Deacons and the Woman (1 Tim. 3:8-13)

INTRODUCTION:

The apostle Paul then turns to the office of deacon, which is, in many ways, a mysterious office. We are given the qualifications for the office here, but an explicit job description is never given to us. We have some idea from the fact that the synagogue had a deacon, called a chazan, and from the election of “deacons” in Acts 6. But these are indirect at best.

THE TEXT:

“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 3: 8-13).

OVERVIEW:

In the same way as the bishops, the deacons must be of a certain caliber. It is interesting to note that the early fathers Chrysostom, Theodore, Ambrosiaster, and Theodoret all say that Paul does not give qualifications for the office of presbyter here because the word presbyter and the word bishop referred to the same order. Deacons are to be serious (v. 8), which is not to say gloomy. They cannot have a double-mouth, or be hard drinkers (v. 8). They must be upright with money (v. 8). They may be called upon to minister the Word in some fashion, so they must have a good grasp of the deep things of the faith with a pure conscience (v. 9). They should have a period of probation, and then they should serve as deacons (v. 10). The word also (kai) here may indicate that presbyters should be tested first as well. The women have to be the same as the men—dignified, with good control of the tongue, sober, and faithful in everything (v. 11). These qualifications run parallel to the first four things mentioned about the deacons (v. 8). Paul then reverts to his discussion about the deacons. He must be a one-woman man, just like the overseers, and he also has to rule his children and household effectively (v. 12). Those who discharge this office well are “standing on a good step” (v. 13), and gain the kind of assurance that comes from faithful service.

THE SAME KIND OF MAN:

It is clear that the character required for the office of deacon is identical to that which is required of the elder. Now last week we noted that qualifications for leadership and for fellowship were different. But there are two things to remember in this regard. The first is that the leadership of the Church is not to be this way so that everyone else won’t have to. They are to be examples, not replacements. And the second thing, which we will see in more detail later in this epistle, is that simple repentance is enough to restore a man to fellowship. That is not the case with leadership—but it does not follow from this that a man cannot be restored to leadership.

CHARACTER AND FIVE RELATIONS:

Following John Stott, I would like to point out the candidate for church office must display a solid character in five main areas. First, in relation to himself, he must be mature and self-controlled in the areas of alcohol, money, temper, and tongue. With regard to his relation to his family, he must be faithful to his wife and an effective and loving leader of his kids. With regard to his relation to others generally, he must be hospitable and gentle. With regard to his relation to outsiders, he must be highly esteemed. And last, with regard to his relation to the faith, he must have a strong hold on it, and gifted in teaching it.

THE MYSTERIOUS WOMEN OF VERSE 11:

The word in verse 11 is simply women, without an article (the women), or a possessive pronoun (their wives). The word in Greek for wives and women is the same word (gune), and so the decision has to be made contextually. For moderns, the ambiguity in this verse causes interpreters to divide generally into two camps. The first believes that this passage sets forth the qualifications for deacons’ wives. The second believes that it is referring to the women who are deacons. But there are other options, as we shall see.

It should be noted that the ancient church had an order of deaconesses, as did Calvin’s Geneva. But this represented an entirely different office from that of the deacon. This is crucial for us to understand, for various reasons. First, Paul has just finished telling us that women are not permitted to exercise authority over men in the church (1 Tim. 2:12), and the office of deacon (although conducted by servants) involves responsibility and authority. Second, the idea that women can hold the office of deacon was an idea that did not arise in the Church until the nineteenth century, as a compromise with the demands of feminism. Consequently, if we understand that more than one serving office is in view, the problems evaporate.

The deaconess was not a woman on the one deacon board. The office of deaconness was understood by the early church to have been established in 1 Tim. 5:9-12, which we will consider in more detail when we get there. But for now, notice a few things:

“Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith” (1 Tim. 5:9-12).

There are two kinds of widows here—the kind that have lost a husband, and the kind who are “taken into the number” and who have taken a vow of celibacy. The second kind are not recipients of the deacons’ fund, but rather involved in helping to adminster it. Throughout the ancient church, the office of deaconess was understood to have been established here in this passage. For example, the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451) reduced the age requirement from 60 to 40. If she married after being enrolled, she and her husband would be excommunicated. In A.D. 325, the Council of Nicea (Canon 19) numbered the deaconesses among the laity since they hadn’t been ordained, but rather just “assumed the habit.”

This helps us make sense of women in the Church who labored in the work with the men, as Phoebe did (Rom. 16:1). It also helps us understand passages such as this one in verse 11. And in studying the Scriptures closely we avoid both the heresy of feminism, and the bluster of masculinism.