DEACONS

 

Greek Definition

 

diakonos meaning servant, minister, raising dust in service, one who follows commands

diakoneo meaning to act as a servant (term office is not in the Greek)

 

Scripture Reference

 

1.          Acts 6:1-7

Verse 1:

a.        “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied (plethuno)” - (plethuno meaning to increase i.e., Acts 1:15 “120”; Acts 2:41 “3,000”; Acts 2:47 “daily added”; Acts 4:5 “5,000 men”; Acts 4:32 “multitudes; Acts 5:14 “multitudes.”

b.        “there arose (ginomai) a murmuring (gonguzo)” – ginomai meaning lie a storm begins and increases; gonguzo meaning to speak in a low tone, mutter, grumble and this buzzing was done by the Grecian widows, their families and friends.

c.        “of the Grecians against the Hebrews” – Grecians were Hellenist Jews who were from outside of Palestine; Hebrews were Palestinian Jews; Problems were among classes, races, and personalities resulting primarily from prejudices.

d.        “because their widows wee neglected” -  chera meaning widows: in the early church, the families were to take care of widows but if no family, then the church was responsible and this was a carryover from Jewish customs.  paratheorea

e.        meaning to overlook.  The first internal problems of the early church were women and money.

f.          “in the daily ministration.” – kathemerinos meaning day by day; diakonia meaning service or ministry.  This was primarily a ministry of sharing money and/or food with the widows as in Acts 6:2 “tables” and “common fund” of Acts 4:32-37.  But I could include any neglect of needed members among the widows in the church.

 

 

Verse 2:

a.          “Then the twelve called the multitude of disciples unto them” – multitude of disciples meant the whole church.  Whenever there was business that involved the entire church all disciples were called together.

b.          “and said, It is not reason” – arestos meaning to please or to agree.

c.          “that we should leave the word of God” – We meaning specifically the apostles but would apply to the leading ministers who were to become pastors/bishops/elders.

d.          “and serve tables.” – diakoneo meaning to serve or minister; trapeze used in common distribution of daily food and or money, which is a reference to v1 “daily ministration.”

 

Verse 3:

a.          “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you” – episkeptomai meaning to look out for; among you meant from within the congregation in the early church.

b.         “seven men” - This is a perfect number in the Scripture.  This was in proportion to the number of disciples and duties of service and ministry. (120+3,000+5,00, etc.)

c.          “of honest report” - martureo meaning good testimony and witness.

d.         “full of the Holy Ghost” - pleres meaning to be filled to capacity; The Holy Ghost was to be the controlling person in their lives.

e.          “full of wisdom” – sophia meaning spiritual insight and knowledge which is a gift of the Spirit.

f.           “whom we may appoint” – kathistemi meaning to set, designate.

g.          “over this business” – chreia meaning necessity, need, particular service, an affair which is held to be necessary; These minister’s helpers in the early church primarily served among the sick, poor and strangers.

 

Verse 4:

a.             “But we will give ourselves continually” – proskartereo meaning to be strong towards, to endure, to be stedfast.

b.            “(continually) to prayer” – proseuche meaning pouring out to God; personal and intercessory, church family, home; believing prayer that all things are possible.

c.             “(continually) to ministry of the word” – diakonia meaning service; logos meaning preaching, teaching, training, equipping and exhortation, etc.

 

Verse 5:

a.             “And the saying pleased the whole multitude” – areskomeaning acceptable.

b.            “and they chose” – eklego meaning to select or pick out, to choose for oneself, indicating congregational participation.

c.             “Stephen a man full of the Holy Ghost” – Stephen in the Greek is crown; pleres meaning being filled to capacity; pistis meaning faith, faithfulness, steadfastness, conviction; believing action; (V8: “Stephen, full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles.  And in Acts 7 Stephen preached and witnessed even unto death being the first martyr for Christ with James being the first apostle martyr according to Acts 12:2)

d.            “and Philip” – Acts 6:5; 8:5-40; 21:8 “Preached, cast out unclean spirits, healed the sick, witnessed, taught, baptized, miracles and signs.

 

Verse 6:

a.             “Whom they set before the apostles” – histemi meaning to place or put

b.            “and when they had prayed” – proseuchomai meaning to talk with God.

c.             “they laid their hands upon them” epitithemi meaning to put on or place upon the seven servants.

 

Verse 7:

a.             “And the word of God increased” The ministry of the logos including preaching, teaching, training and equipping;

b.            auxano meaning kept on growing.

c.             “and the number” – arithmos meaning number; the early church had kept a balance between numerical and spiritual growth.

d.            “of the disciples” – mathetes meaning learners, trained ones, taught ones.

e.             “multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” – plethuno meaning increased; sphodra exceedingly, excessive.

 
 

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