Deaconesses

Even though we see in plain English that the office of a deacon was only held by men, and the requirements specifically relate to male qualities, a false teaching states that females are qualified to be deacons in a church. This argument is usually propagated by seminarians or academics and is based on the "original languages" of the Bible.

Should the Greek word διάκονος (diakonos), here translated as servant, be translated as deaconess? Isn't that a more literal translation? Or maybe, since "the times have changed" (as if we lived through the '60s and thought Bob Dylan was good), women are now able candidates for the office of a deacon?

Clearly, the times have changed; but God's Word has not. That latter argument isn't worth dwelling on here since we believe in the Bible.

Although God's Word is preserved for us in English and we don't need the original languages to understand the Bible, in order to tackle this deceitful doctrine we will have to look at the Greek word and how it was translated in our English Bible.

Context is Key

God often uses the same word in different ways, as words have more than one definition. His eloquent use of the languages which He created is far above man's paltry attempts at communication. The key to understanding the definition of words is to view them in light of their context.

Breath, spirit, and wind are all the same Greek word πνεῦμα (pneuma); yet no Christian argues that the Holy Ghost is the result of air in motion. If we translated pneuma in English hyper-literally, we would say that after a child of God is born again, the Holy Wind indwells his wind.

The Greek word diakonos appears in the Bible 31 times (all listed at the end of this article). One instance is at the end of Romans (known as a colophon), but is omitted in many Bibles. It is translated as deacons in three places: Philippians 1:1, I Timothy 3:8, and I Timothy 3:12. All other times it is translated as servant/s or minister/s.

In Philippians and I Timothy, the word diakonos is used in reference to an office in the local church. There are two offices in the local church: bishop/elder/pastor and deacon. The requirements for these two offices are detailed in the Pastoral Epistles (I and II Timothy and Titus), where they are clearly identified as roles to be held only by men.

Translating this word in Romans 16:1 as deaconess would then create a contradiction in the Bible, as Phoebe does not meet the requirements to be a deacon. This problem occurs when men try to "correct" the Bible with a modern, limp-wristed worldview.

A Man's Responsibility

There are three verses that use the word deacons, but the most concise and clear is I Timothy 3:12.

Here we see two clear qualifications that show that deacons can only be males:

1. Only a man can be husband of a wife.
2. Only a man is charged with the duty of ruling their house.

A man who doesn't rule his house well is no man at all; and women, though they play a more taxing and perhaps rewarding role in the home, do not have the obligation to rule their families.

If the man's responsibility of family headship wasn't made clear enough by this early and plain doctrine of the Bible, the fact will become eminent after objective observation of dysfunctional households where the woman is said to "wear the pants." Also see Ephesians 5:22-24.

References

Below are the verses where the word diakonos is used, with the English word in bold. Reviewing all of these in context confirms that the King James is correct in its translation.

Matthew 20:26: But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Matthew 22:13: Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 23:11: But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Mark 9:35: And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Mark 10:43: But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

John 2:5: His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

John 2:9: When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

John 12:26: If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Romans 13:4: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Romans 15:8: Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

Romans 16:1: I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

Colophon of Romans: Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.

I Corinthians 3:5: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

II Corinthians 3:6: Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

II Corinthians 6:4: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

II Corinthians 11:15: Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

II Corinthians 11:23: Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

Galatians 2:17: But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

Ephesians 3:7: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Ephesians 6:21: But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

Philippians 1:1: Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Colossians 1:7: As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Colossians 1:23: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Colossians 1:25: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Colossians 4:7: All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

I Thessalonians 3:2: And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

I Timothy 3:8: Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

I Timothy 3:12: Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

I Timothy 4:6: If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.