Survey of the Letters of Paul:  1 Timothy 3:8

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

The Barclay Commentary breaks the commentary out in two portions, namely verses 1-7 which we completed last time and verses 8 through 16.  In these last nine verses, it divides the scripture in three parts: verses 8-10 with verses 12 and 13, verse 11 about deacon's wives and verses 14-16.

I will read a bit of this commentary in our study of verses 8-13.

IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE

In the same way, the deacons must be men of dignity. They must not be the kind of men who say one thing to one person and another to another. They must not be given to overindulgence in wine or prepared to stoop to disgraceful ways of making money; they must hold the secret of the faith which has been revealed to them with a clear conscience. The deacons too must first of all be put upon probation, and, if they emerge blameless from the test, let them become deacons . . . Deacons must be married only once; they must manage their own children and their own homes well. For those who make a fine job of the office of deacon win for themselves a fine degree of honour, and they gain much boldness in their faith in Christ Jesus.

In the early Church, the function of the deacons lay much more in the sphere of practical service. The Christian Church inherited a magnificent organization of charitable help from the Jews. No nation has ever had such a sense of responsibility for the poorer brother and sister as the Jews had. The synagogue had a regular organization for helping such people. The Jews rather discouraged the giving of individual help to individual people. They preferred that help should be given through the community and especially through the synagogue. ~Barclay Commentary

Now to the commentaries...

Likewise must the deacons - On the meaning of the word “deacons,” see the notes on Philippians 1:1. On their appointment, see the notes, Acts 6:1. The word here evidently denotes those who had charge of the temporal affairs of the church, the poor, etc. No qualifications are mentioned, implying that they were to be preachers of the gospel. In most respects, except in regard to preaching, their qualifications were to be the same as those of the “bishops.” ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verses:
Philippians 1:1 ...where the commentary speaks to meaning of deacons
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Here is the commentary on Philippians 1:1
 

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

(1) The Paul's point in writing this epistle, is to strengthen and encourage the Philippians by all means possible, not to faint, but more than that, to go forward. And first of all he commends their former deeds, to exhort them to go forward: which thing he says he fully hopes they will do, and that by the testimony of their abundant charity. But in the meantime he refers all things to the grace of God.

(a) By the bishops are meant both the pastors who have the dispensation of the word, and the elders that govern: and by deacons are meant those that were stewards of the treasury of the Church, and had to look after the poor.  ~Geneva Translation Notes

The other verse mentioned in the commentary was:

Acts 6:1 ...speaking to the appointment of deacons
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Be grave - Serious, sober-minded men. In Acts 6:3, it is said that they should be men “of honest report.” On the meaning of the word “grave,” see the notes on 1 Timothy 3:4. They should be men who by their serious deportment will inspire respect. ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verses:
Acts 6:3 ...where it speaks of being of honest report
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

1 Timothy 3:4 ...see our lesson on this verse
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

Not double-tongued - The word here used dilogos - does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means, properly, uttering the same thing twice (from dis and legō), and then deceitful, or speaking one thing and meaning another. They should be men who can be relied on for the exact truth of what they say, and for the exact fulfillment of their promises. ~Barnes Notes

Not given to much wine - see 1 Timothy 3:3. The word “much” is added here to what is said 1Timothy 3:2 of the qualification of a bishop. It is not affirmed that it would be proper for the deacon, anymore than the bishop, to indulge in the use of wine in small quantities, but it “is” affirmed that a man who is much given to the use of wine ought not, on any consideration, to be a deacon. It may be remarked here, that this qualification was everywhere regarded as necessary for a minister of religion. Even the pagan priests, on entering a temple, did not drink wine. “Bloomfield.” The use of wine, and of strong drinks of all kinds, was absolutely prohibited to the Jewish ministers of every rank when they were about to engage in the service of God; Leviticus 10:9. Why should it then be anymore proper for a Christian minister to drink wine than for a Jewish or a pagan priest? Shall a minister of the gospel be less holy than they? Shall he have a feebler sense of the purity of his vocation? Shall he be less careful lest he expose himself to the possibility of conducting the services of religion in an irreverent and silly manner? Shall he venture to approach the altar of God under the influence of intoxicating drinks, when a sense of propriety restrained the pagan priest, and a solemn statue of Yahweh restrained the Jewish priest from doing it? ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 3:3 ...see our lesson on this verse
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

1 Timothy 3:2 ...see our lesson on this verse
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Leviticus 10:9 ...speaking to use of wine and strong drink near service duty time
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

Not greedy of filthy lucre - notes, 1 Timothy 3:3. The special reason why this qualification was important in the deacon was, that he would be entrusted with the funds of the church, and might be tempted to appropriate them to his own use instead of the charitable purposes for which they were designed; see this illustrated in the case of Judas, John 12:6. ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 3:3 ...see our lesson on this verse
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

John 12:6 ...speaking to the case of Judas
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

Now let us look at the Adam Clarke commentary

Likewise must the deacons - The term deacon, simply signifies a regular or stated servant: from, through or emphatic, and to minister or serve. See it explained in the note on Matthew 20:26. As nearly the same qualifications were required in the deacons as in the bishops, the reader may consult what is said on the preceding verses. ~Adam Clarke

Grave - Of a sedate and dignified carriage and conduct. ~Adam Clarke

Not double-tongued - Speaking one thing to one person, and another thing to another, on the same subject. This is hypocrisy and deceit. This word might also be translated liars. ~Adam Clarke

Not given to much wine - Neither a drunkard, tippler, nor what is called a jovial companion. All this would be inconsistent with gravity. ~Adam Clarke

Not greedy of filthy lucre - The commentary says to see 1 Timothy 3:3, so see our lesson on this verse. ~Adam Clarke

Now the John Gill...

Likewise must the deacons be grave - The apostle proceeds to give the qualifications, and so the rules for choosing another sort of officers in the church, deacons; whose work and business is, not to preach the Gospel, and administer ordinances; but to take care of the secular affairs of the church, and particularly to serve tables; to provide the bread and wine for the Lord's table, to attend at it, and distribute the elements from the minister to the people, to collect for it, defray the charges of it, and divide what remains among the poor; and they are to take care of the minister's table, that he is provided for in a comfortable way, and to stir up the members to their duty in this respect; and to take care of the poor's table, and distribute what the church collects for them, with simplicity and cheerfulness; and are to be helps to the pastor, in observing the walk of members, in composing differences between them, in visiting the sick and poor, and in preparing matters for church meetings. Their characters are, that they be "grave"; in their speech, gesture, and dress; honest, and of good report among men; and chaste in their words and actions; all which may be signified by the word here used; and the latter may be rather hinted at, because of Nicholas, one of the first deacons, who was charged with uncleanness: ~John Gill

not doubletongued - whose hearts and tongues do not agree together; and who, being a sort of middle persons between the pastor and the members of the church, say one thing to one, and another to the other; which to do is of bad consequence: or who speak well to the poor when they apply to them, and promise them to do them all the service they can, and when it comes to the upshot speak against them: ~John Gill

not given to much wine - which impairs the health, stupefies the mind, and so renders unfit for any such office, as well as wastes the temporal estate; and may lead them to embezzle and consume the church's stock: ~~John Gill

not greedy of filthy lucre - for such would withhold from the poor that which is meet for them, and make use of money in their hands, to their own advantage. ~John Gill

Let us finish with the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge. Some of these verses already discussed.

For "Like wise must the deacons"
Acts 6:3-6
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

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:

For "be grave"
1 Timothy 3:4
One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

For "not doubletongued"
Psalm 5:9 ...speaking of workers of iniquity
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Psalm 12:2
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Psalm 50:19
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

Psalm 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

Romans 3:13
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

James 3:10
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

For "not given to much wine"
1 Timothy 3:3
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

Leviticus 10:9
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever

Ezekiel 44:21
Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.

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