Bible Lexicons

διάκονος , -ου , ὁ , ἡ

(derivation unknown),

[in LXX for H5288, H8334 pi.: Ezra 6:3; Ezra 6:5, א B Ezra 1:10; Ezra 2:2, Proverbs 10:4, 4 Maccabees 9:17*;]

1. in general, a servant, attendant, minister: Matthew 20:26; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 23:11, Mark 9:35; Mark 10:43, John 2:5; John 2:9, 1 Corinthians 3:5, Galatians 2:17, Ephesians 6:21, Colossians 4:7; δ . θεοῦ , Romans 13:4, 2 Corinthians 6:4, 1 Thessalonians 3:2; δ . Χριστοῦ , 2 Corinthians 11:23, Colossians 1:7, 1 Timothy 4:6; cf. ὁ δ . ὁ ἐμός , John 12:26; δ . περιτομῆς , Romans 15:8; δ . καινῆς διαθήκης , 2 Corinthians 3:6; δ . δικαιοσύνης , 2 Corinthians 11:15; δ . [εὐαγγελίου ], Ephesians 3:7, Colossians 1:23; δ . [ἐκκλησίας ], Colossians 1:25.

2. As technical term for Church officer (so in pre-Christian times, v. M, Th., I, 32), a deacon: Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:8; 1 Timothy 3:12; fem. (cf. Eccl. διακονίσσα ), Romans 16:1 (cf. 1 Timothy 3:11, and CGT, in l, also M, Th., l.c.).†

SYN.: δοῦλος G1401, bondman; θεράπων G2324, servant acting voluntarily; ὑπηρέτης G5257, servant, attendant, by etymol. suggesting subordination. All these imply relation to a person, in distinction from which δ . represents rather the servant in relation to his work. Cf. also λειτουργός G3011, a public servant, in which the idea of service to the community is prominent; οἰκέτης G3610, a house servant.

For the word in its general sense cf. P Flor II. 121.2 (c. A.D. 253) ἐπεὶ ἔδοξεν τοῖς [δεκαπρώτοις ?] τὸν διάκονον Εἰ [ρηναῖον ? ἐπ᾽ ]ἐνιαυτὸν χρησι [μεύειν ἡμῖν ?. There is now abundant evidence that the way had been prepared for the Christian usage of this word by its technical application to the holders of various offices, as in the i/B.C. Magn 217, where the dedicators of a statue to Hermes are described as κομάκτορες, κήρυκες and διάκονοι. A definitely religious connotation belongs to the word in ib. 109 (c. B.C. 100) where the remains of a list of temple officials concludes with μάγειρος. . διάκονος. For a similar combination the editor refers to IG IX. 1, 486 (ii/i B.C.) and IV. 774.11 (iii/B.C.), and to these examples Thieme (p. 17 f.), from whom the above citations are taken, adds CIG II. 1800, where we hear of a ";college"; of διάκονοι, presided over by a ἱερεύς, in the service of Serapis, Isis etc., and ib. 3037 where two διάκονοι and a female διάκονος (cf. Romans 16:1) are associated with a ἱερεύς and a ἱέρεια τῶν δώδεκα θεὧν.

For the Christian use of the word, see P Oxy VIII. 1162.8 (iv/A.D.) πρεσβυτ [έ ]ροις καὶ διακώνοις, P Flor III. 323.22 (A.D. 525), P Giss I. 55.12 (vi/A.D.) etc.

On the form διάκων, see Deissmann LAE p. 91, and add BGU IV. 1046ii. 24 (A.D. 158). Prof, W. M. Calder tells us it is common in Anatolian inscrr. It is on the same footing as κατήγωρ (see s.v. κατήγορος), which Thumb Hellen, p. 126, shows to be a natural Greek development : Radermacher Gr. p. 15, gives a number of parallels. It is fairly certain that διάκονος must be associated with ἐγκονέω, ἀκονι ̄τί, and the simplex preserved in the Anthology, also in glosses such as κόνει, σπεῦδε, τρέχε (Hesychius). The difficult α ̄ (Ionic διήκονος) is explained by Brugmann (see Boisacq Lex. s.v.) by analogy of διηνεκής etc.

 

διακονοι διακονοί διάκονοι διακονοις διακόνοις διακονον διάκονον διακονος διάκονος διάκονός διακονους διακόνους διακόνω διακοπάς διακοπή διακοπήν διακοπής διακόπτεται διακόπτοντος διακοπών διακόψαι διάκοψον διεκόπη διέκοψαν διέκοψας διέκοψε διέκοψεν συνεργὸν diakonoi diákonoi diakonois diakónois diakonon diákonon diakonos diákonos diákonós diakonous diakónous sunergon synergon synergòn