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1Ti_3:8. From this to 1Ti_3:13 we have instructions regarding the deacons.
διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνοὺς κ . τ . λ .] The deacons, as at first instituted in the church at Jerusalem, were originally almoners of the poor (Act_6:1-6). They are mentioned again only in Php_1:1. In Rom_16:1, Paul calls Phoebe a διακόνος of the church at Cenchrea. There are some other passages which allude to the diaconate
Rom_12:7; 1Co_12:28 ( ἀντιλήψεις ); 1Pe_4:11. It is known that this office in the church was afterwards not confined to its original object, but there is nothing to indicate how far it was developed in the apostolic age. Many of the duties assigned to the deacons in later times, can only be arbitrarily connected with the office in the apostolic age. Only it is to be observed that both here and in Php_1:1, the deacons are named after the bishops.
ὡσαύτως ] marks here, as in 1Ti_2:9, the transition to ordinances in regard to another class of persons, indicating at the same time their similarity to those preceding.
σεμνούς ] The accusative is dependent on δεῖ εἶναι , which is to be supplied; regarding the idea contained in the word, see 1Ti_2:2.
μὴ διλόγους ] the word δίλογος only here. In Pro_11:13, LXX.; in Sir_5:9; Sir_5:14; Sir_6:1; Sir_28:13, we have the similar word: δίγλωσσος [126] (comp. also ΔΊΨΥΧΟς in Jam_4:8); Theophylact: ἌΛΛΑ ΦΡΟΝΟῦΝΤΕς ΚΑῚ ἌΛΛΑ ΛΈΓΟΝΤΕς , ΚΑῚ ἌΛΛΑ ΤΟΎΤΟΙς ΚΑῚ ἌΛΛΑ ἘΚΕΊΝΟΙς .
ΜῊ ΟἼΝῼ ΠΟΛΛῷ ΠΡΟΣΈΧΟΝΤΑς ] ΠΡΟΣΈΧΕΙΝ here, as in 1Ti_4:13 and Heb_7:13 : “be addicted to;” Tit_2:3 : μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ δεδουλωμένας .
μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς ] only here and in Tit_1:7; comp. 1Pe_5:2 : ἘΠΙΣΚΟΠΟῦΝΤΕς … ΜΗΔῈ ΑἸΣΧΡΟΚΕΡΔῶς , ἈΛΛᾺ ΠΡΟΘΎΜΩς ; and Tit_2:11, where it is said of the heretics that they by unseemly doctrine destroy houses ΑἸΣΧΡΟῦ ΚΈΡΔΟΥς ΧΆΡΙΝ . These passages show that we are not to think here of gain from “dishonourable dealing” (Luther, Theodoret: ἘΚ ΠΡΑΓΜΆΤΩΝ ΑἸΣΧΡῶΝ ΚΑῚ ΛΊΑΝ ἈΤΌΠΩΝ ), but rather of using the spiritual office for a material advantage (comp. 1Ti_6:5).
[126] Theogn. v. 91: ὃς μιῇ γλώσσῃ δίχʼ ἔχει .