SERMON: “Understanding Deacons” (Acts 6:1–6; 1 Tim. 3:8–12)
“Understanding
Deacons”
(Acts
6:1–6; 1 Tim. 3:8–12)
Series: Topical Text:
Acts 6:1–6; 1 Timothy 3:8–12
By: Shaun Marksbury Date: February
11, 2024
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: AM Service
I.
Introduction
There’s quite a bit of confusion in the church concerning the role and function of deacons. Some, for instance, see deacons as the true leaders of the church. I was thankful to see in the by-laws that this wasn’t the position of this church when I first came on as the teaching pastor. It’s a common position to see among Baptists, where the deacons often hold all the power of the church.
Other churches, though, do differently. Some might view deacons little more than
janitors (and I’ve seen some, then, turn to treat the janitors as
slaves!). Still other congregations have
deacons appear for a task and then disappear back into the congregation. What does God say about this position?
Scripture instructs us on key church operations,
such as the diaconate. In fact, the Lord
grants only two ordained offices to the church — elders (sometimes called
pastors) and deacons. For instance, in Philippians
1:1, Paul writes to the “saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including
the overseers and deacons.” These
offices serve as the leaders within the local church.
Interestingly, though, God tells us more
about deacon qualifications than their office. In fact, ironically, most of the New
Testament uses of the term “deacon” do not even refer to the office! Today, as we get ready to install a new
deacon, we will review what Scripture says about this — the definition of a deacon,
the qualification for a deacon, and (briefly) the question of a female deacon.
II.
The Definition of a Deacon
In the simplest definition, a “deacon” is a servant. Scripture uses a closely related word group,
both nouns and verbs — diakonos, diakonia, and diakoneō. They all carry the connotation of service.
That means that deacon isn’t even necessarily
a spiritual term. One study notes, “The
Greek term diakonoi means ‘servants’
and in a secular sense was used of those serving a king (Matt. 22:13).”[1] Another commentary notes, “Diakonos is used to refer to soldiers
and policemen who enforce justice (Rom. 13:4).”[2] Of course, it applies most fittingly to the Christian
in the New Testament.
Even so, it most often does not refer to an
office within a church, but of Christian service in general. Because this term has broader application, let’s
first consider that. Then, we’ll consider
the biblical office of deacon.
A.
Scripture Calls All Christians to “Deacon” in a
Sense (Mark 10:43–44)
Our Lord gives us our primary example. He tells His disciples that “whoever wishes
to become great among you shall be your servant [diakonos, a ‘deacon’]; and
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.” He then states in the next verse, “For even
the Son of Man did not come to be served [diakoneō, “deaconed”], but to
serve [or “to deacon”], and to give His life a ransom for many.” Jesus isn’t telling His disciples to all hold
the office of deacon — He instead calls all believers should follow Him as servants,
which is why the English reads as it does.
The New Testament also applies the term “deacon”
to apostles. Commentator R. Kent Hughes notes
this, saying that “an apostle was designated a ‘deacon of Christ’ (literal
translation) (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23; 4:1; Romans 11:13). Paul calls himself a ‘deacon’ (literal
translation) of the church (Colossians 1:25), and here in 1 Timothy, Timothy is
described as a ‘good minister [literally, “deacon”] of Christ Jesus’ (4:6).”[3] The Lord expected all believers, from
apostles on down, to follow His example by serving one another.
General service is essential to the life of
a church, and we are thankful for the many ways in which you serve the rest of
us (often without recognition). Still, some
service may be overlooked, and some needs may require more experienced hands. Moreover, there may be a need affecting
multiple people that requires a coordinated effort. That’s how the official office of deacon came
into being, which we will consider next.
B.
Scripture Calls Some Christians to Deacon in an
Official Sense (Acts 6:1–6)
In Acts 6:1, some Jewish widows of the dispersion
had become believers and were staying in Jerusalem. However, the native Jerusalemite believers
were overlooking them. There’s nothing
in the text to indicate that this was intentional. After all, God commands care for widows in
both the Old and New Testaments, so the Spirit-filled apostles would not have
desired this situation. As such, when
they heard the complaint, they responded.
At this point in history, the apostles were acting
very much like elders in the Jerusalem church.
As such, they gathered the people and said, “It is not desirable for us
to neglect the word of God in order to serve [deacon] tables” (v. 2). Now, they don’t just mean waitering. Of course, we might think that because of v.
1, but think also of the moneychangers in the temple — the apostles conducted financial
business over a table. In fact, in the
Gospels, the word translated “bank” (the place for money) is the same word used
here for table (trapeza, Matt. 25:27; Luke 19:22). Since service to widows means much more than
just giving them bread, such as meeting financial needs, the apostles here
probably had more in mind than simple dinner service.
Either way, the apostles were not denigrating
service, obviously. The apostles handled
money at multiple points, such as in Acts 4 with the distribution to the poor. They were simply saying that what they were
doing was also of vital importance, and that they would devote themselves “to
prayer and to the ministry of the word” (v. 4).
So, in v. 3, they instructed the people to select seven qualified men to
whom they could delegate the responsibility of ensuring needs were being met. The congregation choose men and brought them
before the apostles (vv. 5–6); since the apostles had the power to appoint them
for ministry, they then prayed for them and laid their hands on them (v. 6). In this way, the apostles met the needs of
the congregation.
This gives us vital insight into the
office. Deacons ensure that practical
ministry is occurring within the church.
They are task-oriented (in this case, at least meeting the needs of
widows). Considering the thousands of
converts in Jerusalem at this time, they may have directed others to help
distribute food, money, and other material needs. They did this under the oversight of the apostles.
What are they to do, then? Scripture doesn’t directly define what deacons
are to do, only their qualifications, or how many deacons should serve, leaving
churches flexibility in how they implement deacons. They can meet material needs as well as other physical
needs, such as our buildings and our grounds. Another way of considering who deacons are is to
think of them in terms of Acts 6: they are ministers themselves: ministers
of mercy (as Alexander Strauch refers to them in his book by that title).
Unfortunately, before we complete this
overview, we must note the one freedom some churches wrongly take upon
themselves. Some elevate deacons to overseers
of the church, giving them the task to even make demands upon the pastoral
staff. However, in Acts 6, we see leadership
under authority — first, to the Word of God.
In fact, it’s another group the apostles
name to oversee the church, something which unfolds over time in the Book of
Acts. As the gospel message traveled further,
the apostles began appointing elders in each of the churches. For instance, in Acts 20:17, Paul called
together the elders of Ephesus, telling them in v. 28, “Be on guard for
yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to shepherd [or pastor] the church of God which He purchased with
His own blood.” The apostles used the terms
elders, overseers, and pastors interchangeably, also applying to them terms
like “rulers” (Rom. 12:8; 1 Thes. 5:12) and “leaders” (Heb. 13:17). Deacons are absent from all these categories.
Still, Scripture names deacons as serving
with elders, such as in Philippians 1:1.
In 1 Timothy 3 (where we are turning in a minute), we see qualifications
for both a person being considered an elder and a person being considered for
deacon. There again, though, the term “overseer”
applies to the elder position and is listed first (v. 1), and the deacon
qualifications are second (v. 8). This
again indicates that deacons serve under pastors or elders.
So, that covers an overview of what a deacon
is and what he does. In a sense, we’re
all deacons, serving one another. Yet,
God calls some specifically to this task in the local church. How can we recognize them? To answer that, let’s now briefly consider their
qualifications.
III.
The Qualifications of a Deacon (1 Timothy 3:8–10,
12)
If we look at 1 Timothy 3, we see the qualifications
for deacon laid out clearly, especially in vv. 8–13. However, we can’t just look there, for the
word “likewise” in v. 8 refers back to most of the elder qualifications in vv.
1–7. (There’s a lack of a teaching
requirement for deacons, as the task falls primarily to elders, though some may
teach like Philip who served as an evangelist).
Both of these positions are necessary in the church, though, so let’s
now consider the biblical rubric for evaluating deacons.
A.
First, deacons must be men of dignity (v. 8)
Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not
double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,
The first item listed here is “men of
dignity.” We should note briefly that
the text indicates that they should be men, with v. 12 stating they should be
“husbands of only one wife.” Verse 11
causes confusion that we will discuss in a few minutes. For now, the adjectives, pronouns, and verbs in
the original here are all masculine.
They are to be men.
The adjective here says they are to be
“dignified.” The KJV has “grave,” and
the NKJV has “reverent.” This doesn’t
mean that they don’t have a sense of humor, but they are to have a serious
mind. They understand the important
matters of life and theology and don’t trivialize them. Christians in general should seek to live
this kind of life (2:2), as should overseers (3:4), and now, deacons. They must be respectable, which Paul
contrasts through three negative terms.
1.
First, a man of dignity is not double-tongued.
This means, as the footnote in the NASB
says, not “given to double talk.” Other
translations have that he must not be “insincere” (LEB) or “not two-faced” (NET). This would include not being a gossip and more.
He must not be a man of duplicity. That would be the repair-shop owner who quotes
work and then upcharges. That would be the
executive who pads his reports to make his work look more successful. We cannot have a man undignified in dishonesty
or hypocrisy.
2.
Second, a man of dignity is not addicted to much
wine.
This is the same qualification given to
elders in v. 3. This isn’t a command for
abstinence; later, Paul instructs Timothy, who was drinking water only, to
drink “a little wine” for his stomach problems (1 Tim. 5:23). Instead, this is talking about drunkenness (which
we could apply to other addictions). This
disallows anything which might impair the judgment or damage the dignity of the
deacon, for a dignified man is necessary for the office, and he needs a sober
mind to ponder the issues before him.
3.
Third, a man of dignity is not fond of sordid
gain.
The KJV has here that he is “not greedy of
filthy lucre,” just as elders are not to be (v. 3). This is a consistent warning for God’s
servants. If an undignified deacon is
involved with counting money in the back, handling money for trips, or helping
out a member in need, he obviously has opportunity for sordid gain.
We must have dignified men for our
deacons. This goes beyond just having
good character, though. He must be
someone who knows the faith. That brings
us to the next point.
B.
Deacons must be men of faith (v. 9)
but holding to the mystery of the faith with
a clear conscience.
While the qualifications for deacons don’t
include a requirement to teach, that doesn’t mean that they can’t teach. Regardless of whether they do, deacons must
know the faith well. In other words, deacons
are to be men of doctrinal integrity. Consider the term “the mystery of faith.” Paul often uses this term to speak of the
gospel and related issues such as the unity of the church and Christ
Himself. If that’s the case, then they
are to know the Christian faith.
This verse, of course, goes beyond stating
that the deacon must know the faith.
He must hold it, “with a clear conscience” no less. This refers to the deacon’s life compared to
Scripture. We all should see things
about ourselves that ping our consciences, and so, this should be someone who
understands his sin and his need for the grace of Christ.
Because of their faithful application of Scripture,
deacons should be living as men beyond reproach (which is the next point):
C.
Deacons must be men beyond reproach (v. 10)
These
men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are
beyond reproach.
Paul warns not to lay hands too quickly on anyone
(5:22), which would include overseers or deacons. As Paul goes on to say a bit later, “The sins
of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their
sins follow after” (5:24). The process of examination is left somewhat
to our prudence, including the current testimony of his life, but it is
required.
The testing here includes an examination of character
and service. This isn’t just the most
popular nor the most business-savvy individual. This is someone who serves the church. If there is one characteristic we should look
for in someone who will occupy the office of deacon, it is a present heart for
ministry; he should already be deaconing among the congregation.
Only that person could be considered beyond
reproach. This doesn’t refer to someone
who never sins or errs, an impossible standard, but someone who lives up to the
biblical expectations of him. This
includes everything we’ve read so far: that they are men of dignity —
not double tongued, addicted to wine, or fond of sordid gain — and men of faith. Only then can we find ourselves men beyond
reproach.
D.
Deacons must be men of management (v. 12)
Deacons
must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and
their own households.
This isn’t a reference to white collar men,
of course. He will be responsible for
much, and he may even be in the homes of others to help them. He must have a good foundation and structure
within his own home. This is again a
very similar requirement for elders (cf. vv. 2, 4–5), and we must wonder how a
deacon who fails to manage his household well can administrate in the household
of God.
This management starts with their hearts,
showing that they are husbands of only one wife. This doesn’t forbid divorcees from the
office, per se. It may be that
issues of his past, including an unbiblical divorce, may factor into his
qualification or disqualification. This
is more of a reference to faithfulness within a biblical marriage. This cannot be someone who is currently
living a life of anything the Bible would define as immorality, including
adultery, pornography, and other forms of deviancy. Their hearts should be devoted to their
wives.
Their management should extend to how they
raise their children. This doesn’t mean
that they don’t make mistakes as fathers (an unavoidable reality). Yet, they should be involved, caring for both
the physical and spiritual wellbeing of their offspring. Their children should have an appropriate
understanding of the gospel and Scripture and should demonstrate age-appropriate
constraint. A minister of mercy within
the church must be one who has ministered within his own home.
When someone has such a homelife, it’s an
encouragement to the rest of us. We
might see the deacon or potential deacon as someone we can talk to about our
own finances. We see how they handle the
issues with their children and ask them their thoughts on our own. We witness the stable love in a couple that
we want to emulate in our own marriages.
And, you might think it strange, but that leads to our final point:
IV.
The Question of a Female Deacon (1 Timothy 3:11)
Women
must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in
all things.
We don’t have much time to spend on this,
but this is connected. Obviously, v. 11
is in the middle here. This translation says
“women,” but the Greek word (the plural form of gunē) can also translate
“wives,” depending on the context. The vast
majority of Bible translations render this “wives,” meaning that many of you
with a translation other than the NASB probably have the word “wives” in front
of you. If that is the right word, that
would go a long way to answering our question.
I once preached a whole sermon just on this
verse, examining the four views on who these women are. If we go through 1 Timothy verse-by-verse, I’ll
do so again. View one is that they are
themselves deacons, part of the deacon board here. View two is that they are deaconesses, a
subordinate category of workers in the church consisting of women. View three is that they are assistants to the
deacons. View four, supported by a
majority of your translations, is that they are the deacons’ wives. For the sake of time, though, I’ll simply conclude
that the fourth view is the correct one.
So, they are to be dignified wives,
the same as deacons in v. 8. Again, this
doesn’t mean that they don’t have a sense of humor, but they are to have a
serious mind. They understand the
important matters of life and theology and don’t trivialize them. They have a kind of respectability in their demeanor.
The second requirement is that they must not
be “malicious gossips” or “slanderous.” The
word is diabolos, often a term for Satan or the devil, the slanderer of
the brethren. In fact, one commentary
notes that these women must not be “she-devils,”[4]
and may God indeed save us from such people!
A wife of a deacon might have inside information on needs or problems in
the homes of some members and spread that information around to others, so
discretion (an extension of the dignified) is required.
Third, deacons’ wives must be
temperate. The KJV reads “sober,” a term
relating to use of alcohol, speaking of mental sobriety (cf. v. 2). We read Paul give a similar command to their
husbands in v. 8, that they cannot be “addicted to much wine.” If these women are respectable and not
gossipmongers, then they should also be ones who exercise self-control.
Finally, deacons’ wives are to be “faithful
in all things.” She should be faithful
in discharging her duties as a wife and as a woman of God, by His grace. She isn’t lazy or neglectful of important
matters. A couple of decades ago, we
might see piles of laundry, dishes, etc., in the home of a woman who spent her
hours keeping up with Days of Our Lives and gossiping with the neighbors in their
homes, and similarly today, much of the same happens through social media. An unfaithful wife distracts a deacon seeking
to serve the church.
To connect this with the next verse, then,
what we’re really seeing is that a deacon is to have a godly home. He encourages dignity in his wife, and he
reproves her if she is a malicious gossip.
He leads her, not to insobriety and drunkenness, but in clarity of
mind. He shepherds her and helps her so
that she can be faithful in all things.
He’s committed to his family, so we can know he’ll be committed to the
church.
V.
Conclusion
This has been a brief overview of deacons. I hope this doesn’t just help us wrap our
arms around this subject, but it gives us a desire to see godly deacons and
their wives raised up in this church. I
hope that you will pray for this.
I hope that this will also encourage you to
try to live up to these standards yourself.
You don’t know where you will be in five years, but you do know that God
calls you to a certain character and service to others today. I hope that you will seek the Lord to help
you to grow in these areas.
I also hope you will pray for our current leadership, both
pastors and deacons. Pray that
the Lord will protect them and continue to shape them into the image of His Son. And pray for the new couple that we are
bringing on today.
[1] W. Harold Mare, New
Testament Background Commentary: A New Dictionary of Words, Phrases and
Situations in Bible Order, (Ross-shire, UK: Mentor, 2004), 348.
[2] John F. MacArthur Jr., 1 Timothy, MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody
Press, 1995), 124–125.
[3] R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit, Preaching the
Word, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2000), 83–84.
[4] A. T. Robertson, Word
Pictures in the New Testament, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), 1 Ti
3:11.
