1 Timothy 5:1-8

Christians Form The Household of God And Should Treat One Another With Respect And As Family. They Should Therefore See To The Needs Of Their Ageing Parents While The Church As Family Must See To Widows Who Have No Children And Who Reveal Their Family Oneness By Regular Attendance At Prayer (1 Timothy 5:1-8 ).

Here the church is seen as a household, compare 1 Timothy 3:15. It is seen as the family of God (compare Matthew 12:49-50), and should reveal reciprocal love. Thus Timothy, in dealings with the church members must treat them as family. Older men were to be treated with respect, even when being gently admonished, younger men were to be treated as beloved brothers, and so on. A great problem, however, in the ancient world was the needs of widows who had no relatives to care for them both emotionally and financially. Care for older relatives was seen as the responsibility of the children, and was even sometimes legislated for, but the elder widow who had no family had no one to care for her. Paul declares here that such widows are to be cared for by the church because they are part of the church’s family, and this includes both emotional and financial care. While today the state may make physical provision, there is still a responsibility on the part of the church to see that that provision is sufficient, and also to show the love and concern towards such people that the family would normally show.

The impression we may get from what Paul says is that people were using the church’s charitable arrangements so as to avoid their own responsibilities. Paul therefore gives clear instruction concerning this. It is in fact very relevant to us today for the same basic problems still arise around the world.

Analysis.

a Do not rebuke an older person (or ‘elder), but exhort him as a father, the younger men as brothers (1 Timothy 5:1).

b The elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, in all purity (1 Timothy 5:2).

c Honour widows who are indeed widows (1 Timothy 5:3).

d But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to pay back their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God (1 Timothy 5:4).

c Now she who is indeed a widow, and desolate, has her hope set on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives (1 Timothy 5:5-6).

b These things also command, that they may be without reproach (1 Timothy 5:7).

a But if any does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8).

Note that in ‘a’ reference is made to exhorting men, and in the parallel these men are to provide for their own. In ‘b’ the women are to be exhorted in all purity, and in the parallel ‘they’ are to be without reproach. In ‘c’ widows who are ‘indeed widows’ are to be ‘honoured’, while in the parallel ‘indeed widows’ suitable widows are defined. Central in ‘d’ is the attitude of Christians towards their ageing parents.