- 1 Timothy
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1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.
Honor true widows
3 Give financial support to widows who are really ‘widows’. 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to demonstrate piety in their own household by repaying their parents, for this is pleasing* Instead of “is pleasing”, perhaps 15% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘is good and pleasing’ (as in AV and NKJV). to God. 5 Now she who is really a widow and desolate has set her hope on God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. 6 But she who indulges in pleasure is dead while she lives.
7 You should even command these things, so that they may be blameless. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.† This is reminiscent of our Lord's word in Mark 7:9-13.
9 No widow should be enrolled unless she is at least sixty, a one man wife, 10 known for good works—she brought up children, she lodged strangers, she washed saints' feet, she relieved the afflicted, she devoted herself to every good work.‡ Wow! How is that for a ‘job description’?
About younger widows
11 As for younger widows, do not enroll them; because whenever they are controlled by sensual desires rather than by Christ, they want to marry, 12 coming under judgment because they have broken their first commitment.§ What “first commitment”? Looking carefully at verses 11 and 12, I take it that Paul is arguing as if some younger ones have already been enrolled—in order to be enrolled they would have had to commit themselves to a certain life style, which they would subsequently break. 13 Not only that, they learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.* The young have more energy than the old, and if that energy is not put to good use, it will be put to bad use; and the congregation should not finance such bad use. 14 So I want the younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage the home, to give the adversary no occasion for caustic comments. 15 (In fact, some have already turned aside after Satan.)† It is not clear to me to whom the “some” refers, although the first ‘candidate’ would appear to some younger widows.
16 If any man or‡ Some 2% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “man or” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). The omission is obviously an inferior reading, and could be an easy case of ‘similar beginning’. woman who is a believer has widows, let them relieve them and not burden the congregation, so that it may relieve those who are widows indeed.§ Here is the ‘bottom line’ in this discussion about widows. The congregation would have limited material resources, and these should be reserved for the more needy cases. (Any semblance to a ‘gravy train’ is to be avoided.)
Honor elders
17 Let the elders who lead well be counted worthy of a double honorarium, especially those who labor in word and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain,” and “The worker is worthy of his wages.”* The part about the ox is a quote from Deuteronomy 25:4, definitely Scripture, but the part about the worker is a quote from Luke 10:7! Now this is very instructive. Paul, a former Pharisee, presumably ascribed the highest level of inspiration to the five books of the Law, so we expect him to call Deuteronomy Scripture. But for him to place Luke on a par with Moses is little short of incredible. Although there may have been close to twenty years between the ‘publishing’ of Luke and the writing of 1 Timothy, Luke was recognized and declared by apostolic authority to be Scripture not long after it came off the press, so to speak. But if Paul wrote this letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as I believe, then God Himself is declaring Luke to be Scripture!
19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 20 Those who are sinning rebuke publicly, so that the rest also may be in fear.† It appears that Timothy was to act as a ‘deputy apostle’ (something like a deputy sheriff).
Watch your step
21 I charge you in the presence of God and Sovereign‡ Perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts omit “Sovereign” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). Jesus Christ and the elect angels§ I wonder what the angels have to do with it. Might the “elect” angels be a special class? that you observe these things without prejudgment, doing nothing by partiality. 22 Do not lay hands [in ordination] hastily on anyone, do not thereby participate in the sins of others.* The point seems to be that if we are responsible for ordaining somebody, we become accomplices of what he subsequently does, at least in part. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking only water; use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent infirmities.† A little homemade wine can be effective against diarrhea, which was presumably Timothy's ‘infirmity’. And at that time not all drinking water would be pure.
24 The sins of some men are obvious, leading the way into judgment,‡ I take the point to be that some sins are judged already in this life, but all will be judged at the final accounting. while those of others trail behind. 25 So also the good works are obvious; even the ones that are not, cannot be hidden.

- 1 Timothy
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*5:4 Instead of “is pleasing”, perhaps 15% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘is good and pleasing’ (as in AV and NKJV).

†5:8 This is reminiscent of our Lord's word in Mark 7:9-13.

‡5:10 Wow! How is that for a ‘job description’?

§5:12 What “first commitment”? Looking carefully at verses 11 and 12, I take it that Paul is arguing as if some younger ones have already been enrolled—in order to be enrolled they would have had to commit themselves to a certain life style, which they would subsequently break.

*5:13 The young have more energy than the old, and if that energy is not put to good use, it will be put to bad use; and the congregation should not finance such bad use.

†5:15 It is not clear to me to whom the “some” refers, although the first ‘candidate’ would appear to some younger widows.

‡5:16 Some 2% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “man or” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). The omission is obviously an inferior reading, and could be an easy case of ‘similar beginning’.

§5:16 Here is the ‘bottom line’ in this discussion about widows. The congregation would have limited material resources, and these should be reserved for the more needy cases. (Any semblance to a ‘gravy train’ is to be avoided.)

*5:18 The part about the ox is a quote from Deuteronomy 25:4, definitely Scripture, but the part about the worker is a quote from Luke 10:7! Now this is very instructive. Paul, a former Pharisee, presumably ascribed the highest level of inspiration to the five books of the Law, so we expect him to call Deuteronomy Scripture. But for him to place Luke on a par with Moses is little short of incredible. Although there may have been close to twenty years between the ‘publishing’ of Luke and the writing of 1 Timothy, Luke was recognized and declared by apostolic authority to be Scripture not long after it came off the press, so to speak. But if Paul wrote this letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as I believe, then God Himself is declaring Luke to be Scripture!

†5:20 It appears that Timothy was to act as a ‘deputy apostle’ (something like a deputy sheriff).

‡5:21 Perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts omit “Sovereign” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

§5:21 I wonder what the angels have to do with it. Might the “elect” angels be a special class?

*5:22 The point seems to be that if we are responsible for ordaining somebody, we become accomplices of what he subsequently does, at least in part.

†5:23 A little homemade wine can be effective against diarrhea, which was presumably Timothy's ‘infirmity’. And at that time not all drinking water would be pure.

‡5:24 I take the point to be that some sins are judged already in this life, but all will be judged at the final accounting.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD