Many have used 1 Timothy 3:11 to substantiate the
position of women deacons. The commendation of Phoebe in Romans
16:1&2, is usually used to further support this claim. I believe this
position is not a biblical one and should be avoided in our church and all
biblical churches. My reasons are as follows:
1) Women deacons violate 1 Timothy 2:12 and the biblical teaching of
“office.” The biblical office of deacon was instituted primarily to
distribute to the poor widows in the church. This was done so that the
apostles, and later the pastors and elders, would be able to give
themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts
6:1-7). The initial founding principle of the diaconate encompasses the
practical matters of the functioning of each local church. “The elders
labor within the spiritual realm and the deacons’ work concerns the
physical realm” is an old, yet true axiom. This does not mean there is
no spirituality or godliness about them as they conduct their duties.
Instead, with spiritual grace, they will administer the business and
practical affairs of the church.
Deacons serve to relieve the elders of any general tasks, when they are
qualified and able to do so. They were not called to be a system of
“checks and balances” for the elders, but to be “waiters on
tables.”The deacons are under the oversight and authority of the elders,
and the office, in itself, carries no authority. But, in the functioning
of the office, deacons carry an authority derived from the elders who
oversee them and maintain responsibility for the proper overall
functioning of the church. All authority comes from Christ. Even though
diaconal authority is a borrowed and delegated one, nevertheless, it is a
very real authority. The authoritative office of deacon is not just a
position of function void of authority as some claim. The authority of
this office will cause women to violate 1 Timothy 2:12, which forbids them
having authority over men.
For further reading on the subject of “office,” see John Murray
(Collected Writings, vol. 2, pp 357-365).
2) To take 1 Timothy 3:11 as the basis for women deacons is inconsistent
exegesis. Let me explain.
A. “Wives” (NKJV; Gk. gunaikòs = “women”) in v. 11 is the same as
1 Timothy 3:2, which is without question correctly translated “wives.”
While it is true that v. 11 is somewhat abrupt and its meaning is
contested, Greek grammar and consistent exegesis demands the same
translation for both words in this extended passage. There are no rules of
Greek grammar or hermeneutical principles of exegesis that allow anyone to
translate “gunaikòs” as wife in v. 2 and “gunaîkas” as women
deacons in v. 11. Just as no one can use v. 2 to teach women elders, no
one can correctly use v. 11 to teach women deacons. In order for anyone to
do so, there must be a pre-disposition toward women deacons in the mind of
the exegete before coming to v.11.
B. While v. 11 is abrupt, it must be compared with v. 12. When compared
with v. 12 it cannot mean women in the office of deacon. In v. 12 deacons,
if they are married, must be “the husband of one wife” (lit. Gk.
“one woman man”) exactly like the bishop in v. 2. Therefore,
consistent exegesis demands deacons must be men only.
C. Verses 11 & 12 exegeted correctly mean deacons’ wives and not
women in the office of deacon. Verse 11 could possibly mean a subordinate
group of women who help the deacons, but this is highly unlikely. Should
this be the case, they are not to be ordained or in office.
3) The original intent of the first deacons in Acts 6:1-8 mitigates
against women in the office of deacon. Many evangelicals today hold that
there are certain duties male deacons cannot perform due to the sensitive
nature of female issues. Yet, when we come to Scripture and study the
first need that arose that caused deacons to be chosen, we see it was a
female issue — widows were being neglected. The apostles did not tell
the church to choose men and women, but men only i.e. “seven men.” If,
today’s reasoning was followed, women would have been chosen also; but
the apostles did not do such. Men were chosen to assist the apostles in
this sensitive female issue and women were not even considered. Original
intent demands male deacons in Christ’s churches today as in apostolic
days.
4) The absence of any mention of women deacons (deaconesses) or any women
office bearers in the NT further teaches against this position.
Immediately, some bring up Phoebe in Romans 16:1-2. The fact she is
described as a “helper of many” denotes that she was probably a
wealthy person. Many believe she is the one who carried Paul’s epistle
to the church at Rome. The word “servant” (Gk. “diákonon”) is the
same word used of any brother or sister in Christ who does a work of
service and ministers to others in any way. It cannot be interpreted as
one in the office of deacon in the strictest sense. If so, then any
Christian who ministers to anyone else is a deacon and the whole church is
nothing more than a church of deacons. (Note, the same word is also used
of Christ.) Phoebe was nothing more than a wealthy member of the church in
Cenchrea who had the means to minister and serve others in an extended
capacity. There are no women deacons, deaconesses or officer bearers in
the NT.
5) There is no command or warrant to ordain women into any office in the
NT, such as in Titus 1:5. Paul commanded Titus to ordain elders, which we
know to be men. But there is no command to ordain women into any office.
Some take the position that women deacons are not forbidden. The position
“If not forbidden, then allowed.” is very dangerous. Many things are
not directly forbidden in Scripture, yet we must not do them e.g.:
genuflection, crossing ourselves, vestments, candles, incense,
processions, etc. Rome, all forms of Orthodoxy, Anglicans, Lutherans,
liberal Protestants and many evangelicals have always operated under this
directive. To them anything not forbidden is allowed. The biblical
position is that churches do only those things commanded. That keeps a lot
of “strange fire” from coming in among us.
6) No qualifications are given whereby a woman may be judged or evaluated
to be fit for such an office, even if the office existed. Some read 1
Timothy 3:11 to mean that Paul was creating women deacons, along with
qualifications. If they are equal in office, one would expect they would
be equal in qualification for office. If Paul was establishing an office
of deaconess, why are deaconess’s qualifications less than for their
male counterparts? If this was Paul’s intention, then the qualifications
for women are less than the qualifications for the men found in vv. 8-10
and 12-13. This makes Paul guilty of duplicity by erecting a double
standard for the same office. No, Paul is simply saying that deacons’
wives must have certain qualities about them. Standards and qualifications
for elders are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1: 5-9 and for deacons
in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, but none are found anywhere for women officer bearers
of any type.
7) The last reason is more subjective than exegetical. Historically, women
deacons have always been the door that has ushered women into other
positions of elder and pastor (minister of the gospel). Trace out the
historical decline of the major denominations and you will find this to be
true. A very present case in point is the Christian Reformed Church, which
recently allowed women elders. How did this happen in such a conservative
and biblically based denomination?1 They began with women deacons, then
advanced. The same reasoning and biblical passages used to substantiate
women deacons were used to support women elders. Women deacons are the
proverbial “camel’s nose in the tent.” We must beware!
In summary, The NT teaches that there are only two offices in the church
— elder and deacon (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9). The
inerrant Holy Scriptures do not allow women in either.
Rev. Earl M. Blackburn
Heritage Baptist Church
2801 Creswell Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71104
(318) 222-0868 (Church Office)
(318) 742-2618 (Study & FAX)
1 William Hendricksen in his commentary on Thessalonians, Timothy and
Titus held the position that 1 Timothy 3:11 teaches an auxiliary group of
women who were helpers of the deacons. It is my opinion that this position
opened the door for the CRC denomination to ordain women. |