QUALITIES OF DEACONS & ELDERS
QUALITIES OF DEACONS & ELDERS
New Testament passages that discuss or mention deacons or elders:
All these articles are written by people trying to understand what Paul was communicating to his readers. They unpack the specific Greek words and the different meanings the words are possibly communicating. They unpack cultural perspectives from the days when Paul wrote the original letters. They unpack the major ways these passages have been understood throughout church history.
They are by no means authoritative nor exhaustive on the subject but are presented to you as starting places to launch into your own study and conclusions. Please take the time to read through them, take notes, and do your own searching from other sources to help you understand the significance of what it means for elders and deacons to be above reproach and how women fit into that picture. And, ultimately, for each of us to recognize our own lives are also supposed to be lived above reproach so that we will make the teaching about God our savior attractive. (Titus 2:10)
Additional Reading
- 1 Timothy 3:1–13: Qualities of an elder/overseer & a deacon
- Titus 1:5-9: Qualities of an elder
- Acts 6:1–6: The Choosing of the Seven
- Acts 20:17-35: From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church….
- Eph. 4:11: So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
- 1 Tim. 5:17: The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
- Hebrews 13:17 : Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”
All these articles are written by people trying to understand what Paul was communicating to his readers. They unpack the specific Greek words and the different meanings the words are possibly communicating. They unpack cultural perspectives from the days when Paul wrote the original letters. They unpack the major ways these passages have been understood throughout church history.
They are by no means authoritative nor exhaustive on the subject but are presented to you as starting places to launch into your own study and conclusions. Please take the time to read through them, take notes, and do your own searching from other sources to help you understand the significance of what it means for elders and deacons to be above reproach and how women fit into that picture. And, ultimately, for each of us to recognize our own lives are also supposed to be lived above reproach so that we will make the teaching about God our savior attractive. (Titus 2:10)
- Apologetics Press: This is from a respected church of Christ publication. It is well written and covers the Timothy passage from multiple angles. The conclusion is well written and gives a clear picture of the content. It is worth the time to read.
- Bible.org: The thoughts on the absolutes of the qualifications are interesting to ponder.
- Crossway.org The comparison of widows and elders in marriage is worth spending time investigating.
- Article by Randy Alcorn: This breaks down the different views in an easy-to-read style. This one is worth spending some time with! He asked some great questions to consider.
- Deacons’ Wives or Deaconesses? 1 Timothy 3:11 Reconsidered This seems to be a good overview of the arguments surrounding V11. Here is the excellent closing statement: “In conclusion, I recognize that this is not a simple exegetical matter to think through. As stated above, there are sound arguments on both sides. This is not a matter in which we should be utterly dogmatic. Rather, when discussing or even debating this passage, charity is essential. My hope is that this article will be a helpful starting place for those who are new to the topic or additional exegetical fodder for those who are trying to work out what they believe.”
- What does 1 Timothy 3:11 mean? A short read
- Can women be deacons? This is a short overview of the whole text on deacons.
- Does the Bible Support Female Deacons? These two articles come from The Gospel Coalition, which says “We are a fellowship of evangelical churches in the Reformed tradition deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures.”
- Yes: This article says “The question as to whether women should serve as deacons is unclear in the Bible, and so it makes sense that sincere interpreters of Scripture differ on the matter. Thus, we must beware of dogmatism and an uncharitable spirit when adjudicating the evidence.” But it comes down on the side of having women serve in the office of “deacon”.
- No: This article says “Does Scripture permit women to hold the office of deacon? In addressing this important question, we must bear a couple of things in mind. First, Reformed pastors and theologians, fully committed to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, have disagreed about what the Bible teaches concerning women and the diaconate. This state of affairs calls for particular humility in discussing this question.” But in the end it comes down on the side of not having women serve in the office of “deacon”.
Additional Reading
- Unbelieving Child and Qualified Elder: A Case for “Faithful” Children in Titus 1:6
- You Asked: Does an Unbelieving Child Disqualify an Elder?
- Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible - Titus 1
This is the lesson given to the congregation on Sunday, November 10th, 2024. It has animations so you can click on each page to bring up the next bullet or the next page.
This is the lesson given to the congregation on Sunday, November 17th, 2024. It has animations so you can click on each page to bring up the next bullet, animation, or next page. In fact, you should do that because otherwise the static animations don't make much sense.
These are the "conclusion" slides from the 2nd presentation if you just want to cut to the chase. But you have to click on each page to go to the next one - and there are four of them.