THE OFFICE OF DEACONS Teaching Outline I. THE MEANING OF THE WORD1 A. Translation of the Diakon– Word Group. 1. The basic Greek term is diakonos, which means “servant.” a. Other forms, include diakonia, meaning “service”; and diakoneo, meaning “to serve.” b. Just as “service” in English can mean any varieties of service (e.g., to serve a term, to serve in the military, to serve as a waiter, to serve a tennis ball), the Greek term has a similar broad range of meanings. c. Generally, this word group refers to any kind of service that supplies the need of another person. d. This is a common word group in the New Testament used collectively over 100 times in the New Testament. e. Probably the term originally came for a waiter (John 2:5). But its usage was general and covered a wide range of service. 2. Other ways the word group is translated in the ESV. a. “Ministry” in 2 Corinthians 9:12.2 b. “Relief” in Acts 11:29 and 2 Corinthians 8:4. c. “Bringing aid” in Romans 15:25. d. “Distribution” in Acts 6:1. 3. In two places in the ESV version of the New Testament, the word group is transliterated as “deacon.” 1 This section adapted from The Master’s Plan for the Church, Appendix 2 by John MacArthur. 2 “Administration” in the NKJV 1 a. Philippians 1:1: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons (diakonos)” b. In 1 Timothy: i. 1 Timothy 3:10: “And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons (diakoneo) if they prove themselves blameless.” ii. 1 Timothy 3:12: “Let deacons (diakonos) each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.” iii. 1 Timothy 3:13: “For those who serve well as deacons (diakoneo) gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” c. See discussion of these passages below. B. Various Kinds of Service in the New Testament. 1. Serving Food a. One who serves food was probably the original meaning of the term and the most limited of meanings. b. John 2:5, 9: “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you. .’ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.” c. Luke 4:39: “And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.” d. Other texts: Luke 10:40; 17:8; John 12:2; and Acts 6:1. 2. General Service a. More broadly, the New Testament writers used the word group without specifying the particular kind of service. 2 b. In a passage where both general service and food service are implied, Luke 22:27: “For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” c. In a general sense of service that is required of a Christ-follower, John 12:26: “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” d. The term can also be used of unbelievers, such as in Romans 13:3– 4: “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” 3. Spiritual Service a. Most of the usages of the word group refer to a Christian’s spiritual service as a servant of Christ’s body, ministering to others as God directs. Accordingly, every Christian is to be engaged in spiritual service. b. Representative examples, include: i. Acts 20:18–19: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews” ii. Romans 15:25: “At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.” iii. 1 Corinthians 12:5: “There are varieties of service, but the same Lord;” iv. 2 Corinthians 4:1: “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.” v. 2 Corinthians 8:3–4: “For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their 3 own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” vi. 2 Corinthians 9:1–2: “Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness. .” vii. Revelation 2:19: “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.” 4. Spiritual Gift of Service a. All are to serve, but some are uniquely gifted for it. One of the spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to the body of Christ is the spiritual gift of service. b. All members in the body of Christ have a spiritual gift. Ephesians 4:7: “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” c. Though all members have a spiritual gift, the members do not all have the same spiritual gift. Romans 12:4–5: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” d. Members serve according to their unique gifting, energized by the Holy Spirit. Some have a specific gifting for service. Romans 12:6–7: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. if service, in our serving. .” 5. The Office of Deacon (see infra) II. EXAMPLES OF DEACONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT A. There are no definitively named deacons in the New Testament. 1. Paul was not a deacon. Paul identified himself as an apostle (Rom. 11:13; 2 Cor. 10–12), but never a deacon. His apostleship superseded all leadership in the local church, including elders and deacons. He used the word diakonia several times in relation to his ministry (Acts 20:24; Rom. 4 11:13), but he used this term in the general sense of spiritual service to Christ and not in the sense of an office. 2. Timothy was not a deacon. Though he is called “a good servant (diakonos)” in 1 Timothy 4:6, he was specifically called to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5). 3. Tychicus is not named a deacon. Though he is called “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Eph. 6:21), nothing in the text suggests that his service as a minister was in the office of deacon. The other two instances of the diakon– word group used in Ephesians (3:7; 4:12) refer to the general kind of spiritual service not an office. This is significant because had Paul wanted to recognize the office of deacon, he could have easily done so in Ephesians 4:11–12 along with the other offices. 4. Epaphras is not named a deacon. Though he is called “our beloved fellow servant” (Col. 1:7), nothing in the text suggests that his service was anything more than spiritual service. 5. Phoebe may have been a woman deacon, though one cannot be dogmatic. She is called “a servant (diakonos) of the church of Cenchreae” (Rom. 16:1), but this service could be taken in the general sense of spiritual service. Also, when Paul wrote Romans, the office of deacon might not have been established yet. On the other hand, she was evidentially prominent and her service quite helpful, which could indicate she held the office. B. Were those mentioned in Philippians 1:1 deacons? 1. This verse is the only instance outside of 1 Timothy 3 that the ESV translates diakonos as deacon. Here, Paul addresses the letter to “the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” 2. “Overseers” (episkopos) is a term Paul uses elsewhere to refer to the office of elders (e.g., Acts 20:28, 1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:7). Likely, then, he is using the term in the same way here. If so, then translating diakonos as “deacon” is probably correct. He would be addressing both offices specifically in his letter. This fits Paul’s pattern of addressing elders then deacons in the qualifications section of 1 Timothy 3. 3. Alternatively, since Paul used episkopos rather than the normally used term for elders, presbuteros, he may be more generally addressing the 5 letter to the saints, the leadership, and those who serve in the church. Note that Paul does not specifically address the overseers and deacons again in the letter.