The Greek word “diakoneo”

Occurring about 35 times in the New Testament and about half of these places being in Matthew-John, the Greek verb “diakoneo” meant “serve,” “minister,” “wait upon tables.”

Angels “ministered” to Jesus after His temptations (Mt. 4:11).  Jesus did not come to be “ministered” to (Mt. 20:28).  After being healed Peter’s mother-in-law “ministered” to others (Mk. 1:31).  This term is also, not surprisingly, used in Acts 6:2; 1 Tim. 3:10, 13.

The “concept of Christian service is derived from the person of Jesus and his gospel.  It involves loving action for fellow believers and neighbors, and it is the outworking of κοινωνία G3126, ‘fellowship’” (Silva, 1:704).