1 Timothy 5:3-16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:3-16

Directions are here given concerning the taking of widows into the number of those who were employed by the church and had maintenance from the church: Honour widows that are widows indeed. Honour them, that is, maintain them, admit them into office. There was in those times an office in the church in which widows were employed, and that was to tend the sick and the aged, to look to them by the direction of the deacons. We read of the care taken of widows immediately upon the first forming of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Timothy 5:3-8

5:3-8 Honour widows who are genuinely in a widow's destitute position. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let such children learn to begin by discharging the duties of religion in their own homes; and let them learn to give a return for all that their parents have done for them; for this is the kind of conduct that meets with God's approval. Now she who is genuinely in the position of a widow, and who is left all alone, has set her hope on God, and night and day she devotes... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Timothy 5:9-10

5:9-10 Let a woman be enrolled as a widow only if she is more than sixty years of age; if she has been the wife of one husband; if she has earned an attested reputation for good works; if she has nourished children; if she has been hospitable to strangers; if she has helped those in trouble; if she has washed the feet of the saints; if she has devoted herself to every good work. From this passage it is clear that the Church had an official register of widows; and it seems that the word... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Timothy 5:9-10

As we have already said, if not as early as the time of the Pastoral Epistles, certainly in later days, the widows became an accepted order in the Christian Church. Their place and work are dealt with in the first eight chapters of the third book of The Apostolic Constitutions, and these chapters reveal the use that such an order could be and the dangers into which it almost inevitably ran. (i) It is laid down that women who would serve the Church must be women of discretion. Particularly... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Timothy 5:11-16

5:11-16 Refuse to enrol the younger women as widows, for when they grow impatient with the restrictions of Christian widowhood, they wish to marry, and so deserve condemnation, because they have broken the pledge of their first faith; and, at the same time, they learn to be idle and to run from house to house. Yes, they can become more than idle; they can become gossips and busybodies, saying things which should not be repeated. It is my wish that the younger widows should marry, and bear... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:3

Honour widows that are widows indeed. Who those are, see in 1 Timothy 1:5 . The honour to be given them is not a putting of them into the office of a deaconess, in the church; which office, some think, is referred to in Acts 6:1 , and did obtain in some of the primitive churches; and it might be that some of these widows, the apostle here and hereafter speaks of, might be preferred to the rest, and be set over them, and have the care of such, who were more infirm; but then this could... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:4

But if any widow have children or nephews ,.... Such are not widows indeed; they are not desolate, or alone, or without persons to take care of them; their children or nephews should, and not suffer the church to be burdened with them. Wherefore it follows, let them learn first to show piety at home ; which some understand of the widows, who, instead of casting themselves upon the church for a maintenance, or taking upon them the office of a deaconess, to take care of others, should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:5

Now she that is a widow indeed ,.... A real widow, whom the Jews F18 Jarchi in Exek. xliv. 22. call גמורה , "a perfect one", in opposition to one that is divorced, or a brother's widow, that has had the shoe plucked off for her: and such an one as the apostle means, is one that is desolate , or "alone": who has neither husband to take care of her, nor children or nephews to show kindness to her, nor any worldly substance to subsist upon: but trusteth in God : not in man, nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:6

But she that liveth in pleasure ,.... Voluptuously, and deliciously; lives a wanton, loose, and licentious life, serving divers lusts and pleasures:, is dead while she liveth ; is dead in trespasses and sins, while she lives in them; is dead morally or spiritually, while she lives a natural or corporeal life. There is a likeness between a moral and a corporeal death. In a corporeal death, the soul is separated from the body; and in a moral death, souls are separated from God, and are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:7

And these things give in charge ,.... Concerning rebuking persons of a different age and sex, and concerning the maintenance of widows; and particularly that children provide for their parents when helpless; and that widows trust in God, and give themselves to prayer and supplication, and not live in sin: that they may be blameless ; before men, and in the view of the world, and not be chargeable with any notorious crime; though none are without blame in themselves, and before God, but... read more

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