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  • From: "David M. Scholer" <dscholer AT fuller.edu>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Phoebe/diakonos
  • Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 19:31:14 -0800


Howard Broman has asked whether diakonos in Romans 16.1, used for Phoebe,
should be translated "deacon," especially in light of texts in 1 Timothy.

The term diakonos in Romans 16.1 needs to be understood in its own right.
Since it is not associated there with the term episkopos, it begs the
question to translate "deacon", in my judgment. This is especially true,
since Paul uses the term diakonos in Romans 15.8 for Christ, in 1 Cor. 3.5
for Apollos and himself and in 2 Corinthians 3.6, 6.4 and 11.15 and 23 for
persons who "serve" in some leadership capacity in the life of the
gospel/church. In these texts "minister" might be a good translation; I
would so argue for Romans 16.1. [The term diakonos is similarly used in Col.
1.7, 23, 25, 4.7; Eph. 3.7, 6.21; 1 Timothy 4.6.] The 1924 translation of
the NT by Helen Barrett Montgomery translated diakonos in Rom. 16.1 as
"deacon." This is also the translation in the 1989 Revised English Bible
(the revision of the New English Bible). It is an alternate in the NRSV
footnote. The 1991 Contemporary English Version translates "leader."

The bearing of the 1 Timothy texts on the interpretation of Romans 16.1 and
the leadership role of Phoebe in the church of Cenchrae is a complex issue.
My own view is that the 1 Timothy texts are dealing with the issue of women
influenced by the false teachers (cf. 1 Timothy 4.3; 5.3-16, esp. 5.15; 2
Timothy 3.6-7; the use of authentein in 1 Tim. 2.12); thus, these texts in 1
Timothy 2 and 3 do not limit women's leadership in general and normative
terms and should not be used to "dismiss" or "manage" or "determine" the
translation of texts in Romans 16. Of course, there are the issues of the
level(s) of the Pauline character of 1 Timothy.

But, this is enough from one person for now.

Cordially,

David M. Scholer
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

David M. Scholer
Professor of New Testament and
Associate Dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies
Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, CA 91182
626-584-5288; Fax: 626-584-5251; E-mail: dscholer AT fuller.edu

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++




  • Phoebe/diakonos, David M. Scholer, 01/27/2000

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