1 Timothy 5

1 Timothy 5:1

Deal not rigidly with a bishop of the church, (see note [b] Acts xi); have that respect to his office, that whenever there is need of thy exhortation, thou do it as to a father of the church, with all humble respect to him; and for any inferior officers in the church, let thy rebukes and corrections be fraternal, and full of kindness and friendliness to them.

1 Timothy 5:2

Behave thyself toward women, the ancient sort, or widows of the church, with great respect; the younger with modesty and civility, abstaining from any behaviour toward them that may savour any thing of wantonness or turpitude.

1 Timothy 5:3

Let those widows which have neither husbands nor children be respected and relieved (see note [d]) by you, that is, by the church, out of their stock, which is intrusted to your disposing.

[a] widows] There were two sorts of χῆραι, or lone persons, which we render widows, in the ancient church. First, those that were taken in to serve and officiate there as diaconissæ, (and those were especially, though not only, chosen of virgins, ἀειπαρθένοι, that always continued such, as by a place of Ignatius may be collected;) these were a kind of imitation of those which in Christ’s and the apostles’ times voluntarily had devoted themselves to the service of God, and to ministering to, that is, providing for, the necessities of Christ and the apostles and saints, out of their own substance, ἐξ ὑπαρχόντων αὐταῖς, Luke viii. 3. Such was Joanna, a married woman, and Susanna, and others there. Such was Phoebe, ἀδελφὴ ἡμῶν, οὖσα διάκονος τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς, Rom. xvi. 1, our sister, that is, a believer, and she a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea, which is most probably the γυνὴ ἀδελφή, 1 Cor. ix. 5, the Christian woman that went along with Paul and Barnabas. For before there was any stock in the hands of the church to make provision for either the apostles or any other, there could no other course be taken but this, to have them supplied by such persons which did, ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐταῖς, out of their own possessions, liberally impart to them. But when afterward the faithful had brought their possessions, and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and when instead of that greater liberality, yet by the help of the offertory at the sacrament, wealth came into the hands of the church, (and thereby, saith Justin Martyr, Apol. 2, προεστῶς πᾶσιν ἐν χρείᾳ οὖσι κηδεμῶν ἐγένετο, “the prefect became the guardian to provide for all that were in want,”) then this office was instituted in the church, first of men-deacons, Acts vi., and after of women also, which were more useful for economical services, and these were called πρεσβύτιδες, Tit. ii. 3, elder women, and afterward diaconissæ, deaconesses, and might be admitted into the church at forty years old. See can. 5. of the council of Chalcedon. The second sort of widows were those who being childless and helpless, were to be fed and maintained by the church, and these are particularly spoken of in this place, and those many of them formerly married, and therefore were not to be received in till sixty years old, ver. 9; for so Zonaras, on the council of Chalcedon, gives the reason, because, saith he, “the widow which hath had an husband is not, at the same age, so likely to continue unmarried, as she that hath lived a virgin to that age,” καὶ γευσαμένη, &c. μᾶλλον ἂν εἴη πρὸς τὸ πάθος ἐπικλινῆς. And in case she marry, that she is to be removed out of this list seems clear; both first, because in that case the husband must provide for her, and, secondly, by what is here said, ver. 11, of the care in not admitting such as are young and likely to marry. This relief, which is here spoken of for widows, being designed on purpose to give them the more leisure and vacancy for acts and exercises of piety, ver. 5, waiting on God, continuing in prayer and supplication night and day, which is not supposable of married women, which have so many other affairs belonging to them, ver. 14, to bring forth and bring up children, to manage the household, and the like.

1 Timothy 5:4

But if any widow which is a Christian be not perfectly destitute, but have children or grandchildren, let them relieve and take care for her as a part of their family, ver. 16, this being due by way of gratitude (see note [f] ch. iii.) to the parents, which have done so much for them, and so consequently that which, as God approves of, so he requires at their hands.

1 Timothy 5:5

But the widow that is truly so, and is fit to receive relief from the church, is she that is wholly

1 Timothy 5:6

But she that abstains from marrying, not in order to piety, but that she may live the more at her own disposal, she is not to be counted a widow or vital member of the church, but a kind of carcase or piece of noisomeness in it.

1 Timothy 5:7

Give these rules, that none but blameless persons may be taken in, and those that have need of it.

1 Timothy 5:8

But if any man or woman do not maintain those that belong to them, especially those of their family, (as their parents clearly are, having a right to live in their house, and a propriety to be maintained by them (or that they take care for and relieve them) supposing they are able to do it,) that man or woman doth quite contrary to the commands of Christ, and indeed performs not that duty to parents that even infidels think themselves obliged to do.

[b] provide] Προνοεῖν, to provide, here doth not signify, laying up by way of careful, thoughtful providence beforehand, but only taking care of for the present, as we are able, relieving, maintaining, giving

1 Timothy 5:9

Let none be listed as a widow into the number of those that are to be maintained by the church (see note [a] Tit. ii.) under the age of sixty, nor any that have parted with their husbands and married again: (see note [b] ch. iii.)

1 Timothy 5:10

And let them be such as have by their acts of duty and charity approved themselves to those among whom they have lived in all things of which their condition hath been capable; such are, good careful education of their children, hospitality, friendliness and humility, and submission to the meanest offices for the relief of those that stand in need; care for all that are in any distress; and, in brief, seeking occasions for all works of charity, and not only embracing them when they have been offered.

1 Timothy 5:11

But receive not into the church offices those widows that are under that age, for there will be danger of such, that they will be weary of their employment in the church, of living in that pious strict condition, ver. 6, and then they will relieve themselves by marrying;

[c] wax wanton] Καταστρηνιάζειν, as (without the preposition) στρηνιάζειν is ὑβρίζειν, βιρίως φέρειν, and so στρηνιᾶν, τρυφᾶν, in Phrynichus, and ἀτακτεῖν, in Phavorinus, to grow stout or proud or disorderly, not willing to bear so much strictness, and so to put oneself out of the list or number of the votaries; and here the widows that were ἐν κανόνι, as after-times called it, in the number of those that were to be maintained by the church, and there to wait on the service of the church, when they begin to be weary of that kind of life, then they are said καταστρηνιάζειν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, or στρηνιάζειν κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, to grow insolent and weary of Christ, that is, his service in the church. Thus στρῆνος, Rev. xviii. 3, signifies irregular, disorderly behaviour; and στρηνιάζειν, vv. 7, 9, to live disorderly, enormously.

1 Timothy 5:12

Which is a great and a punishable crime in them, viz. that of violating their promise made unto the church (a kind of conjugal tie) that they would

1 Timothy 5:13

And such young widows being unfit for such a recess and vacancy, have nothing to do with their time, but spend it in going about from house to house, in asking questions; and not only so, but fall into tattling and loose discourse, into censuring and meddling with other folks’ matters, entertaining themselves and others with unseemly discourse, either calumniating or talking wantonly.

1 Timothy 5:14

Make use of those gifts which in order to thy function were given thee (according to the revelation from the Spirit concerning thee, ch. i. 18.) at thy ordination, (see note [f] ch. v.) when besides me, 2 Tim. i. 6, some others also of the apostles, one or more, laid hands on thee: (see note [b] Acts xi.) ### CHAP. V. REBUKE not an elder, but 1 intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

My direction therefore is, that the younger women, widows or others, that have not attained to this gravity of mind and command over themselves, do in that case betake themselves to a married life, and serve God in that, bearing and bringing up children, (see note [d] ch. ii,) guiding domestic affairs; that so they may not do any thing which may give advantage to those that are willing to take it, to accuse or find fault, or bring reproach upon such loose professors, and the church for their sakes.

1 Timothy 5:15

For some such you know there are, which have forsaken the Christian path, and betaken themselves to the Gnostics, bitter enemies to Christians, and these would be glad to have somewhat to say against you.

1 Timothy 5:16

If any Christian hath any helpless widow of his family, (see ver. 8,) let him undertake the care and charge of them, and not cast them upon the church to provide for them; lest if they do, there be not in the stock of the church sufficient to provide for all that are truly helpless.

1 Timothy 5:17

Let the bishops that have discharged that function well, receive for their reward twice as much as others have, especially those that preach the gospel to whom it was news, and also continue to instruct congregations of Christians in settled churches: (see note [b] Acts xi.)

[d] double honour] The διπλῆ τιμὴ, double honour, refers to the elder brother’s portion, פי שני, double portion, Deut. xxi. 17; and this going along with the power of ruling the family, Gen. iv. 7, (after the death of the father,) is fitly accommodated to the office of bishop in the church; and so the electing of Barnabas and Paul to the apostleship, Acts xiii. 2, is expressed by ἀφορίσατε, separate, the word used about the first-born, Exod. xiii. 2; and so in Clem. Constit. l. 11. 28. διπλῆ αὐτοῖς ἀφοριζέσθω μοῖρα, Let a double portion be separated for them. Thus the double portion of the spirit of Elias resting on Elisæus,

T Stobæ. p. 448.

1 Timothy 5:18

For this is agreeable to that significative ceremony of the law, which allows the beast that is used to go over the corn, and tread out the grain out of the straw, (after the manner that threshing doth,) to

1 Timothy 5:19

[e] Against an elder receive not an accusation] What is the meaning of κατηγορίον παραδίχεσθαι, to receive an accusation, here, must be explained by the judicial proceedings among the Jews, where before the giving of the sentence there were three parts; 1st, מובא ריב, the admission of the cause, or suit, when the judge doth not reject the complaint or accuser, and that is here κατηγορίον παραδίχεσθαι, to admit an accusation; and is the meaning of Isai. i. 23, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them, the character of an unjust judge, that he admits not the widow’s complaint against the oppressor. After the complaint is admitted, then, 2dly, there is מכונה ריב, the confirmation of the suit, or complaint, when the accuser confirms his suggestion by oath; for before that oath, one saying one thing, and the other the contrary, (which is called ἀντιλογία, contradiction, Heb. vi. 16, and in “Lucian, δικάζειν and ἀντιλέγειν, as parts of judicial proceedings,) the judge is uninclined to either side, but then comes in the oath, and is πέρας ἀντιλογίας, the end of that affirming and denying, (in the author of that epistle,) takes away the equilibrium that the judge was in before, and by it he is now confirmed to the believing the one part against the other, whereupon the oath is said to be πρὸς βεβαίωσιν, for confirmation, in that place, Heb. vi. 16, as in the Roman law, Ὅρκος ἐπιφερόμενος

w Τυραννοκτ. p. 397.

1 Timothy 5:22

[f] Lay hands] That χείρας ἐπιτιθέναι, laying on hands, is a ceremony of prayer or benediction, is ordinarily known in the Old Testament, used first by the father to the children, in bestowing the blessing upon them, and with that succession to some part of the estate. So when Jacob blessed the children of Joseph, Gen. xlviii. 14, he laid his hands upon their heads, ver. 15. And from thence it was among them accommodated to the communicating of power to others as assistants, or deriving it to them as successors. So when Moses assumed the seventy to assist him, Numb. xi. 17, this, saith Maimonides, was done by his laying hands upon them, Sanhedr. c. 4. And when he left the world, and constituted Joshua his successor, God appointed him to take Joshua, and lay his hands upon him, Numb. xxvii. 18. So Deut. xxxiv. 9, Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom, that is, was his successor in the government, for Moses had laid his hands upon him. From these three uses of the ceremony, in prayer, in paternal benediction, in creating of officers, three sorts of things there are in the New Testament to which it is principally accommodated. In prayer it is used either in curing diseases, or pardoning sins. Diseases, the corporal hands, Luke xiii. 16, were cured by imposition of hands, Acts xix. 17, and xxviii. 8; and so it was foretold, Mark xvi. 18, they shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover. And so sins, the spiritual bands, were done away, or pardoned, by the same ceremony, laying on of hands, used in the absolution of penitents. Thus, Heb. vi. 2, as the baptisms are those used among the Jews and Christians for the admission of proselytes, so the imposition of hands doth probably denote the restoring of penitents that were lapsed after baptism, (see note [b] Heb. vi.) From that of paternal benediction is that of laying on hands in blessing of infants, Mark x. 16, by that means signifying them to be fit to be received into the church by baptism, as those that have title to this kingdom of heaven, the church here, and, through the same mercy of God in Christ, heaven hereafter. This benediction and imposition of hands I suppose it is that Clemens Alexandrinus refers to, Pædag. l. 3. c. 11, in these words, Τίνι γὰρ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐπιτίθησι χείρα; τίνα δὲ εὐλογήσει; “On whom doth the presbyter lay hands? whom shall he bless?” meaning most probably in that place the solemnity with which the catechist dismissed those that were catechised, preparatory to their baptism: and so saith Eusebius of Constantine, de Vita Constant. l. 4, that to prepare for his baptism, ἐξομολογούμενος τῶν διὰ χειρο-

[g] keep thyself pure] What is the meaning of σσαντὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει, keep thyself pure, will appear by the ancient glossary, Ἀγνὸς castus, it signifies that kind of purity which consists in perfect chastity, free from all show of impurity. So 2 Cor. xi. 2, ἀγνὴ παρθίνος, a pure, chaste virgin. So Titus ii. 5, the widows or female officers of the church must be ἀγναι, pure or chaste, and Timothy must behave himself toward the younger women ἐν πάσῃ ἀγνεία, in all purity or chastity, ch. v. 2; and so the Hebrew שָׁדוֹר answerable to ἀγνὸς signifies. So that this precept and the other following of drink a little wine, though they come in here as in a parenthesis, (the 24 and 25 being to be connected in sense to the matter of absolution and censures, see note [h].) yet they are added seasonably and pertinently to the μηδὲ κοινῶν immediately precedent after this manner, Thou art not to be over favourable to offenders, to absolve them too easily or speedily. But above all thou must be sure not to join with them in their course. And because there be two chief heads of that false doctrine which is most frequent among you, (the heresy of the Gnostics, from which especially flow the faults to which the censures are most due,) viz. forbidding of marriage (to which is consequent all impure abominable living) and abstinence from wine and meats, ch. iv. 3; I therefore now warn thee concerning these two. In the former respect, that abstaining spontaneously from marriage, not as from a thing unlawful, but only denying thyself that liberty which thou mayest lawfully use, thou be sure to preserve perfect chastity, and not fall into the least degree of Gnosticism, for that is κοινωνεῖν ἁμαρτίαν ἀλλοτρίαις, to commit those sins which thou art to censure in others. That is the meaning of κοινωνεῖν and συγκοινωνεῖν, to be guilty thyself, not only to be blameable for thy indulgence to others, and so for

1 Timothy 5:24

[h] Some men’s sins are open before—] That these two last verses of this chapter belong to the business of church censures and absolution, may appear by the context: ver. 20 there is direction for

x Περὶ βρώματ. p. 93.