For those who have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Whereas the elder office apparently arose out of Jewish religious life, the deacon office seems to have developed from an incident in the early history of the church (i.e., Acts 6:1-6). Luke did not call the men appointed to assist the apostles in Acts 6 deacons in that passage. Nevertheless this event apparently led to the official appointment of deacons (servants) as assistants to the elders who served especially in the realm of physical and material needs. [Note: See Strauch, pp. 367-72.] 