11stst Timothy 5:3-16 Timothy 5:3-16

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WidowWidow: a woman whose husband has : a woman whose husband has died and has not married.died and has not married.

- Category reserved for woman- Category reserved for woman

- One of the most neglected areas of - One of the most neglected areas of ministry (along w/orphans)ministry (along w/orphans)

- Spiritual Allusions- Spiritual Allusions

The Mosaic Law provided for the care The Mosaic Law provided for the care of widows:of widows:

1) Glean from fields, orchards, and 1) Glean from fields, orchards, and vineyards.vineyards.

2) Shared third-year tithe with the 2) Shared third-year tithe with the Levites (also, orphans and Levites (also, orphans and foreigners)foreigners)

““PurePure religion and undefiled before religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To God and the Father is this, To visitvisit the the

fatherless and widows in their fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” unspotted from the world.”

– – James 1:27 (KJV) James 1:27 (KJV)

VisitVisit - to look upon or after, to inspect, - to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes. (Thayer’s Greek examine with the eyes. (Thayer’s Greek Definitions)Definitions)

““Honour widows that are Honour widows that are widows widows indeedindeed.” – 1.” – 1stst Timothy 5:3 (KJV) Timothy 5:3 (KJV)

Three Categories of Widows:Three Categories of Widows: 1) An Ordinary Widow1) An Ordinary Widow 2) A Destitute Widow2) A Destitute Widow 3) A Presbytery Widow 3) A Presbytery Widow

1) An Ordinary Widow1) An Ordinary Widow

““But if any widow have children or But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.”before God.” – – 11stst Timothy 5:4 (KJV) Timothy 5:4 (KJV)

1) An Ordinary Widow1) An Ordinary Widow

- If the “ordinary widow” had family - If the “ordinary widow” had family available, they were to live with those available, they were to live with those family members.family members.

**CultureCulture: Responsibility fell on the : Responsibility fell on the first born. first born.

““But if any provide not for his own, and But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of specially for those of his own househis own house, he , he hath denied the faith, and is worse than hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” – 1an infidel.” – 1stst Timothy 5:8 (KJV) Timothy 5:8 (KJV)

- Admonishment to the children- Admonishment to the children - “house” = kindred, family, blood- “house” = kindred, family, blood

““If any man or woman that believeth If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows may relieve them that are widows indeed.” – 1indeed.” – 1stst Timothy 5:16 (KJV) Timothy 5:16 (KJV)

- This allowed the church to focus - This allowed the church to focus charity on widows in need.charity on widows in need.

2) A Widow Indeed2) A Widow Indeed

““Now she that is a widow indeed, and Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.” – 1night and day.” – 1stst Timothy 5:5 (KJV) Timothy 5:5 (KJV)

““But she that liveth in But she that liveth in pleasurepleasure is dead is dead while she liveth.” – 1while she liveth.” – 1stst Timothy 5:6 Timothy 5:6 (KJV)(KJV)

PleasurePleasure - to live luxuriously, lead a - to live luxuriously, lead a voluptuous life, (give one’s self to voluptuous life, (give one’s self to pleasure) (Thayer’s Greek Definitions) pleasure) (Thayer’s Greek Definitions)

- Her lifestyle testifies for her (v. 5) or - Her lifestyle testifies for her (v. 5) or condemns her (v. 6)condemns her (v. 6)

3) A Presbytery Widow 3) A Presbytery Widow

““Let not a widow be taken Let not a widow be taken into the into the numbernumber under threescore years (60) under threescore years (60) old, having been the wife of one man.” old, having been the wife of one man.” – – 11stst Timothy 5:9 (KJV) Timothy 5:9 (KJV)

Presbytery – an assembly of eldersPresbytery – an assembly of elders - Not a “minister” or even a deaconess- Not a “minister” or even a deaconess

- Compare with Anna the prophetess - Compare with Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36-38) (Luke 2:36-38)

*Debate over “prophetess:”*Debate over “prophetess:”- Not the strict definition- Not the strict definition- “Ecclesiastical Widowhood”- “Ecclesiastical Widowhood”

““Ecclesiastical Widowhood”Ecclesiastical Widowhood” - Mentioned by early Christian writers:- Mentioned by early Christian writers:

a) a) The Shepherd of Hermas The Shepherd of Hermas (approx. 85 A.D.)(approx. 85 A.D.)

b) Tertullian (160-225 A.D.)b) Tertullian (160-225 A.D.)c) Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.)c) Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.)

- Qualifications in 1- Qualifications in 1stst Timothy 5:10 Timothy 5:10

“…“…resembling the presbyters in the resembling the presbyters in the respect paid to them, and in some of their respect paid to them, and in some of their duties; they ministered with sympathizing duties; they ministered with sympathizing counsel to other widows and to orphans, a counsel to other widows and to orphans, a ministry to which their own experimental ministry to which their own experimental knowledge of the feelings and sufferings knowledge of the feelings and sufferings of the bereaved adapted them, and had a of the bereaved adapted them, and had a general supervision of their sex.”general supervision of their sex.” - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary Commentary

““But the younger widows refuse: for But the younger widows refuse: for when they have when they have begun to wax wanton begun to wax wanton against Christagainst Christ, they will marry; Having , they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.” their first faith.” – – 11stst Timothy 5:11-12 (KJV) Timothy 5:11-12 (KJV)

*Thayer’s - to feel the impulses of *Thayer’s - to feel the impulses of sexual desiresexual desire

Adam Clarke – “…a metaphor taken Adam Clarke – “…a metaphor taken from a pampered horse, from whose from a pampered horse, from whose mouth the rein has been removed, so mouth the rein has been removed, so that there is nothing to check or confine that there is nothing to check or confine him.”him.”

““The first reason why younger widows The first reason why younger widows are not to be admitted to this ministry, are not to be admitted to this ministry, that is, because of the unsteadiness of that is, because of the unsteadiness of their age they will at length shake off their age they will at length shake off the burden that Christ has laid upon the burden that Christ has laid upon them, and think rather upon marrying them, and think rather upon marrying again: and so will forsake the ministry again: and so will forsake the ministry to which they had bound themselves.”to which they had bound themselves.” – – Geneva BibleGeneva Bible

““I will therefore that the younger I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” adversary to speak reproachfully.” – – 11stst Timothy 5:14 (KJV) Timothy 5:14 (KJV)

““We are not to suppose that he gives this as We are not to suppose that he gives this as an absolute and universal command, for it an absolute and universal command, for it might not always be at the option of the might not always be at the option of the widow to marry again, and it cannot be widow to marry again, and it cannot be doubted that there may be cases where it doubted that there may be cases where it would be unadvisable. But he speaks of this would be unadvisable. But he speaks of this as a general rule.as a general rule. 1) that second marriages are not improper 1) that second marriages are not improper or unlawful, but that in some circumstances or unlawful, but that in some circumstances they may be preferable to widowhood.”they may be preferable to widowhood.” - Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible- Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

““Meaning some of those younger widows, Meaning some of those younger widows, whom the apostle knew, and had observed whom the apostle knew, and had observed to have departed from the faith they first to have departed from the faith they first professed, and turned their backs on Christ, professed, and turned their backs on Christ, and gave themselves up to carnal lusts and and gave themselves up to carnal lusts and pleasures, and an idle and impure life and pleasures, and an idle and impure life and conversation…”conversation…”

“…“…so everyone that apostatizes from a so everyone that apostatizes from a profession of Christ, and follows either profession of Christ, and follows either false teachers, and their doctrines, as the false teachers, and their doctrines, as the Gnostics, that condemned marriage, or any Gnostics, that condemned marriage, or any sinful and impure way of life, may be said sinful and impure way of life, may be said to turn aside after Satan.” to turn aside after Satan.” – – John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible