What Does Luke 22:27 Mean in the King James?
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The one counted greater sits at the table, yet the speaker is present among you in the servant’s place.
THE MEANING
The table still makes rank visible: the one receiving service is counted greater than the one serving. Yet the speaker is among you as the one who serves. Here, greatness and serving occupy the same place.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse loosens the belief that rank must be displayed by receiving service: the speaker’s presence among you takes the servant’s form.
THE ROOT
διακονῶν
diakonōn
GROWS FROM
διακον-
diakon-
The Greek stem carries the sense of serving or attending to someone’s needs; its deeper etymology is uncertain.
“serveth” in this verse is diakonōn. The same word family names the act of serving, the service itself, and the person who serves. English gives you an action here, while the Greek family connects that action to both a practice and a person: the speaker is among you in the servant’s role.
ALSO GROWS
diakonos: servant or attendant
διάκονος
The person named by this word family is the one who carries out the service.
diakonia: service or ministry
διακονία
This names the service as an ongoing practice, the same kind of work the speaker takes up among you.
THE PATTERN
Greatness is present among others in the act of serving.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.THE THREAD
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.The same Greek verb, διακονέω (diakoneō), means to serve in both verses. Here the speaker is among you as one who serves; there, the master girds himself and serves his servants.
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