διάκονος: Difference between revisions

|txtha=διακονου, ὁ, ἡ (of [[uncertain]] [[origin]], [[but]] by no [[means]], as [[was]] [[formerly]] [[thought]], compounded of [[διά]] and [[κόνις]], so as to [[mean]], [[properly]], '[[raising]] [[dust]] by hastening'; cf. ἐγκόνειν; for the alpha in the preposition [[διά]] is [[short]], in [[διάκονος]], [[long]]. [[Alexander]] Buttmann (1873) Lexil. i., p. 218ff (English translation, p. 231 f) thinks it is [[derived]] from the [[obsolete]] διάκω equivalent to [[διήκω]] ([[allied]] [[with]] [[διώκω]]; cf. Vanicek, p. 363)); [[one]] [[who]] executes the commands of [[another]], [[especially]] of a [[master]]; a sergeant, [[attendant]], [[minister]];<br /><b class="num">1.</b> [[universally]]: of the [[servant]] of a [[king]], τῆς ἐκκλησίας, of [[one]] [[who]] does [[what]] promotes the [[welfare]] and [[prosperity]] of the [[church]], διάκονοι [[τοῦ]] Θεοῦ, those [[through]] whom God carries on his [[administration]] on [[earth]], as magistrates, R T Tr WH [[text]] L marginal [[reading]]; the [[same]] are called διάκονοι ([[τοῦ]]) Χριστοῦ, ἐν κυρίῳ, in the [[cause]] of the Lord, ὁ [[διάκονος]] μου, my [[follower]], [[τοῦ]] Σατανᾶ, whom Satan uses as a [[servant]], ἁμαρτίας, [[διάκονος]] περιτομῆς ([[abstract]] for [[concrete]]), of Christ, [[who]] labored for the [[salvation]] of the circumcised, i. e. the Jews, καινῆς διαθήκης, [[τοῦ]] εὐαγγελίου, δικαιοσύνης, a deacon, [[one]] [[who]], by [[virtue]] of the [[office]] assigned him by the [[church]], cares for the [[poor]] and has [[charge]] of and distributes the [[money]] [[collected]] for [[their]] [[use]] (cf. BB. DD., Dict. of Christ. Antiq., Schaff-Herzog [[under]] the [[word]] <TOPIC:Deacon>; Lightfoot's Commentary on Philippians, dissert. i. § i.; [[Julius]] Muller, Dogmatische Abhandlungen, p. 560ff): ἡ [[διάκονος]], a deaconess (ministra, Pliny, epistles 10,97), a [[woman]] to whom the [[care]] of [[either]] [[poor]] or [[sick]] women [[was]] entrusted, Lightfoot as [[above]], p. 191; B. D. [[under]] the [[word]] Smith's Bible Dictionary, [[Phoebe]]).<br /><b class="num">3.</b> a waiter, [[one]] [[who]] serves [[food]] and [[drink]]: [[Xenophon]], mem. 1,5, 2; Hier. 3,11 (4,2); [[Polybius]] 31,4, 5; Lucian, de merced. cond. § 26; Athen. 7, p. 291a.; 10,420e.; [[see]] [[διακονέω]], 2and [[διακονία]], 5; ([[also]] Wetstein (1752) on SYNONYMS: [[διάκονος]], [[δοῦλος]], [[θεράπων]], [[ὑπηρέτης]]: "[[διάκονος]] represents the [[servant]] in his [[activity]] for the [[work]]; [[not]] in his [[relation]], [[either]] [[servile]], as [[that]] of the [[δοῦλος]], or [[more]] [[voluntary]], as in the [[case]] of the [[θεράπων]], to a [[person]]" Trench; [[yet]] cf. e. g. [[δοῦλος]] opposed to [[ἐλεύθερος]], and correlate to [[δεσπότης]] or [[κύριος]], denotes a [[bondman]], [[one]] [[who]] sustains a [[permanent]] [[servile]] [[relation]] to [[another]]. [[θεράπων]] is the [[voluntary]] [[performer]] of services, [[whether]] as a freeman or a [[slave]]; it is a nobler, tenderer [[word]] [[than]] [[δοῦλος]]. [[ὑπηρέτης]] according to its etymol. suggests [[subordination]]. Cf. Trench, § ix.; B. D. [[under]] the [[word]] Smith's Bible Dictionary, Minister; Meyer on Schmidt, [[chapter]] 164.]