Our men's study was on that passage yesterday. We are going through 1 Timothy in our study. Most of the translations reads 'wives of deacons', so many assume that is what it says in the Greek.

Hendriksen has a different view on it. Poorly translating him, he sees these women as not wives, nor deaconesses, nor a third office. Since it is only one verse, and not a passage or series of verses on the topic, he says Paul is making a side note here, like in parenthesis. He is saying that women who have been given responsibility serving in the church,just as the officers, requires a certain level of qualifications and character traits. He does not see it as an universal statement.

I'm sure Jeff can do a much better job in explaining Hendriksen, and whether he agrees with him on this verse.

John Chaney

"having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith . . ." Colossians 2:7