, waits on them and and serves them’. The word is used to describe a believer who does this in practical matters (Acts 6) and it is also used to describe a believer who does spiritual service for other believers (Acts 6, Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3).

I feel that when the word is used to describe a group of people (mainly in Philippians 1 and 1 Timothy 3) that it is describing service of a spiritual nature (I do not really like to define ‘spiritual service’ as all service for God is spiritual in nature but in this context I mean preaching, teaching etc). I would support that view by referring to the fact in 1 Timothy the ‘deacons’ are clearly defined by their ability to handle the Word of God. In 1 Tim 3:9 we read that the deacon should hold ‘the mystery of the faith’. The expression ‘the faith’ refers to the body of truth that God has given to his people (Jude 3 – ‘the faith which was once delivered’). In a later verse in the same passage (v13) we read that ‘they purchase to themselves……great boldness in the faith’. The same idea prevails in this verse as well. I therefore ask myself why would this be a basic requirement of the ‘deacon’ and not the elder. The elder is to be ‘apt to teach’ but he is not required meet the standards set in the verses we have quoted. There is no difference between the godly life of the ‘elder’ and the ‘deacon’ but I suggest that there is a difference in their roles as the elder rules, leads, shepherds but the ‘deacon’ in this formal sense is a teacher or a preacher of the word of God.

I suggest in closing that the responsibilities of the ‘deacon’ as the servant of the Lord are to ‘hold the mystery of the faith’ and to ‘have great boldness’ in the faith. There main role is to know the truth of God, to be guardians of the truth and to stand for the truth amongst the Lord’s people. In the general sense we are all deacons and as such we must serve the Lord and one another.

May the Lord help us to do so?

Stephen Baker