1 Timothy 5:14 - Exposition

Desire for will , A.V.; widows (in italics) for women A.V.; rule the household for guide the house , A.V.; for reviling for to speak reproachfully , A.V. Widows . As the whole discourse is about widows, it is better to supply this as the substantive understood in νεωτέρας . In 1 Timothy 5:11 we have νεωτέρας χήρας . The οὗν which precedes is a further proof that this direction or command of the apostle's springs from what he had just been saying about the young widows, and therefore that what follows relates to them, and not to women generally. In order to avoid the scandal mentioned in 1 Timothy 5:11 of the young widows first dedicating their widowhood to Christ, and then drawing back and marrying, he directs that they should follow the natural course and marry, in doing which they would be blameless. Bear children ( τεκνογονεῖν ): here only in the New Testament or LXX .; but τεκνογονία occurs in 1 Timothy 2:15 (where see note). Rule the household ( οἰκοδεσποτεῖν ; here only in this sense); act the part of οἰκοδέσποινα , the mistress of a family (Plutarch and elsewhere). οἱκοδεσπότης frequent in the New Testament, and kindred words are used in classical Greek. For reviling ( λοιδορίας χάριν ). The adversary ( ὁ ἀντικείμενος ), the opponent of Christianity, was always seeking some occasion to speak reproachfully of Christians and revile them. Any misconduct on the part of Christian widows would give him the occasion he was looking for. They must be doubly careful, therefore, lest they should bring reproach upon the Name of Christ (camp. James 2:7 ; 1 Peter 2:12 ; 1 Peter 4:4 , 1 Peter 4:14 , 1 Peter 4:15 ). " λοιδορίας χάριν is added .. to ἀφορμὴν διδόναι to specify the manner in which the occasion would be used" Ellicott). Do not give the adversary a starting-point from which he may be able to carry out his desire to revile the people of God.