It says in 1 Timothy 3:3 that an elder must not be given to wine, but 1 Timothy 3:3 says that deacons must not be given to MUCH wine.  Why the discrepancy? 

That’s a great question.  I would add to the question by pointing out that elders are not only told to “not (be) given to wine” (1 Tim. 3:3), but they are also told to be “temperate” (nephalios, abstain from wine).  So they are given a double command to avoid alcoholic beverages.

Not only that, but the wives of deacons are also told to be “temperate” (nephalios, abstain from wine) in 1 Timothy 3:11.

In fact, Christians as a whole are commanded to be “sober” (nepho, abstain from wine) in 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8.  They are also commanded to not “get drunk” (methusko, do not begin to be softened) with wine.  In other words, God wants all Christians to abstain from intoxicating beverages, even to the point where they don’t even begin to have their minds “softened” with wine (which medical science has shown happens with the first drinks).

So why would deacons be allowed to drink…but just a little (“not given to MUCH wine”)?  God shows no partiality, after all (Rom. 2:11).

“…not given to much wine…” in the Greek is me (not) prosecho (pay attention) polus (much) oinos (wine).  What’s interesting is that “much” (polus) is “adverbial” in nature, according to Strong’s Concordance with Greek and Hebrew Lexicon.

That means that “much” (polus) in the Greek is not actually linked as an adjective to “wine,” as is commonly translated in English Bibles (“not given to much wine”).  In reality, “much” (polus) is linked as an adverb to “given” (prosecho, “pay attention to”).

Thus, in the original Greek the verse is not saying, “Deacons, don’t pay attention to much wine.”  The verse is actually saying, “Deacons, don’t pay much attention to wine.”  That is basically what the inspired apostle also told elders, the wives of deacons, and all other Christians to do, as shown above (1 Tim. 3:2-3, 11; 1 Thess. 5:6-8; Eph. 5:18).