Quote:
Originally Posted by R Harris 
I understand I Tim 3. But what exactly is Phebe in Romans 16:1? Was she merely a "helper," or did she have diaconal authority in the church?
Our congregation is considering 4 denominations to possibly align with, with the ARP being one. However, the issue of women deacons is causing many on the session to veer away from the ARP.
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She is a servant, like those in Matthew 20:26; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 23:11; John 12:26; Romans 13:4 (where the magistrate is called a "
diakonos"). Was our Lord a deacon? Because just a few verses earlier (Romans 15:8) Paul writes:
le,gw ga.r Cristo.n dia,konon gegenh/sqai peritomh/j u`pe.r avlhqei,aj qeou/( eivj to. bebaiw/sai ta.j evpaggeli,aj tw/n pate,rwn(
namely, that Christ became a "deacon" (or more rightly, servant). Why would Paul change his use of the word in such close proximity, in such a way that also requires exegetical gymnastics around 1 Timothy 3:12 (how does a woman become the husband of one wife?) ?