(Eng., "deacon"), primarily denotes a "servant," whether as doing servile work, or as an attendant rendering free service, without particular reference to its character. The word is probably connected with the verb dioko, "to hasten after, pursue" (perhaps originally said of a runner). "It occurs in the NT of domestic servants, Joh 2:5, Joh 2:9; the civil ruler, Rom 13:4; Christ, Rom 15:8, Gal 2:17; the followers of Christ in relation to their Lord, Joh 12:26, Eph 6:21, Col 1:7, Col 4:7; the followers of Christ in relation to one another, Mat 20:26, Mat 23:11, Mar 9:35, Mar 10:43; the servants of Christ in the work of preaching and teaching, 1Co 3:5, 2Co 3:6, 2Co 6:4, 2Co 11:23, Eph 3:7, Col 1:23, Col 1:25, 1Th 3:2, 1Ti 4:6; those who serve in the churches, Rom 16:1 (used of a woman here only in NT); Phi 1:1, 1Ti 3:8, 1Ti 3:12; false apostles, servants of Satan, 2Co 11:15. Once diakonos is used where, apparently, angels are intended, Mat 22:13; in Mat 22:3, where men are intended, doulos is used." * [* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 91.]
Diakonos is, generally speaking, to be distinguished from doulos, "a bondservant, slave;" diakonos views a servant in relationship to his work; doulos views him in relationship to his master. See, e.g., Mat 1:22-14; those who bring in the guests (Mat 1:22-4, Mat 22:6, Mat 22:8, Mat 22:10) are douloi; those who carry out the king's sentence (Mat 22:13) are diakonoi.
Note: As to synonymous terms, leitourgos denotes "one who performs public duties;" misthios and misthotos, "a hired servant;" oiketes, "a household servant;" huperetes, "a subordinate official waiting on his superior" (originally an under-rower in a war-galley); therapon, "one whose service is that of freedom and dignity." See MINISTER, SERVANT.
The so-called "seven deacons" in Acts 6 are not there mentioned by that name, though the kind of service in which they were engaged was of the character of that committed to such.
