1 Timothy 5:9

‘Let none be enrolled (or ‘reckoned’) as a widow under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,’

The first question we must ask is whether this only refers to the widows who are ‘widows indeed’ of the previous passage. It seems unlikely. Paul could hardly be suggesting that only those of such widows who were over sixty could qualify for support. Any over fifty would be unlikely to marry again and have children, and they would be equally desolate.

Let us consider the possibilities:

· This ‘enrolment’ (although it may only mean ‘reckoning’) may refer to a list of widow’s without families as above, whom the church were supporting and who were over sixty years old. Certainly they might be seen as very suitable, being free from all other obligations (but that would also apply to those over fifty).

· It may refer to a list of all widows in the church over sixty who wished to be enrolled in active service for the church in ministering to the people of God physically (compareRomans 16:2; Romans 16:2), for he has previously been speaking about all widows and how they were to be catered for. They would be widows who had demonstrated their spirituality in the way about to be described and wished to serve Christ in the church, although if they had families many of these would also have obligations to their own families.

The list was clearly so that they could fulfil certain responsibilities, such as praying, teaching the younger women in practical matters (Titus 2:4), caring for the sick, and so on. Such women are often the backbone of the church. The restriction to ‘the wife of one man’ probably means not having been divorced or not having had liaisons with other men. It might mean only having had one husband and not having married again after he died, but it must be considered doubtful if marrying a second husband, when the first one had died, excluded someone. The idea behind it would seem to be that the woman has demonstrated her fidelity and trustworthiness.