In chapter 3:11 of his study bible: "Paul here likely refers not to deacons' wives but to the women who serve as deacons. The use of the word "likewise" suggests a third group in addition to elders and deacons. And since Paul gave no requirements for elders wives, there is no reason to assume these would be qualifications for deacons' wives."

Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (3:8–13)

When God raises up people to serve His church, He looks for those whose hearts are right with him. His concern is not about talents or abilities, but spiritual virtue.

The men God has chosen to serve His people have always had hearts devoted to Him. Nehemiah 9:8 says of Abraham, “Thou didst find his heart faithful before Thee.” When Samuel searched for a successor to Saul, the Lord reminded him that “the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). Saul, chosen largely because he was “a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel” (1 Sam. 9:2), had turned out to be a disaster. To replace him, God “raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will”’ (Acts 13:22; cf. 1 Sam. 13:14). When he turned over the kingdom to his son Solomon, David advised him to “know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind” (1 Chron. 28:9). Godly King Jehoshaphat of Judah was blessed by God because he “set [his] heart to seek God” (2 Chron. 19:3). God used King Josiah to lead a spiritual revival because his heart was tender and he humbled himself before the Lord (2 Kings 22:19). Ezra was used by God because he “set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). The apostle Paul described his conduct among the Thessalonians as devout, upright, and blameless (1 Thess. 2:10). It is such men, men of integrity, purity, and virtue, that God chooses to lead His people.

Having discussed such spiritual qualifications for elders in 3:1–7, Paul now turns to those of deacons in 3:8–13. The standard for deacons is in no way inferior to that required of elders. Elders who lead and deacons who serve perform different functions, but the spiritual qualifications required for both are essentially identical. There is no drop-off in spiritual quality or maturity from overseers to deacons. The only difference is that overseers are “able to teach” (3:2).

Diakonos (deacon) and the related terms diakoneō (“to serve”), and diakonia (“service”) appear approximately 100 times in the New Testament. Only here and in Philippians 1:1 are they transliterated “deacon” or “deacons.” The rest of the time they are translated by various English words. Only in those two passages is the deacon elevated to official status. The rest of the time the terms are used in a general, nonspecific sense.

The original meaning of this word group had to do with performing menial tasks such as waiting on tables. That definition gradually broadened until it came to include any kind of service in the church. The word group’s versatility can be seen in its divergent usage in the New Testament. Diakonos, diakoneō, and diakonia are variously translated “administration,” “cared for,” “minister,” “servant,” “serve,” “service,” “preparations,” “relief,” “support,” and “deacon,” among others. The root idea of serving food comes across in John 2:5, where diakonos is used of the waiters at a wedding. Diakoneō is used in the same sense in Luke 4:39, where Peter’s mother-in-law served a meal. Luke 10:40; 17:8; and John 12:2 also use this word group to refer to serving food.

Diakonos is used to refer to soldiers and policemen who enforce justice (Rom. 13:4). In John 12:26, Jesus equated following Him with serving Him. Anything done in obedience to Him is spiritual service. In the general sense of the term, all Christians are deacons, for all are to be actively serving Christ and His church.

That is Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 12:5, where he writes that “there are varieties of ministries” (diakoniōn). Every Christian is to be involved in some form of spiritual service. Leaders, through both teaching and modeling, are to equip believers to perform that service (Eph. 4:12).

But diakonos, diakonia, and diakoneō are also used in a second, more specific sense. The list of spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6–8 includes a gift for service. Those with that gift are specially equipped for service, though they may not hold the office of deacon. Stephanas and his family were so gifted. Paul wrote of them, “they have devoted themselves for ministry (diakonia) to the saints” (1 Cor. 16:15).

The third use of this word group refers to the officially recognized responsibility of deacons. Everyone is a deacon in the general sense, some are specially gifted by the Holy Spirit for service, but still others hold the office of deacon. They model spiritual service for everyone else. They work alongside the elders, implementing their preaching, teaching, and oversight in the practical life of the church.

The only discussion of the office of deacon is in 1 Timothy 3:8–13, though there is a possible reference to it in Philippians 1:1. Some hold that Paul was officially identified as a deacon. While Paul was a servant in the general sense of the word, he held the office of apostle (Rom. 11:13; cf. 2 Cor. 10–12). Others have argued, based on 1 Timothy 4:6, that Timothy was a deacon. In 2 Timothy 4:5, however, Paul seems to identify Timothy as an evangelist. Others have proposed Tychicus (cf. Eph. 6:21), but Paul’s use of diakonos (Eph. 3:7) and diakonia (Eph. 4:12) in a general, nonrestrictive sense makes doubtful the use of diakonos in Ephesians 6:21 as a strict reference to the office. There is likewise no reason to assume that the use of diakonos in reference to Epaphras (Col. 1:7) is limited to the specific office.

Many hold that the seven men chosen to oversee the distribution of food in Acts 6 were the first official deacons. The text, however, nowhere calls them deacons. In fact, the only use of diakonia in Acts 6 is in reference to the apostles (v. 4), and to the serving of food (v. 1). That again emphasizes its general usage. Nor are any of the seven ever called deacons elsewhere in Scripture. The book of Acts nowhere uses the term diakonos (deacon), which seems strange if an order of deacons was initiated in Acts 6. Elders are mentioned several times in Acts (cf. 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22–23; 16:4; 20:17), making the omission of any reference to deacons even more significant. All seven men were apparently Hellenistic Jews, since all have Greek names. It is unlikely that an order of deacons at the Jerusalem church would not include any Palestinian Jews. Finally, they were in many respects more like elders than deacons. Stephen and Philip, the only two mentioned elsewhere in Acts, were evangelists (cf. Acts 6:8; 8:5ff.; 21:8). These seven men were chosen for a specific task. They did not hold the office of deacon, though their function of serving certainly foreshadowed that of the later deacons.

Paul wrote 1 Timothy some thirty years after the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost. The church had grown and developed to the point that there was a need for official deacons. They would function as models of spiritual virtue and service. To ensure that those given that responsibility were worthy, Paul lists several qualifications they must be measured by. As with elders, those qualifications relate to their spiritual character, not their function. In fact, no specifics are given in Scripture as to the duties of deacons. They were to carry out whatever tasks were assigned to them by the elders or needed by the congregation. In 3:8–13, Paul lists those qualifications for both male deacons and female deacons (deaconesses). He then closes by mentioning the reward for those who serve faithfully.


Grudem and other reformed sources say that this refers to deacons' wives.

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Erick Bohndorf, Covenant Baptist Church, KS
http://qayaqtraveler.blogspot.com/
The question for us today is, will we be like the majority of Israel and continue to look in fear at the giants in the land and urge our fellow Christians to be "realistic," or will we be like Joshua and Caleb and faithfully follow our king, trusting to fulfill every one of his promises completely?