So, are we done bickering? I would like to address the concerns about only men can be deacons, according to 1 Tim. 3. Again, something I wrote before, but very relevant.
So time to look at the overseer/deacon/bishop passage n 1 Timothy 3 in depth in the Greek. I've been avoiding it because I am in a lot of pain. Really, it takes concentration to look through all the lexicons/Greek tools etc.!! I had a good idea what needed to be said but I like to back up my thoughts with actual Scripture, esp. in the Greek.
"The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, " 1 Tim. 3:1-2 ESV
"Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ. 2 δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικόν," 1 Tim. 3:1-2 Greek
Paul notes in verse one that aspiring to be an overseer is a noble task. The word "HE" does not appear in the Greek in verse 1, but rather the verb ὀρέγεται (oregetai) which is in the present, indicative middle, 3rd person singular, meaning to stretch oneself out, to aspire, to desire; and the verb ἐπιθυμεῖ (epithumei) present indicative active, 3rd person singular, meaning "to set one's heart on, to desire."
Thus both male and female are included in this opening verse, not "he" as most translations add, simply because English needs a pronoun, which is understood in the Greek. Therefore, verse 1 could just as easily say, "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, SHE desires a noble task."
Verse 1 of 1 Tim. 3 uses ἐπισκοπῆς (ephiskopase) a feminine noun meaning:
"Office of a bishop; engagement in oversight, supervision; leader of Christian community"
Verse 2, on the other hand uses ἐπίσκοπον (ephiskonon) a masculine noun meaning:
"overseer, bishop, pastor; one who watches over something or someone; guardian, supervisor, inspector.
For the early church fathers, the word denoted function, rather than the status of anyone who who exercised supervision or control.
Then Paul begins with the men who hold the office in the next verses. There are a lot of conditions that need to be met, at least in Ephesus, including being the husband of one wife. (Aner is used here! Meaning man or husband!)
Verses 8 to 10 really gets into further qualifications for deacons, and not once is the term "he" used, which this time, the ESV gets right!
"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." 1 Tim. 3:8-10 ESV
Then using parallel instructions to the women deacons in verse 11, Paul turns to the women overseers! ESV, KJV and HCSB and other complimentarian versions translate the word γυναῖκας (guvaikas) as wives, whereas more egalitarian versions like NIV and the Message both translate this word as "women" or "deaconesses" in the USB interlinear.
However, in order to use the word "wives" the complimentarian versions, including KJV must add the word "their" which does not appear in any version of the Greek. To translate it properly using "wives" It would have to say "Wives, must likewise..."
This is somewhat like adding the word "authority" to 1 Tim. 2:12, when the word does not appear in the Greek.
By adding "their" to the mix, it implies that this is how the deacons's wives are to behave, rather than certain women who qualify for the office of deacon. Leaving it as "Wives" implies all wives in the church, and this section, I am sure everyone will agree, concerns deacons!
"Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things." 1 Tim. 3:11 ESV
"γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλίους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν." 1 Tim. 3:11 Greek
"The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things." 1 Tim. 3:11 RSV
"In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." 1 Tim. 3:11 NIV
I love the way the Message puts it below, but I already hear people screaming that I even dared to use the NIV, even though it is a valid use of the word γυναῖκας! (Let alone the heretical paraphrase, The Message - sarcasm mine! And intended!)
"No exceptions are to be made for women—same qualifications: serious, dependable, not sharp-tongued, not over fond of wine. Servants in the church are to be committed to their spouses, attentive to their own children, and diligent in looking after their own affairs. " 1 Tim. 3:11-12 The Message
Regardless of translation, I concede that these verses are significantly ambiguous enough that it may or may not support women as overseers, and/or deacons.
Good hermeneutics does require that any doctrine has to be made from more than one verse, especially one which does not fall on either side of the debate. Since there are NO verses which say a woman cannot be a deacon, I want to look at a positive verse which definitively says she can be a deacon.
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well." Romans 16:1-2 ESV
The RSV and ESV notes footnotes that the word "servant" could alternately be "deaconess" except for the fact that Paul uses the male term, because there actually was no word for deaconess in New Testament times, including contemporaneous sources! Further, the designation "deaconess" did not develop until the late 3rd century or early 4th. So the word is either deacon, as it is in cases with the men; or servant, and then all the verses referring to men need to be translated as "servant."
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen′chre-ae," Romans 16:1 RSV
"Συνίστημι δὲ ὑμῖν Φοίβην τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν, οὖσαν καὶ διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς," Romans 16:1 Greek.
Above, διάκονον or diakonon, is in the accusative case, masculine singular. Further, Paul uses the word diakonon referencing a specific place. The commendation of Paul shows he intended to designate Phoebe as serving in some important official capacity in the Cenchrean church. She was a deacon, an office to which a congregation could appoint both men and women.
So Phoebe is clearly called a deacon, thus leading the only conclusion one can draw from the 1 Tim. 3 example, that Paul is citing qualifications for men and then women.
Sources:
Danker and Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature
Rogers Jr and Rogers III, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament
Grenz and Kjesbo, Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry
United Bible Societies, The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
So time to look at the overseer/deacon/bishop passage n 1 Timothy 3 in depth in the Greek. I've been avoiding it because I am in a lot of pain. Really, it takes concentration to look through all the lexicons/Greek tools etc.!! I had a good idea what needed to be said but I like to back up my thoughts with actual Scripture, esp. in the Greek.
"The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, " 1 Tim. 3:1-2 ESV
"Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ. 2 δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικόν," 1 Tim. 3:1-2 Greek
Paul notes in verse one that aspiring to be an overseer is a noble task. The word "HE" does not appear in the Greek in verse 1, but rather the verb ὀρέγεται (oregetai) which is in the present, indicative middle, 3rd person singular, meaning to stretch oneself out, to aspire, to desire; and the verb ἐπιθυμεῖ (epithumei) present indicative active, 3rd person singular, meaning "to set one's heart on, to desire."
Thus both male and female are included in this opening verse, not "he" as most translations add, simply because English needs a pronoun, which is understood in the Greek. Therefore, verse 1 could just as easily say, "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, SHE desires a noble task."
Verse 1 of 1 Tim. 3 uses ἐπισκοπῆς (ephiskopase) a feminine noun meaning:
"Office of a bishop; engagement in oversight, supervision; leader of Christian community"
Verse 2, on the other hand uses ἐπίσκοπον (ephiskonon) a masculine noun meaning:
"overseer, bishop, pastor; one who watches over something or someone; guardian, supervisor, inspector.
For the early church fathers, the word denoted function, rather than the status of anyone who who exercised supervision or control.
Then Paul begins with the men who hold the office in the next verses. There are a lot of conditions that need to be met, at least in Ephesus, including being the husband of one wife. (Aner is used here! Meaning man or husband!)
Verses 8 to 10 really gets into further qualifications for deacons, and not once is the term "he" used, which this time, the ESV gets right!
"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." 1 Tim. 3:8-10 ESV
Then using parallel instructions to the women deacons in verse 11, Paul turns to the women overseers! ESV, KJV and HCSB and other complimentarian versions translate the word γυναῖκας (guvaikas) as wives, whereas more egalitarian versions like NIV and the Message both translate this word as "women" or "deaconesses" in the USB interlinear.
However, in order to use the word "wives" the complimentarian versions, including KJV must add the word "their" which does not appear in any version of the Greek. To translate it properly using "wives" It would have to say "Wives, must likewise..."
This is somewhat like adding the word "authority" to 1 Tim. 2:12, when the word does not appear in the Greek.
By adding "their" to the mix, it implies that this is how the deacons's wives are to behave, rather than certain women who qualify for the office of deacon. Leaving it as "Wives" implies all wives in the church, and this section, I am sure everyone will agree, concerns deacons!
"Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things." 1 Tim. 3:11 ESV
"γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλίους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν." 1 Tim. 3:11 Greek
"The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things." 1 Tim. 3:11 RSV
"In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." 1 Tim. 3:11 NIV
I love the way the Message puts it below, but I already hear people screaming that I even dared to use the NIV, even though it is a valid use of the word γυναῖκας! (Let alone the heretical paraphrase, The Message - sarcasm mine! And intended!)
"No exceptions are to be made for women—same qualifications: serious, dependable, not sharp-tongued, not over fond of wine. Servants in the church are to be committed to their spouses, attentive to their own children, and diligent in looking after their own affairs. " 1 Tim. 3:11-12 The Message
Regardless of translation, I concede that these verses are significantly ambiguous enough that it may or may not support women as overseers, and/or deacons.
Good hermeneutics does require that any doctrine has to be made from more than one verse, especially one which does not fall on either side of the debate. Since there are NO verses which say a woman cannot be a deacon, I want to look at a positive verse which definitively says she can be a deacon.
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well." Romans 16:1-2 ESV
The RSV and ESV notes footnotes that the word "servant" could alternately be "deaconess" except for the fact that Paul uses the male term, because there actually was no word for deaconess in New Testament times, including contemporaneous sources! Further, the designation "deaconess" did not develop until the late 3rd century or early 4th. So the word is either deacon, as it is in cases with the men; or servant, and then all the verses referring to men need to be translated as "servant."
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen′chre-ae," Romans 16:1 RSV
"Συνίστημι δὲ ὑμῖν Φοίβην τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν, οὖσαν καὶ διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς," Romans 16:1 Greek.
Above, διάκονον or diakonon, is in the accusative case, masculine singular. Further, Paul uses the word diakonon referencing a specific place. The commendation of Paul shows he intended to designate Phoebe as serving in some important official capacity in the Cenchrean church. She was a deacon, an office to which a congregation could appoint both men and women.
So Phoebe is clearly called a deacon, thus leading the only conclusion one can draw from the 1 Tim. 3 example, that Paul is citing qualifications for men and then women.
Sources:
Danker and Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature
Rogers Jr and Rogers III, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament
Grenz and Kjesbo, Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry
United Bible Societies, The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
