Philippians 1:1
Objections and Answers
Outside of 1 Timothy 3, Philippians 1:1 is the only passage in the New Testament that specifically mentions an official group known as “deacons.” MacArthur takes issues with the view that the office or position of “deacons” is spoken of in this passage, stating:
The word here could refer to officers in the church, but the context does not seem to warrant such an interpretation. . . . The most natural interpretation of this verse is that Paul was addressing his letter to the whole church. . . . including the leadership and those who serve. To say that Philippians 1:1 refers to the office of deacons might be correct, but it is an arbitrary choice. There is not enough evidence to be dogmatic about what Paul is saying.[1]
It is true that Paul is addressing his letter to the entire church in the city of Philippi. Paul states, “to all the saints in Christ Jesus, those who are in Philippi . . .”[2] It is further agreed that the following phrase, “with the overseers and deacons,” is not viewed as those outside the church but within. However, this writer finds several reasons why “overseers and deacons” both refer to official leadership positions within the church in Philippi.
First, the term translated “overseer” is used three other times in the New Testament to refer to those within the church who were official leaders (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1, 2; Titus 1:7). In one of these passages (Titus 1:5-7) these leaders are also called by the synonymous term “elder.”[3] Elders and overseers, in the sense of New Testament leadership, appear to be two titles to refer to one and the same position.
Second, it is significant that the only other place where “overseers” and “deacons” are addressed together is in a passage describing church leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-13). The two terms mentioned in Philippians 1:1 are connected by the conjunction “and” (kai) and fall under the one preposition “with” (sun), indicating some sort of relationship. Nothing in the context points toward a general, non-leadership understanding of the term “deacon” in Philippians 1:1. Furthermore, why would Paul address the church in general, the leadership in specific (“overseers”) and then a nebulous group of general people “who serve?” A clearer understanding of the passage is to understand the phrase as describing Paul’s intention to write to the entire congregation in Philippi along with the overseers (elders, pastors) and deacons.
Diaconal Ministry in Philippians 1:1
Philippians 1:1, though only briefly mentioning deacons, does provide several interesting points to be considered concerning the relationship of deacons to overseers (pastors, elders). First, building upon what has been noted above, both of the terms mentioned here are leadership terms. Deacons are viewed alongside pastoral leadership. They are addressed together as they also are in 1 Timothy 3:1-13. Clearly Paul did not view the position of deacon as an insignificant position, relegated to obscurity or mere subordination to pastors. Both positions are equally leadership positions. As was noted in the discussion of Acts 6, the precursors to deacons were described as those who worked along side the precursors to pastors in helping and assisting them in the ministry to the flock in an officially recognized and set-aside capacity. Modern efforts to dismiss the position of deacons or give little attention to the position because of past abuses or because the position of pastor is overly exalted, do not acknowledge what Paul acknowledges both here in Philippians as well as in 1 Timothy 3 (not to mention Luke’s description in Acts 6).[4]
Second, Paul describes both leadership groups in a unique relationship to the congregation of saints in Philippi. Paul uses a preposition “with” (sun), to indicate that the leadership was in direct association with and directly accompanied the congregation.[5] Fee’s comments here are helpful:
The language used for this addition, “together w/along with,” is the sure give away as to the role of leadership in the Pauline churches. The community as a whole is addressed, and in most cases therefore the “Ëoverseers and deacons’ are simply reckoned as being within the community. When they are singled out, as here, the leaders are not “Ëover’ the church, but are addressed “Ëalongside of’ the church, as a distinguishable part of the whole, but as part of the whole, not above or outside it.[6]
Leadership must in fact lead and the congregation is certainly called to submit under the guidance and care given by those God has place in positions of shepherding (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13; Hebrews 13:17), yet, Peter’s admonition to such leaders is that they are not to view themselves as the flock’s lords, but as the flock’s example (1 Peter 5:1-4). Leadership, pastors and deacons alike, are to understand that their position and responsibility is to work along with the congregation.
Third, Philippians 1:1 gives a good indication through the titles used for leadership what the functions of leadership were. Paul addresses those who were to “oversee” and those who were “to serve.” The titles reflect the function. Deacons are not described as “overseers” in the New Testament in the sense that they are to oversee the entire ministry and manage the affairs of the church – such a role is designated in Scripture for pastors (overseers, elders – cf., 1 Timothy 3:5; 5:17; 1 Peter 5:2, Acts 20:28). This is not to suggest that deacons do not oversee certain aspects of church ministry. The Twelve gave the Seven “charge over” the ministry of overseeing the needs of the Hellenistic widows (Acts 6:3). Yet, deacons are not called to be general overseers, but more likely, specific overseers. Likewise, pastors are not to neglect the spiritual care and needs of the congregation, delegating all such care to deacons, while giving themselves exclusively to Bible study and prayer. James 5:14 indicates that the elders of the church (pastors, overseers) should be called upon for prayer by those who are suffering severe illness, possibly as a result of sin (James 5:13-18). The writer of Hebrews also indicates that such leaders must give an account to God for the souls of those under their oversight (cf., also 13:17). Overseers are to provide general oversight of the affairs of the church (1 Timothy 5:17) and deacons are to render specific service to the church, as their titles reflect.[7] Clearly their titles are distinct from one another, thus, their duties are also to be distinct. Deacons are not to assume the functions of pastors and pastors should not assume the functions of deacons; otherwise, how could pastors then give proper attention to prayer and the ministry of the word or deacons give proper attention to their ministry of service?
A fourth noteworthy aspect from the mention of overseers and deacons in Philippians 1:1 is that overseers and deacons are viewed as somewhat of a leadership team. It is interesting that wherever deacons are mentioned in an official capacity, overseers are as well. When mentioned together they are viewed as a complimentary team of leaders. How unfortunate are the multiplied stories and jokes about rifts and divisions between deacons and pastors, especially when Scripture speaks of them as a unified group who serve with the congregation.
Pastors and deacons work with the flock of God to provide both spiritual and physical oversight for the flock. Neither is exclusively “spiritual” with the other being exclusively “temporal.” One focuses upon teaching more than the other, yet both are to work together in order to be aware of and give specific attention to both the physical and spiritual needs of the flock God has called them to serve.
[3] Contra, MacArthur, The Master’s Plan for the Church, “The word translated “overseers” . . . is not the word normally used to identify elders. . . .” 206. MacArthur tends to see this reference in Philippians 1:1 as a reference to general leadership as opposed to those known as elders. However, Titus 1:5-7, seems to indicate that elders and overseers were the same position of leadership (see also Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Peter 5:1-2). Interestingly, MacArthur states earlier in his book in a specific discussion concerning “elders,” that Philippians 1:1 and the reference to “overseers” was an argument for a plurality of “elders.” “The Norm in the New Testament was a plurality of elders. Nowhere in the New Testament is there reference to a one-pastor congregation. That is not to say there were none, but none are mentioned. It is significant that Paul addressed his epistle to the Philippians “Ëto all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers [pl., episkopoi] and deacons’ (1:1)” 195.
[4] This understanding of deacons as being a clearly defined leadership position in the church should not be construed as endorsing Gordon Fee’s position that the term “elder,” in the New Testament referred to both overseers and deacons (Cf., 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus New International Biblical Commentary (Pebody: Hendrickson, 1988) 78. Fee makes a Scripturally indefensible claim at this juncture. The case can be made for a view that understands overseers and elders to be one and the same group (Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7 and 1 Peter 5:1-2) but deacons are nowhere in the New Testament linked synonymously with “elders.”
Bret, you have given this topic far greater thought than any other in recent memory.
In the churches I have been a part of in the past, deacons were considered lesser officers. Jesus used the same word to indicate true greatness in his kingdom.