MarquezsDg
Puritan Board Freshman
Hey Guys Im reading Dr MacArthur " The Masters Plan for the Church" and came across something that i am struggling with. In regards to "Deaconess" Dr Macarthur writes"
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DEACONESSES?
First Timothy 3:11 begins, “Women must likewise be dignified.” Again, “likewise” relates back to an office of the church. Contrary to the King James Version’s translation of that verse, we know Paul was not talking about the wives of deacons because he used no pronoun to refer to them. He didn’t say their wives, or their women. Since there are no comments about the wives of elders, why would there be any comments about the wives of deacons?
In Romans 16:1 we read, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant [diakonos] of the church which is at Cenchrea.” Phoebe was recognized by the church for her service. It is possible that she served in an official capacity as a deaconess at the church in Cenchrea.
The Greek word for “women” in 1 Timothy 3:11 is gunaikas. Apparently Paul used that term to be specific since there is no feminine form of diakonos. The same form of the word diakonos is both masculine and feminine; it would have been unclear for Paul to use just the term diakonos if he wanted to refer to women servers. He had to identify them as women.
We see, then, three distinct church offices described in 1 Timothy 3—elders, deacons, and deaconesses. This is what Paul had to say about deaconesses: they must be “dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things” (v. 11).
MacArthur, J. (1991). The Master's plan for the church (212). Chicago: Moody Press.
Someone explain to me the difference between a Deacon and Deaconess. ?
Those that have an Elders led church and Deacon church ,do you have Deaconess? If so how are they the same as Deacons and how are they different than Deacons?
We have Deacons that teach a bible study during the week? If you have Deaconess can they teach as well in a Bible Study setting?
What would be the example of a Phoebe in the church today?
God bless!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DEACONESSES?
First Timothy 3:11 begins, “Women must likewise be dignified.” Again, “likewise” relates back to an office of the church. Contrary to the King James Version’s translation of that verse, we know Paul was not talking about the wives of deacons because he used no pronoun to refer to them. He didn’t say their wives, or their women. Since there are no comments about the wives of elders, why would there be any comments about the wives of deacons?
In Romans 16:1 we read, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant [diakonos] of the church which is at Cenchrea.” Phoebe was recognized by the church for her service. It is possible that she served in an official capacity as a deaconess at the church in Cenchrea.
The Greek word for “women” in 1 Timothy 3:11 is gunaikas. Apparently Paul used that term to be specific since there is no feminine form of diakonos. The same form of the word diakonos is both masculine and feminine; it would have been unclear for Paul to use just the term diakonos if he wanted to refer to women servers. He had to identify them as women.
We see, then, three distinct church offices described in 1 Timothy 3—elders, deacons, and deaconesses. This is what Paul had to say about deaconesses: they must be “dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things” (v. 11).
MacArthur, J. (1991). The Master's plan for the church (212). Chicago: Moody Press.
Someone explain to me the difference between a Deacon and Deaconess. ?
Those that have an Elders led church and Deacon church ,do you have Deaconess? If so how are they the same as Deacons and how are they different than Deacons?
We have Deacons that teach a bible study during the week? If you have Deaconess can they teach as well in a Bible Study setting?
What would be the example of a Phoebe in the church today?
God bless!