Qualifications of Deacons

1. Qualifications of Deacons

2. Dignified • KJV—grave • RSV—serious • NASV—men of dignity • ESV—dignified • NIV—men worthy of respect • BAGD—worthy of respect/honor, noble, dignified, serious

3. Not Double-Tongued • KJV—not double-tongued • RSV—not double-tongued • NASV—not double-tongued • ESV—not double-tongued footnote: Or devious in speech • NIV—sincere • BAGD—not insincere

4. Not Addicted to Much Wine • KJV—not given to much wine • RSV—not addicted to much wine • NASV—or addicted to much wine • ESV—not addicted to much wine • NIV—not indulging in much wine • BAGD—not {occupying oneself with, devoting oneself to, applying oneself to} much wine

5. Not Greedy for Shameful Gain • KJV—not greedy of filthy lucre • RSV—not greedy for gain • NASV—or fond of sordid gain • ESV—not greedy for dishonest gain • NIV—not pursuing dishonest gain • BAGD—not shamelessly greedy for money, not avaricious, not fond of dishonest gain • From the words ‘shameful’ and ‘gain’

6. Holding to the Mystery of the Faith with a Clear Conscience • KJV—… mystery … pure conscience • RSV—… mystery … clear conscience • NASV—… mystery … clear conscience • ESV—… mystery … clear conscience • NIV—… deep truths … clear conscience • BAGD—mystery, transcendent/ultimate reality, secret; clean, pure

7. Be Tested First … Blameless • KJV—being found blameless • RSV—prove themselves blameless • NASV—are beyond reproach • ESV—prove themselves blameless • NIV—there is nothing against them • BAGD—blameless, irreproachable

8. Women: Dignified • KJV—grave • RSV—serious • NASV—dignified • ESV—dignified • NIV—women worthy of respect • BAGD—worthy of respect/honor, noble, dignified, serious

9. Women: Not Slanderers • KJV—not slanderers • RSV—no slanderers • NASV—not malicious gossips • ESV—not slanderers • NIV—not malicious talkers • BAGD—not slanderous

10. Women: Temperate • KJV—sober • RSV—temperate • NASV—temperate • ESV—sober-minded • NIV—temperate • BAGD—1. temperate, sober; being very moderate in the drinking of an alcoholic beverage; 2. self-controlled, level-headed, being restrained in conduct

11. Women: Faithful in all things • KJV—faithful in all things • RSV—faithful in all things • NASV—faithful in all things • ESV—faithful in all things • NIV—trustworthy in everything • BAGD—trustworthy, faithful, dependable, inspiring faith/trust, being worthy of belief or trust

12. Deacons: Men of One Woman • KJV—the husbands of one wife • RSV—the husband of one wife • NASV—husbands of only one wife • ESV—the husband of one wife • NIV—the husband of but one wife • BAGD—man, esp. husband; woman, here wife

13. Does not mean: • All the deacons share the same wife • Only one woman deacon is allowed But: • Each deacon should be the husband of one wife • So several translations change the plural to a singular to avoid misunderstanding

14. Can a divorced man serve? Arguments in the affirmative: • No second class citizens in the church • Means only one of the following: • Not unmarried • Not divorced • Not a polygamist • Not an adulterer (a one-woman man) • Not remarried (married only once)

15. Answers to Affirmative First: • Are women then second class citizens? • What about those who fail to meet another of the qualifications? Second: • A phrase may have a general meaning • It’s “man of one woman”, not “one-woman man”

16. Genitive used for Marriage In Paul’s writing the genitive is used of marriage: • Eph. 5:28—the man ought to love the woman of himself • Eph. 5:31—cleaves to the woman of him • Eph. 5:33—each must love the woman of himself • I Cor. 5:1—someone has the woman of the father (note that the genitive relationship is between the father and the woman, not between the son and the woman; he just “has” her) • I Cor. 7:2—each must have the woman of himself • I Cor. 7:39—a woman is bound for as much time as the man of her lives

17. Genitive used for Marriage Luke also uses the genitive for marriage: • Luke 1:13—Zachariah … the woman of you Elisabeth will bear you a son • Luke 8:3—and Joanna the woman of Chouza • Luke 17:32—Remember the woman of Lot • Acts 18:2—Aquilla … and Priscilla woman of him • Acts 5:1—some man named Ananius with Sapphira the woman of him • Acts 5:7—the woman of him came in • Acts 5:9—the feet of those burying the man of you

18. Genitive used for Marriage And Jesus uses the genitive for marriage: • Mark 10:11—whoever divorces the woman of him • Mark 10:12—if she divorces the man of her • Matt. 5:32—every one divorcing the woman of him • But perhaps the real evidence is found in the account of the woman at the well: • John 4:18—the man you have now is NOT the man of you (she was committing fornication with the man, but Jesus says there is no marriage relationship, therefore it is not a genitive relationship)

19. Genitive NOT used for Fornication • It is notable that in Paul’s extended discussion of fornication in I Cor. 6 the genitive is not used of that relationship. • Herod “had” Herodias “the woman of Philip his brother” (Mark 6:17-18), but the genitive is only used of Philip, not Herod. • If a married man having a mistress makes him a man of two women, then an unmarried man with a mistress would qualify as a “man of one woman,” hardly the intended meaning.

20. Evidence from 1 Tim. 5:9 • “Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband,” • “having been” is not in the Greek text • 1946 RSV translated this “married only once” as well as in 1 Tim. 3 • NIV translates this “has been faithful to her husband”

21. Manage Children Well • KJV—ruling their children and their houses well • RSV—manage their children and their households well • NASV—good managers of their children and their own households • ESV—managing their children and their own households well • NIV—manage his children and his household well • BAGD—to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head of, manage, conduct

22. Gain a Good Standing • KJV—used the office of a deacon well purchase a good degree and … boldness • RSV—serve well as deacons gain a good standing and … confidence • NASV—have served well as deacons obtain a high standing and … confidence • ESV—serve well as deacons gain a good standing and … confidence • NIV—have served well gain an excellent standing and … assurance • BAGD—step, stage, grade, rank