1 Timothy Chapter 3

vs 9

This is a far more practical role, and yet deacons are expected to hold to the truth of the gospel in a way that does not compromise their actions.

My question is, why do deacons have to hold on to the deep truths (lit. mysteries) of the faith, and yet this is not a requirement for a presbyteros? Let me tell you what I think, even though it's just what I think. The role of an overseer is peculiarly to oversee the spiritual health and welfare of the church. Therefore, there are some things about the role which "go without saying" - and keeping hold of the Christian truth is probably one of them. It's like when you advertise for a job position - if you advertise for an accountant, you assume you don't need to put "needs a good grasp of numbers".

However, one thing you will notice is that "ready access to the Scriptures" or "strong familiarity with the Scriptures" is not there. And we might say that this is also an assumed necessity. But of course not everyone could read! And I don't think that would necessarily have kept people from being an elder - at least in the beginning. After a generation or two, especially with the New Testament starting to make its rounds and the invention of the codex, people probably started appointing elders who could read as a matter of course.

vs 10

There is also a test for deacons (which is not listed here, nor anywhere else in the Bible I can think of). So there is a test for deacons, but not for elders?

One of the frustrating things about both these passages is that they assume we know what exactly the job of an elder and a deacon are. But because we don't, we are left to guess from verses in Acts and by looking at who was appointed and how.

vs 11

The word is either wives or women. It can mean either, depending on context. Of course, the context is difficult to ascertain here. We know some churches had deaconesses. But Paul goes on in the next verse to talk about deacons again, so he could be talking about their wives. That then gives us the same problem as above - why aren't elder's wives spoken about?

You might think that "in the same way" makes it refer to deacons and deaconesses, but it could also simply refer to the same actions. Again, no easy answer here. The repetition in the NIV is redundant (wives... women) and not reflected in the greek.

vs 12

Basically in the same way that an elder must.

vs 13

This is a noteable acclaim, because we are talking about people who serve the church in the manner of a servant - waiting tables, going and giving alms to the poor and looking after widows. I can certainly imagine this sort of work assuring you in your faith, which is a reward in itself - whereas it could be argued that elders were paid.

vs 14-15

Paul is hoping at this stage to return to Ephesus. But if he can't, he wants Timothy to start building the church up in its leadership, and to help people know how to conduct themselves. See, these rules for living do not pertain only to elders and deacons. Although there can only be so many people in those positions (especially elders if they are paid), everyone should aspire to them, so these rules of conduct are far broader than for the members of leadership.

Paul also makes the point that the ecclesia is the pillar and foundation of truth. It's an important statement, for how true can God's promises be if there exists no church for him to bless and keep? The proof of God's work in this world is in the church. People shouldn't need to wait for miracles and signs and wonders, if they have a church that they can see.

vs 16

I don't know where "beyond all question" comes from. The NASB renders it "By common confession" which is closer to the translation in my opinion. That is the great confession of the church of truth - of the one true and living God. This little song is one of the more complete understandings of the truth of the miraculous Christ event. It talks about his incarnation, his vindication, his spiritual authority (or possibly his death), his message being spread and believed in (as miraculous as any of the other things he did!), his ascension into glory. Often we think of the spreading of the church in the Colossian manner - what Christ did not achieve in his own sufferings is up to Paul and those like him. But this is not a true reading, not even of what Paul said - he is constantly aware that it is not him that makes the gospel of God spread, but Christ in him.