Verse 11
Does this verse refer to female deacons? [Note: Robertson, 4:575; Towner, The Letters . . ., p. 265; et al.] Historically most interpreters have preferred this view. [Note: Mounce, pp. 203, 207-12.] Others believe it refers to the wives of male deacons. [Note: Knight, pp. 171-72; Mounce, p. 204; et al.] Still others believe it refers to unmarried women who assist the deacons. Exegetically it is very hard to decide. [Note: See Robert M. Lewis, "The ’Women’ of 1 Timothy 3:11," Bibliotheca Sacra 136:542 (April-June 1970):167-75; Charles C. Ryrie, The Place of Women in the Church, pp. 85-91; and Herbert Frohnhofen, "Women Deacons in the Early Church," Theology Digest 34:2 (Summer 1987):149-53.] I think it probably refers to female deacons for the following reasons. First, there is nothing about the office as such that would exclude a woman. Second, it seems unusual that Paul would prescribe qualifications for wives of deacons but not for wives of elders. Third, the fact that he inserted special qualifications for women in his list of deacon qualifications seems to indicate that he considered these women as deacons.
Paul described Phoebe as a deaconess (servant, Gr. diakonon) of the church in Cenchrea in Romans 16:1. This may mean she was simply a servant of the church. However the term he used allows for the possibility that she occupied the office of deaconess in her church.
"The office of deaconess is not certain in the New Testament church, but the preponderance of evidence suggests that women had this ministry, for it is certainly seen in the postapostolic period." [Note: H. Wayne House, "The Ministry of Women in the Apostolic and Postapostolic Periods," Bibliotheca Sacra 145:580 (October-December 1988):390. Cf. Hendriksen, pp. 132-33; and Fee, 1 and 2 Timothy . . ., p. 88.]
The apostle cited four special qualifications for these women.
7. "Dignified" means worthy of respect (Gr. semnas, 1 Timothy 3:8).
8. "Not malicious gossips" (Gr. diabolos) describes those who do not slander others.
9. "Temperate" (Gr. nephalious) means well balanced (elder qualification #3, 1 Timothy 3:2; cf. Titus 2:2).
10. "Faithful in all things" (Gr. pistas en pasin) means completely trustworthy.
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