8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:8-13[1]
The last post discussed how God’s Word teaches that one of the qualifications of Church Elders is that they are to be men. Continuing the study of church leadership, we find the same qualification applies to deacons.
Like Titus, whom he left in Crete, Paul left Timothy in Ephesus and continued to journey to Macedonia. Paul wrote this letter in Macedonia around A.D. 63. Ephesus was an influential city of the Roman provinces. It was very wealthy because of its natural port, which brought much commerce and trade from all walks of life. The city also built an impressive temple for the false god Diana (Artemis). The Ephesian church had many good qualities, but like what often happens to many churches, false teachers infiltrated the church, leading them from God’s Word and, most importantly, their love of Christ (Rev. 2:2-5). This false teaching caused some disorder within the church, and Paul wanted Timothy to get it back on track. So, Paul begins the letter by urging Timothy to be on guard for the false teachers and false doctrine.
However, much of the letter deals with pastoral conduct. Paul teaches Timothy how worship should be conducted in chapter 2. Then Paul turns his attention to the character and qualifications leaders of the church should have in chapter 3. Also, the letter deals with the church’s responsibility toward single members, widows, elders, and enslaved people. Paul encourages Timothy to stand firm, persevere, and remain true to his calling throughout the letter. Since Paul addresses deacon qualifications, remember how God formed this office.
Accordingly, we must turn to Doctor Luke’s account in Acts 6:1-7 where one learns why the deacon office came to the church. Here, we read that the church was growing and very active in caring for needy people, especially widows. God teaches throughout Scripture that He is very concerned about widows, orphans, and those in need (Psa. 68:5; 82:3). He even commands the covenant community to take care of these people (Prov. 19:17; Isa. 1:17; Zech. 7:9-10). The early church was with these less fortunate people right from the start. Therefore, they were deeply concerned about ministering to them out of loving obedience. Impressively, the Christian church in Jerusalem did a pretty good job.
However, a controversy arose. Explicitly, Acts 6:1 says a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. Here we learn that God leads the apostles to appoint seven godly men to provide mercy ministry to those in need. Dr. Ligon Duncan helps explain the reason:
“The reason for this is because Christ’s love needed to be tangibly manifested in the congregation. And the elders needed to devote themselves to the shepherding work of teaching and praying and leading the congregation in discipleship. So, the elders said to the people, ‘Here are the qualifications for the men that are going to lead in the mercy ministry in our congregation. Now you pick some men that meet those qualifications.’ And so, the apostles appointed those men as the first deacons of the church because Jesus told the disciples that their witness to the world would depend on the way that they tangibly loved and served one another.”[2] [bold emphasis mine]
What the deacons were appointed to do in Acts, Paul tells Timothy to have them continue to do in Ephesus, and it is what we are admonished to continue to do today. The deacons’ work complements the elders’ ministry of the word and prayer, and the deacon leads the local congregation’s ministry of mercy to those in need in the local church. It is an office of service and deed, and it is an office that embodies Jesus’ example in ministry.
In verses eleven and twelve of First Timothy three, we observe a commentary on deacon’s wives and that deacons are only to be the husband of one wife. Despite what our current culture believes, God’s Word is clear that only a man can be a husband and have a wife. I read once that this phrase could be translated as “a one-woman man.” The NEB translation has “faithful to his one wife.” The meaning is debated. It could simply mean one at a time, or that he should be married, that he does not have more than one wife, or that he has not been divorced. Whichever meaning is chosen, I think there are two primary purposes. First, the bishop or elder should not have two wives because polygamy was common in Paul’s day. Second, it is a guard against moral and sexual purity, where leaders are most prone to fail. David Guzik adds, “This means that the Biblical leader is not a playboy, an adulterer, a flirt, and does not show romantic or sexual interest in other women, including the depictions or images of women in pornography.”[3]
Many churches try to side-step a deacon’s “man only” qualification, even in our beloved Presbyterian Church in America.[4] However, there is a purpose. God’s Word says what it says the way it says it. Dr. Duncan helps us one more time:
Notice that just like with the qualifications for elders in verses 1-7, Paul’s list of qualifications for deacons is primarily moral. First, Paul says that deacons, just like elders, are to be good family spiritual leaders. It is vital that if they are going to spiritually serve the congregation that they know how to spiritually serve their own families. Next, Paul says that deacons are also to be tested before they are set apart for this particular work. Finally, a man must meet specific moral qualifications for the office of deacon. Specifically, the deacon is to have self-control in speech, in drink, and in the area of money. Paul wants deacons to be men of upstanding moral character. They need to be men of dignity, husbands of one wife, and good managers of their children and households. Again, Paul’s pattern is to point to fundamental godliness as the qualification for the office of deacon.[5]
[1] Unless otherwise noted, this article will use the New American Standard Bible (1995). New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
[2] J. Ligon Duncan III, “Biblical Perspectives/What God Wants in Deacons,” Madison County Journal. Posted June 2, 2020, at 11:00 PM. https://onlinemadison.com/stories/biblical-perspectiveswhat-god-wants-in-deacons,32008? Accessed on March 1, 2023, at 3:45 PM.
[3] David Guzik, “1 Timothy 3 – Qualifications for Leaders,” Enduring Word Commentary, 2018. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-timothy-3/. Accessed on March 1, 2023, at 4:17 PM.
[4] Those who do so are contumacious of Scripture and our standards, especially being out of accord with our Book of Church Order 9-3.
[5] Duncan.
Andrews PCA 