One Wife In Timothy 3 and Titus 1
1 Timothy 3:2 "Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching"
1 Timothy 3:12 "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and households well." Titus 1:6 "if anyone is blameless, husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of loose behavior, or disobedient." I received a question concerning a qualification for two men who were being considered for the office of deacon. The email address was rejected when I tried to reply so here is the question and the answer I tried to send. > We are selecting deacons. We have one nominee that was married. > His wife died and he remarried. We have another that was scripturally > divorced (Matt. 19:9) 1 Tim. 3:12 says let the deacons be the husband > of one wife. My question is, are these men disqualified by this > qualifacation since they are remarried... thanks "Mia gune" is the Greek for the phrase that is translated "one wife" in most versions of the scripture. Mia, however is not the Greek word for the number one. The King James translates the word as "one", "a" or "first". Strong's says "one" or "first". For example mia sabbaton is usually translated "first day of the week" as in the first day in order. It is a phrase derived from the literal "first of Sabbaths". Mia is actually the Greek word for "first in order" when used in that context. In other verses it carries more of the idea of "a" such as in Matthew 17:4 where Peter is asking if they should build three tabernacles. Each of the "one"'s could be replaced by the word "a" without changing the meaning. So now to look at 1 Timothy 3:2, 12 and Titus 1:6. The death of a wife and divorcing a wife do not disqualify a man from being an elder or deacon. If that were true then we would have received more instruction as to such in the list of items that qualify or disqualify a man. I have for some time stated that the man simply must be married. That is true as a minimum to meet the requirement and this may be all that was intended. However I must suggest that the verse could very well require that an elder or deacon in fact still have their first wives. The verse may have been better translated: "be the husbands of a first wife" You will have to pray and study and decide if that is true or if it should just say: "be the husbands of a wife" Either way, "be the husbands of one wife" is wrong and misleading. I do not see that the death of the first wife could disqualify as it is not something that relates to the man's ability to rule like divorce or never having been married. My inclination is to lean toward "a wife" rather than "first wife". The main reason for this is because when looking at the sum of God's word that seems more correct. I think the answer is partly in these verses: 1 Timothy 3:4, 5 "ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) A man's marital history might be an indication to determine if he is truly qualified. If he has married and divorced several times that might indicate that he is unstable. That kind of man might not be one to "take care of the church of God". This is why prayer must be involved when choosing a man to fill a leadership role in the church. A little extra. Matthew 5:18 For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law until all is fulfilled. "One" jot comes from heis iota. Heis is the Greek for the numeral one. "One" tittle comes from mia keraia. Heis and mia are different Greek words and thus have different meanings. Tim Printable Version Feel free to send your helpful comments. Thank You Gospel Minutes |
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