1 Timothy 5

The apostle show how admonishing must be given to old and young 3commands that all true widows should be honored 4but that children and children’s children should remember their widows and progenitors themselves 9afterwards describes the age and other qualification and widows who are fit for service of the church11 but will have the young widows passed by herein 14 and that they should marry17 afterwards he comes to elders and sheweth that honor is due to them 19 also that no accusations shall be received against them without witnesses 21 charges him before God and the holy angels to deal herein without partiality 23 also will not have him drink water any longer and concludes with a description whereby those elders may be known.

1. An old man [thus the word presbyteros must be here taken general for all old man appears by the following opposition]reproves not severely [the Greek word properly signifies to strike anyone with words]but exhorts him as a father the young ones as brethren

2. Old women as mothers the young ones as sisters in all purity

3. Honor the widows [that is further them give them all help and assistance as the following requires see also verse 17] who are widows indeed [that is without children or friends which can help them or that are deprived of all humane help as is declared verse 5]

4. But if any widow have children [namely who are come to years and have means to help them [namely children or children’s children others understand it of the widow but the plural number and the word learn which in Greek doth not signify to instruct but to be instructed and the Greek words recompense again are repugnant to it]learn first to practice godliness towards their own house [that is to their own family and kindred]and make recompense again to their progenitors [that is help and nourish them again even as they did their children in their youth]for that is good and acceptable before God

5. Now she that is a widow indeed and left alone [that is without means or friends who either can or will help her she hopeth in God [namely alone who is a father of widows and fatherless Psalms 68:6]and continueth in supplication prayers at night and day [namely as is related concerning Anna the prophetess Luke 2.36c]

6. But she that follows her pleasure she is living dead [that is though she be alive according to the body yet is the spiritual dead as Matthew 8:22]

7. And command this that they be unblameable

8. But if any man [namely having health and means to do it]takes no care of his own and especially those of his own of his house he hath denied faith [namely indeed although he profess the same with his mouth see Titus 1:16]and is worse then an infidel [namely seeing they even by law of nature use to do this

9. let not a widow be chosen [namely unto the office of deaconess which is the primitive church served the church amongst sick strangers and poor people who are for that cause need for requiring were maintained by the church]of less than sixty years who hath been the wife of one man [not that women hath many husbands together but because by divorce which was then in use women had often many husbands one after another which were still alive together which is reproved by Christ Matthew 5:32 mark 10.12 others take it for one who was but once married but this is contrary to that Paul saith Romans 7:1 &c and 1 Corinthians 7:9]

10. Having testimony of good works if she have brought up children [if she have willingly]given entertainment if she have washed the saints feet [as this was very usual in those warm countries where people went bare-footed and only upon soles and therefore being wearied or soled with dust many were wont to use such service for refreshment see Job 13 verse 5,14 and by this one example of courtesy all manner of care and service is understood] if she hath given the afflicted sufficient help if she had endeavored after or followed after every good

11. But the young widows receive not [or reject receive not namely to choose them into the office of deaconesses for otherwise they were not rejected from the number of the members of the church when they were of a good life as appears from verse 14 and also from Romans 7:3 and 1Corinthians 7.39 before noted no nor yet from the help of the church when they had need of it and had no children or friends which could help them as Paul concludes verse 16]for when they are become want on [that is are now well nourished and become freshly minded in the service and maintenance of the church see Revelations 18.7,9] against Christ [that is without regarding of the service which they have promised to Christ and his church] they will marry

12. Having their judgment [or having guilt that is having done a thing that is blameworthy and for which they are to be dispraised and blamed others take the word judgment for condemnation or damnation and the first faith of the Christians faith which they have professed before in baptism but seeing Paul here speaks of marriage which no man denies or abjures in baptism so it is here fitly taken somewhat more wildly for dispraising or blaming as is also to be gathered from 14 verse]because they have disannulled their first faith [that is first promise or truth namely to let themselves be used for the service of the church for which by their unreasonable marriage they make themselves unfit for that hereby no direct promise not to marry is understood appears by that which is said verse 14]

13. and withal also they learn to go about idle from house to house [namely some others of these young widows who were chosen to the service of the church under the show of going to service of the church under the show of going to visit or other are fallen to such vanity]and are not idle but tattlers also and doing vain things seeing that which becometh not.

14. I will therefore [that is command namely if they have not the gift of continence 1 Corinthians 7:7,9] that the young widows marry ,bear children, govern house give no occasion of reproach to the adversary [that is to those that are stranger from faith and do but seek occasion of reproaching others take it for Satan himself]

15. For some [namely of these young widows who are therefore dispraised and less esteemed of the church]have already turned aside after Satan [that is are turned away from the faith and turned again unto Satan whom they formerly served namely because of disgrace and shame which they suffered by reason of their ill dealing in the church others take it for having given ear to the temptation of Satan and having fallen into uncleanness.]

16. If any believing man or believing woman have widows [namely in their kindred or amongst their progenitors understand if they have means that they are able to do this]let them afford sufficient help, and let not the church be burdened that it [namely the church] may afford them sufficient help who are widows indeed [that is without children or childrens children who are grown up or destitute of all friends and help as verse 5]

17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor [that is greater or more abundant under which honor their maintenance as the following verses show and the word honor is so used by the Hebrews see Mark 7:10,11 &c]especially they that labor in the word and doctrine. [From hence it clearly appears, that then there were two sorts of Elders in the church, namely, some that laboured in the word, and others who were used only for the government of the Church: as they are also called Overseers or Rulers, Romans 12:18. 1 Cor. 12. 28. and elsewhere. For whereas some would expound this thus, that those that well acquitted themselves, and were diligent above others in their ministry, with painfulness and great labour, should be understood by the words labour in the word, it is groundless; seeing Paul never praised, nor said that such teachers rule well, who did not very well acquit themselves, or were more remiss in their ministry then others, much less that they were worthy of double honour.]

18. For the Scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle a threshing Oxe. [See of this the Annotate. on 1 Cor. 9. 9.] and the labourer is worthy of his hire, [these words are found Matthew 10:10.]

19. Again an Elder receive not an accusation , otherwise then under two or three witnesses, [that is, not only do not condemn him alone without sufficient witnesses, which might not be done to any according to the law of Moses, Deuteronomy 19:15. but do not so much as receive any accusation to judge thereof. The reason is, because such as are in this public service of the governing of the Church, seeing they must admonish every one, and rebuke the unruly, may easily stir up displeasures and ill will against themselves; and because the very receiving of accusations to judge of them makes a man suspected, and therefore tends to the offence of the Church, and to the reproach of the same.]

20. Them that sin [That is, among the Elders, when they sin publicly, or when they are sufficiently convinced. For of these he had spoken immediately before: which nevertheless may and must also be interpreted of others, seeing the Apostles reasons avail no less against them. See Math. 18. 17.] rebuke in presence of all, that others also may have fear.

21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect Angels to observe these things [Namely, which are spoken, before, and shall yet be spoken, hereafter: which because they concern the ministers of the Church, therefore the Apostle here useth such a high obtestation to Timothy] without prejudice, [or without giving one more advantage herein than another, as the Greek word prokrima most commonly signifies] doing nothing according to inclination, [or leaning to. A similitude taken from a balance or scales, in which one scale inclines more than the other.]

22. Lay hands suddenly on no man, [That is, without having made due and sufficient trial of the person, his life, and his doctrine,] neither have any communion with the sins of others: [this may be understood either of those who would choose an unfit person in ministry; or of the person who is chosen being unfit] keep thyself pure [that is, free from such a sin, or without guilt; as this Greek word Hagnos is also taken, 2 Cor. 7. 11.]

23. Drink no longer water [only] [The word only is not in the Greek text indeed, but must necessarily be understood therewith, as the consequents show. For Paul forbids him not to drink water, but to drink nothing but water only,] but use a little wine because of thy stomach, and thy manifold infirmities, [namely, whereunto thou fullest sometimes for want of sufficient sustenance or food.]

24. Some men’s sins are manifest before, [Namely, before they are chosen to the ministry, as is said of Simon the sorcerer, Acts 8:18.] and go before to [their] condemnation: [or to condemn them, namely, as unfit for the Ministry, i.e. to reject them, or not to choose them to the service of the Church,] and in some also they follow after, [this some understand thus: that some men’s scandalous life or evil doctrine is sufficiently known before, yea even before trial be made thereof, and therefore, they may be passed by without difficulty; but some men’s sins follow after, i.e. are not known till due search be made thereof, and therefore men should make diligent search before they choose. Others take it for being known after that they are chosen , seeing before hand, as hypocrites are wont to do, they carried themselves well for a while, and that therefore they that choose them are not guilty of those secret sins, if there were but due search made.]

25. Likewise also the good works are manifest before hand, and where it is otherwise, [Gr. They that have otherwise, i.e. whose good works, and fitness for the ministry are not yet known, but obscured for want of opportunity, or by reason of evil men, those shall God in his own time bring to light. The Apostle then will have diligent search made here also] it cannot be hidden.