Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Timothy 3:11

"Women in like manner [must be] grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things." — 1 Timothy 3:11 (ASV)

Even so must their wives be grave. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Grotius, Bloomfield, and many others, suppose that by the word wives, here, gunaikav, the apostle means deaconesses. Clarke, however, supposes that it refers to women in general.

The reason assigned for supposing that it does not refer to the wives of deacons as such is that nothing is said of the qualifications of the wives of bishops—a matter of as much importance as the character of a deacon's wife. Furthermore, it is argued that the apostle would not specify the one without some allusion to the other.

But it seems clear to me that the common interpretation, which makes it refer to the wives of deacons as such, is to be adhered to. For:

1. It is the obvious and natural interpretation.
2. The word here used—wives—is never used of itself to denote deaconesses.
3. If the apostle had meant deaconesses, it would have been easy to express it without ambiguity .
4. What is here mentioned is important, whether the same thing is mentioned of bishops or not.
5. In the qualifications of bishops, the apostle had made a statement respecting his family, which made any specification about the particular members of the family unnecessary. He was to be one who presided in a proper manner over his own house, or who had a well-regulated family (1 Timothy 3:4–5). By comparing this passage also with Titus 2:3-4, which bears a strong resemblance, it would seem it was supposed that deacons would be taken from those advanced in life, and that their wives would then have some superintendence over the younger females of the church. It was, therefore, especially important that they should be persons whose influence would be known to be decidedly favorable to piety. No one can doubt that the character of a woman may be such that it is not desirable that her husband should be an officer in the church. A bad woman ought not to be entrusted with any additional power or influence.

Grave (1 Timothy 3:4).

Not slanderers. Compare to Titus 2:3: Not false accusers. The Greek word is diabolous—devils. It is used here in its original and proper sense, to denote a calumniator, slanderer, or accuser. It occurs in the same sense in 2 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 2:3. Elsewhere in the New Testament, it is uniformly rendered devil (Matthew 4:1); and is given to Satan, the prince of the fallen angels (Matthew 9:34), by way of eminence, as the accuser (Compare to Job 1:6 and following; Revelation 12:10).

Here it means that they should not be women who are in the habit of calumniating others or aspersing their character. Mingling as they would with the church, and having an opportunity to claim acquaintance with many, it would be in their power, if they chose, to do great injury to the character of others.

Sober (1 Timothy 3:2).

Faithful in all things. To their husbands, to their families, to the church, to the Saviour.