Deacons: Their Qualifications and Reward (1 Timothy 3:6–13)

1 Tim. 3:6. Not a recent convert, lest he become puffed up “and fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

A recent convert, however fervent in spirit, is nonetheless a novice in the matter of faith and the life of faith. Therefore he naturally stands in many respects below others who are equally burning in spirit but have long since entered upon the path of following the Lord, who both know more and have experienced far more. Though later he may surpass all, at present he is behind many—and it is not fitting for him to become the guide and teacher of all, including such persons. But the Apostle does not present this unfitness as the reason why the recent convert should not be appointed bishop; rather he presents the moral danger to the convert himself—that he will become puffed up with pride and thereby fall under the same condemnation as the devil, who was cast down from heaven for pride. For a newcomer in the society of the faithful, “one who has not been previously instructed in divine things and, enrolled in the list of disciples, has not yet been exercised in virtue—upon receiving the presidency, it is no wonder that the passion of haughtiness should find a place in him” (blessed Theodoret). But what condemnation does the Apostle threaten him with? Into what condemnation, sentence and punishment by judgment, will he fall, and where? The Apostle does not indicate this; therefore one may think that he wished only to say that such a one will be worthy of a judgment similar to the judgment of the devil—that he will stand in that rank, both before the face of God and in the opinion of the faithful—without defining how such a judgment and its sentence will be declared. The Apostle limits the evil consequence of pride to the moral state of the proud person himself—that he will fall from the height of the radiant state in which the grace of the Holy Spirit had placed him through the holy sacraments performed on him. For pride strips away this grace, closes its entrances within, and places the person puffed up with pride again in that evil spiritual state in which he was before faith, or even lower; and then he falls again into the hands of the devil, from whose power the grace of God through faith had delivered him. Some understand this last consequence of pride as the “condemnation of the devil.”

“Not a recent convert,” μη νεοφυτον,—not a newly planted one, not a newly grafted one. The expression is taken from the parabolic speech of the Saviour, where He calls Himself the olive tree and all the faithful branches, shoots, and grafts of this tree. Those who are baptized are grafted onto the Lord—through baptism they are clothed in Him, filled with His life, as grafts with the sap of the tree to which they are grafted. Therefore the newly planted one is the same as the recently baptized. But this word does not refer to one who is young in age. St. Timothy himself was young—and “the divine Paul himself, in his youth, was deemed worthy of the calling” (blessed Theodoret). But this did not prevent St. Paul from being the chief Apostle or St. Timothy from being the secondary Apostle. St. Chrysostom says: “The Apostle adds: ‘not a recent convert,’—meaning here not one who is young in age, but one newly catechized, just as he says in another place: ‘I planted’ (1 Cor. 3:6). He said this wishing to indicate the latter (the newly planted). For what prevented him from saying: not one who is young? Moreover, he himself appointed Timothy as bishop, despite the fact that he was young, as he testifies, saying to him: ‘Let no one despise your youth’ (1 Tim. 4:12),—(showing that youth does not prevent this when one is worthy). The Apostle knew that St. Timothy possessed many virtues, that he had attained great perfection in life, that he was very learned: ‘from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,’ (2 Tim. 3:15) the Apostle says to him in his letter. And that he observed the strictest fast is clear from the following words of the Apostle: ‘use a little wine… for the sake of… your frequent ailments’ (1 Tim. 5:23). If the Apostle had not known of his such high virtues, he would neither have written thus nor entrusted so lofty a ministry to his disciple. (Thus, ‘not a recent convert’ does not mean: not one who is young in age.) But since at that time many (distinguished) pagans were being converted and baptized, the Apostle says: do not elevate one recently baptized, that is, recently catechized, at once to the height of authority. For if, before he has been instructed in all things or has become a perfect disciple, he is suddenly appointed as teacher, he will fall into arrogance; if, without having learned to obey, he takes the place of authority, he will become haughty. Therefore he added: ‘lest’ he become puffed up ‘and fall into the condemnation of the devil,’—that is, lest he fall under the same condemnation as the devil incurred through his pride.”

Blessed Theodoret writes: “By ‘condemnation’ the Apostle here meant punishment,” similar to that which the devil suffered. So too all the other commentators. But Ambrosiaster sees something different here. He writes: “It truly happens that one untested in the faith becomes puffed up with pride, especially if he receives ordination. For, having formed a high opinion of himself on account of the newness of the rank and authority, he begins to think that he also stands above others in his perfections. Moreover, seeing that in the first year of his birth into the new life he has been honored with such honor, he falls into the thought that he has been called not for his own advancement but for others’ sake—as if he were conferring more benefits on the faith than he received from it. But having become puffed up as a result of such thoughts, he is caught in the snares of the devil. For Satan, taking advantage of the occasion of his pride, casts him into the abyss. In this sense Solomon says: ‘God resists the proud’ (Prov. 3:34). And the same Apostle in another letter says: ‘For if… anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself’ (Gal. 6:3). And the Lord said: ‘everyone who exalts himself will be humbled’ (Lk. 14:11).”

Ee) Respect also among the unbelieving (1 Tim. 3:7)

1 Tim. 3:7. Moreover, he must have a good testimony from those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the enemy.

“He did not say: he must have a testimony, but ‘also have a testimony,’—that is, among other things also this, and not only this alone” (St. Chrysostom). Having said that the bishop must be above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2), and having described the various aspects of such blamelessness among the faithful, he now adds to all of that also a “good testimony from those outside”—that is, from those who do not belong to the Church of the faithful, Jews and Greeks. To have a testimony does not mean that it is necessary to obtain a formal testimonial from outsiders and present it to one’s own; but that the one chosen for the episcopate should enjoy a good reputation also among the unbelieving. In what respect? Certainly not in regard to external position, but in respect to universally known good morals and the virtues of daily life. St. Chrysostom, applying to this the words of the Saviour: “‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who” is “in heaven’” (Matt. 5:16), says: “Let his deeds be brilliant. For just as no one calls the sun dark, even the completely blind, because he is ashamed to go against the common view—so no one will find fault with one who is completely righteous. True, the pagans often slandered them (bishops or Christians in general) on account of their beliefs, but did not censure their righteous life; on the contrary, along with others they marveled and were filled with amazement (when they beheld it). And the Apostles were slandered; but how? As deceivers and impostors—that is, on account of their preaching—and this they did because they could find nothing to reproach in their life. For why did no one say of them that they were adulterers, impious, covetous—but rather deceivers, which referred only to the preaching? Was it not because they led a blameless life? Of course it was. Therefore we too (bishops) must live thus; and then no one will speak ill of us either, even if he be our enemy or an unbeliever. For one who leads a righteous life becomes worthy of respect even among the unbelieving: the truth stops even enemies’ mouths.” St. Chrysostom, as is evident, has in view here the good testimony of outsiders primarily concerning the moral life of the one chosen; while Ambrosiaster has in view primarily his good everyday qualities: “Following the word of the Lord, the Apostle says that the one who is to be bishop must have a good testimony also from outsiders; because one who is faithful in the lesser will be faithful also in the greater. One who in the lesser—that is, in worldly matters and everyday relations—proves unfaithful, will doubtless be unfaithful also in relation to divine things. On the contrary, one who shows faithfulness to men will all the more show it to God.”

Whether the good testimony of outsiders is based on the former conduct of the one chosen, when he himself was an outsider, or on his new conduct, after he became an insider—the Apostle does not indicate. Therefore there is no point in speculating about this. Let there be a good testimony from outsiders, and when and how it was formed is of no consequence. At that time among those being converted there were many who had previously lived disreputably; but having become Christians, they began to live blamelessly and consequently acquired a good opinion of themselves also among those who had previously found fault with their lives. Such persons were even more to be chosen: for thereby the beneficial effect of the Christian faith could most clearly be presented to the view of all.

“Lest he fall into reproach and into the snare of the enemy.” This would be the case if one without a good testimony from outsiders were chosen, and all the more one with a bad testimony. But what business is it of insiders what outsiders say, when by conscience they recognize the one chosen as worthy? Outsiders may not know him well or may maliciously slander him. As if one should sacrifice truth to their untruth! It is not because of their testimony that one must take it into account, in order to sacrifice truth to their untruth; but, keeping truth as truth for oneself and in itself—that is, not changing one’s good opinion of one who has no good testimony from outsiders—it is better not to choose him, so as to avoid the bad consequences that may follow. St. Chrysostom says: “But what if he is slandered and incidentally falls under an unjust accusation? This too can happen. — But in such a case he should not be chosen from among others; for this gives rise to great apprehensions.”

There are two dangers: “lest he fall into reproach and into the snare of the enemy.”

“Lest he fall into reproach.” But he is already in reproach, if he has no good testimony. What further reproach is there to fear? Perhaps the Apostle by “lest he fall into reproach” means: lest he be crushed under its weight, as in: “lead us not into temptation” (Lk. 11:4)—meaning: do not let us fall under its weight. While remaining a private person, he heard unfavorable reports about himself and easily bore them, letting them pass by without heed. But when they appoint him as head of the community of the faithful, it will not be easy for him to remain indifferent to that. He will begin to be weighed down now by shame—before himself, before his own, before strangers, so that he is reluctant even to appear among people—now by vexation, anger, and malice. These unpleasant movements of the heart are themselves already a “snare of the enemy”—in Greek: του διαβολου — of the devil. But they may serve as an occasion for the enemy to weave an even more dangerous snare. Weighed down and weakened, he may, under the action of the unwearying enemy, abandon both the episcopate and Christianity itself and “return to his former lawless life” (blessed Theodoret). — Since such a danger is very possible—a great danger, while it is very easy to avoid—it is more prudent to act in such a way as not to expose anyone to it.

Or “lest he fall into reproach”: lest he fall into even greater reproach, which from him may pass to the whole community of the faithful and thereby cut off the successful action of the Gospel (blessed Theophylact). Which can likewise be called the snare of the enemy: for snares are laid either for casting into sin and ruin, or for hindering the expansion of the sphere of good. A stumbling-block for the unbelieving from the reproach of the bishop of the faithful is also a snare of the devil.

B) The qualities of those worthy of the diaconate (1 Tim. 3:8–13)

Deacons were introduced by the Apostles from the very beginning of the founding of the Church. Initially they were assigned to meet the material needs of the faithful; but matters did not stop there, for soon we see St. Stephen preaching the word of the Gospel. If the preaching of the word was permitted or entrusted to them, then all the more could ministry at the celebration of the divine mysteries not be foreign to them. From this one may conclude that deacons were chosen to be assistants to presbyters and bishops in their ministry to the Church in all its parts—and as such, like them, received a special grace through ordination. Judging by this, one cannot but see how necessary it was that worthy persons also be chosen for this ministry; all the more so since, having entered upon this degree, they were entering upon the path of advancement to higher degrees of ministry to the Church, as is indicated here as well. As a result of this last circumstance, the qualities required of those chosen for this ministry are similar to the qualities required of those chosen for the episcopate or presbyterate. The particular features are visible only in a few traits—namely that they must first be tested and hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience, being animated for good ministry by the expectation of receiving a higher ministry. Of bishops this is not said, because in the first they already appear tested at the time of election, and the latter they receive. — Part of the ministry in the Church could more conveniently be performed by women—as for example at the baptism of women and in caring for sick women among them; for the performance of such ministry deaconesses were appointed. The Apostle did not forget to say a word about them—brief, in a single verse, but encompassing much.

1 Tim. 3:8. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

Blessed Theodoret, as we have seen, holds that above the word “bishops” denotes presbyters. But St. Chrysostom affirms that by this word bishops are meant, while the Apostle passed over the presbyters, leaving one to judge of them by the bishops. “Having spoken of bishops, and having drawn their image, and having shown what they must have and what they must avoid, the Apostle skips the order of presbyters and passes to the deacons. Why so? Because the distance between presbyters and bishops is not great. The former also received the gift of teaching and are likewise presiders of the Church; therefore the very same things he said about bishops are applicable also to presbyters. For the former differ from the latter in only one thing—that they perform ordination—and in this one thing consists their advantage over presbyters.” Oecumenius and Theophylact hold the same view. — The thought comes to mind: was it not so that the Apostles ordained only bishops, who alone performed all things in the Church, and that bishops chose and consecrated presbyters to assist themselves only in such a case when they themselves alone could not manage everything?

“Deacons likewise.” “That is, they too must have the same things as bishops. What is this same thing? That is, to be above reproach, self-controlled, hospitable, gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous” (St. Chrysostom). “Let them too be governed by the same rules” (blessed Theodoret).

“Dignified,” σεμνους,—respectable. “They must, he says, in addition to what has been said, also have respectability” (blessed Theophylact). Σεμνος — from: σέβω — I honor, I revere, in a religious sense—denotes both one who is worthy of a certain sacred and reverent veneration, and one who is himself reverent, filled with the fear of God—God-fearing. What is meant is not respectability in the worldly sense, but moral dignity and religious reverence.

“Not double-tongued,” μη διλογους,—not saying two things—“not saying one thing to one person and another thing to another, but adorning the tongue with truth” (blessed Theodoret); or “not holding one thing in mind while saying another” (blessed Theophylact). Since speeches of this kind betray, besides insincerity, also a certain craftiness, St. Chrysostom says: “not double-tongued”—“that is, not crafty, not cunning. For nothing makes a man so dishonorable as craftiness; and nothing brings such harm to the Church as cunning.”

“Not addicted to much wine.” One who is addicted to much wine loves to drink. But “those to whom the ministry in the Church is entrusted must above all free themselves from this passion” (blessed Theodoret). “He did not say: not drunkards (those who get drunk), because that would be already extremely coarse and base, but: not heavy drinkers. For even if one does not get drunk but drinks a great deal, the disposition of his soul becomes good for nothing. The ancients, upon entering ministry in the sanctuary, gave up the use of wine altogether” (blessed Theophylact, Oecumenius).

“Not greedy for dishonest gain.” “A lover of dishonest gain is not one who, as was supposed, does not abstain from receiving any sort of profit, but one who is eager to collect profit from shameful and utterly improper things” (blessed Theodoret)—or “one who does not refuse any profit, wherever it may come from. Take the lover of dishonest gain here as a stingy lover of money and covetous person” (blessed Theophylact). “Dishonest gains are also properly called those that are carefully acquired under the guise of godliness” (Ambrosiaster). The latter was all the more to be feared in deacons, since their business was to provide for the needs of the faithful from the Church’s property.

1 Tim. 3:9. Holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

The “mystery of the faith” is that of which the Apostle speaks below: “confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh… was taken up in glory” (1 Tim. 3:16). God descended to earth in the incarnation and arranged for us a wondrous manner of salvation. This is a mystery, because it is incomprehensible to us both in its revelation and in the very arrangement of salvation in act—incomprehensible both in how this was accomplished by the incarnate God, and in how it is effectively appropriated to us and saves us. This mystery is received by faith: that it is undoubtedly so, since God Himself both accomplished all of this and interpreted it for us, and that the one who receives and does all as has been determined in this manner of salvation, undoubtedly receives salvation.

To hold such a “mystery of the faith with a pure conscience” means to believe in this wholeheartedly, with all one’s conscience, without wavering or being divided in thought, nurturing a deep conviction in all things and not admitting any thoughts contrary to it. Or thus: the conscience is pure when someone strives with all his might to do everything required by the commandments, or fulfills every known will of God. Such a conscience sanctifies and brings peace to the whole soul—and makes it a vessel fit for the reception and preservation of the divine and heavenly mystery of the faith. The Apostle urges that the one chosen for the diaconate hold the mystery of the faith in such a pure conscience—that is, both believe and live purely and blamelessly, both in outward conduct and in inner feelings and dispositions. St. Chrysostom says: “By this the Apostle shows what it means to be above reproach.” Blessed Theodoret adds: “to confirm the faith by works. For by a pure conscience the Apostle meant good works. The one who does them is not wounded by conscience.” Blessed Theophylact explains: “holding together with the keeping of right doctrine also a blameless life. For conscience becomes pure with a blameless life.”

1 Tim. 3:10. And let these also first be tested, and then let them serve, if they are found above reproach.

“And these therefore,”—being such or having been recognized as such—that is, “holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience”—and the other good qualities shown above—“let them be tested,” let them be submitted to a test in which they would show that all the good qualities visible in them lie deep in the heart, constituting the features of their established character, and are not something apparent and accidental. Perhaps this testing concerned them especially from the side of their capacity for the performance of the duties of the diaconate—whether they are prudent, competent, attentive: for many persons, while possessing good qualities of heart, are very unskilled in managing outward affairs. This requirement of testing is equivalent to what he will say below: “Do not be hasty in laying hands on anyone” (1 Tim. 5:22), and to what he already said about bishops—that he must not be a “recent convert.” So St. Chrysostom: “See—he also says here: ‘not a recent convert.’ For the expression: ‘let these also be tested first’ means the same thing as what he said about bishops.” Theophylact writes the same: “As, he says, I required of the bishop that he not be a recent convert, so I require also that these not be admitted to ministry without being tested, but only after having been sufficiently tried under testing and found blameless—just as (in ordinary life too) no one would entrust a newly purchased slave with any supervisory position before he has shown himself fit for it over the course of time.”

“And then let them serve,” διακονειτωσαν,—let them be admitted to service, or rather, let them be ordained as deacons—be made deacons. So blessed Theodoret: “It is necessary that their life first be tested, and that only then they be deemed worthy of the spiritual grace.” “Being above reproach”—not “if they are above reproach,” but being in this way, or appearing after this to be blameless in all respects, having nothing in themselves that the conscience of anyone in the whole community of Christians would not approve.

1 Tim. 3:11. Women likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, [not tattlers,] sober-minded, faithful in all things.

By “women” here are meant neither women in general—for why would speech about them be inserted in the middle of the discussion of those who serve in the Church? — nor the wives of deacons, for then it would say: their wives. But since the discourse concerns persons serving the Church, by “women” here must be understood similar persons of the female sex. Such were deaconesses; it is about them that the word is spoken. So St. Chrysostom: “Women”—“that is, deaconesses. Some suppose that this is simply said about women in general; but this is not right. For what could the Apostle have had in view in inserting a few words about women in the middle of his discourse? But he is speaking here about women who are invested with the calling of deaconess. About them it was appropriate to say what has been said. For this calling is very necessary, useful, and worthy of respect in the Church” (St. Chrysostom).

“Likewise.” “What he established as a rule for the men, nearly the same thing he establishes also for the women. As he called deacons ‘{dignified},’ so he also calls deaconesses dignified; as he prescribed to the former to be ‘not double-tongued,’ so he also makes it the duty of the latter to be not slanderous; as he ordained for the former to be ‘not addicted to much wine,’ so he commanded the latter also to be ‘sober-minded’” (blessed Theodoret).

“Dignified”—here too, as above “{dignified},” σεμνας,—worthy of respect and reverent.

“Not slanderers,” μη διαβολους,—not tattlers, not spreading false rumors about others, “those who, as is customary with old women, go from house to house and whisper to one about another” (blessed Theophylact).

“Sober-minded,” νηφαλιυς,—attentive to themselves and watchful. “Since this sex is light and easily deceived, they must not, he says, slumber, but be vigorously vigilant” (blessed Theophylact). This applies both to themselves and to the works entrusted to them.

“Faithful in all things”—“that is, steadfast both in word and in deeds” (blessed Theophylact), such persons as can be relied upon in everything, who will faithfully and precisely carry out everything entrusted to them and as it has been entrusted, who will not betray anything confided to them and will never in any way break their given word.

1 Tim. 3:12. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

“Husbands of one wife.” “Do you see that the Apostle requires of deacons the very same virtue (as of bishops)? Though they are not equal to the bishop in rank, they must be equally above reproach, equally pure” (St. Chrysostom). “This must be understood according to the earlier interpretation” (blessed Theodoret).

“Managing their children and their own households well.” “This he established as a rule also for those he calls bishops” (blessed Theodoret). “Everywhere he speaks of the management of children, so that the rest might have no occasion for stumbling” (St. Chrysostom).

1 Tim. 3:13. For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle encourages the deacon toward good service in the diaconate, promising good fruits from this—both external and internal, both in the Church and in the heart’s relation of faith toward the Lord Jesus. It is as though one word has been passed over before this. He said that one worthy of the diaconate must be such and such, and that whoever proves to be such, having been tested, should be appointed as deacon. One would have expected either: and urge him also to serve well in the diaconate—or: you, deacon, serve well. But this is left to be understood of itself, and only this is said: for those who have served well in the diaconate will not have labored without fruit. Such encouragement was considered necessary for deacons because their ministry is full of trouble and toil, both in soul and body.

“Those who have served well,” διακονησαντες,—those who have performed the diaconal duty well, “gain for themselves a good standing”—in the church ministry, that is, it goes without saying—after the diaconate they will be found worthy of the presbyterate, and then of the episcopate. St. Chrysostom says: “He is as if saying: those who have shown themselves vigilantly zealous in the lower ranks will soon attain the others (higher ones) as well.” At the beginning he said that whoever desires the episcopate desires a good work. Now he indicates the road that leads there—namely, good service to the Church in the diaconate. And experience showed that those who served well in the diaconate were afterwards distinguished also in the ranks of the presbyterate and episcopate (blessed Theophylact).

This is the fruit of good diaconal service in terms of one’s position in the Church. By way of inner advancement, from this will come “great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus”—that is, great boldness before the Lord, by virtue of faith in Him—they will attain “great perfection (in spirit) and boldness in faith in Jesus Christ” (St. Chrysostom). “And who can attain such boldness except the one who both believes and lives righteously?” (Oecumenius). The righteous life of the deacon is good diaconal service. The Church is the house of the Lord Jesus. Serving the Church, they serve the Lord Himself. But just as in ordinary life one who faithfully and zealously serves the master of the house both has access to him and is not afraid to say the appropriate word before him—so those who serve faithfully in the Church are authorized by their very conscience to look boldly toward the Lord and to utter before Him the desires of their heart—for themselves and for the faithful. One who has attained this by zealous labor in the diaconate is already worthy to stand in the rank of presbyter and bishop, so as to offer to the Lord with boldness the intercessory prayers for the company of the faithful.