The First Epistle To Timothy - Executable Outlines

Jewish or a pagan priest? Shall a minister of the gospel be less holy than they?” - ibid.
3. Not greedy for money (greedy of filthy lucre, fond of sordid gain) - 1 Ti 3:8
a. “Men who are covetous and unscrupulous as to modes of getting money are not to be
chosen.” - B. W. Johnson
b. “The special reason why this qualification was important in the deacon was, that he
would be entrusted with the funds of the church, and might be tempted to appropriate
them to his own use instead of the charitable purposes for which they were designed;
see this illustrated in the case of Judas, Jn 12:6.” - Barnes
C. QUALIFICATIONS FOR WIVES (NKJV), OR WOMEN (ASV, NASB)...
1. The Greek word gune can mean either:
a. “a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow” - Thayer
b. “a wife; of a betrothed woman” - ibid.
2. There is a diversity of views as to what Paul has reference
a. The wives of deacons (and perhaps also wives of elders) - e.g., Barnes, Gill
b. Women who serve as ‘deaconesses’- e.g., Chrysostom, JFB
c. Women in general - e.g., Clarke
3. Those who believe it refers to female deacons (deaconesses) note the following:
a. Phoebe is called a ‘servant’ (the female form of diakonos) of the church - Ro 16:1-2
b. The post-apostolic church makes reference to ‘deaconesses’, who ministered to other
women at baptisms, the widows, etc. - Apostolic Constitutions, ca 390 A.D.
4. My own observations:
a. NT evidence is not sufficient to require deaconesses
b. NT evidence is not sufficient to condemn deaconesses, provided their service does not
violate limitations placed on women elsewhere - cf. 1 Ti 2:11-12; 1 Co 14:34-37
c. Many churches have women who serve in unofficial capacities, just as they do men
5. Whether the wives of deacons, deaconesses, or women in general, they should be:
a. Reverent (grave, dignified, serious) - 1 Ti 3:11; cf. 3:8 (of deacons)
b. Not slanderers (not malicious gossips) - 1 Ti 3:11; cf. 5:13 (of young widows)
c. Temperate (sober) - 1 Ti 3:11; cf. 3:2 (of elders)
d. Faithful in all things - 1 Ti 3:11; cf. 5:10 (of elderly widows)
CONCLUSION
1. Those who serve well as deacons will be greatly blessed, for they will obtain...
a. ‘a good standing’ - highly regarded by the Lord, cf. Mt 20:25-28
b. ‘great boldness in the faith’ - confidence or assurance, cf. 1 Jn 4:17
2. Thus the work of deacons should not be lightly regarded...
a. By those who would be asked to so serve
b. By those who are served by them
Mark A. Copeland
In the words of Paul, we should “esteem them highly in love for the work’s sake” (1 Th 5:13), and if
called to serve, to do so with reverence and humility...
Sermons From First Timothy 32