Verses 1-2 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
An elder in the New Testament is not a position in a church which is often the case in churches today, but is a senior or elderly man. It comes from the Greek works “presbuteros” which means elder of age, advanced in life, or a senior. In Jewish culture it referred to members of the Sanhedrin because rulers of the people were selected from elderly men. Why? Because they were more mature and had enough life experiences to better understand people and the things that government is involved with such as trade and banking. The Greek word translated as “rebuke” is “epiplesso” and it means to beat or strike upon, or to chastise with words. The elderly in days gone by were respected members of society. Today, they are deemed useless and often confined to nursing homes or senior living facilities. The Apostle Paul is teaching Timothy Christian etiquette in this chapter, the proper and right way to behave. And first on his list is the treatment of seniors. They were to be treated with respect and not talked down to or belittled by the younger generation. Likewise, the younger men were to be treated as one would properly treat a brother. Senior women were to be valued and not ignored because they were perhaps no longer attractive or raising children, and young women were to be treated as sisters and not as some sexual object. In other words, assuming that a person came from a non-disfunctional family where each member was important and honored for who they were, so the people in the church were to be treated as family.
Verses 3-4 Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
What does it mean to be a widow indeed? The Apostle Paul defines it as a senior women who has no one to support her physically and financially. If a senior woman had any family nearby, then that family was to support her, not the Church.
Verses 5-8 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
The Greek word translated as “desolate” is “monoo” and it means to make single or solitary, or to leave alone or forsake. Women did not have a lot of employment opportunities in Biblical days and so they usually married young and were supported by their husbands and by any sons they raised. Again, a widow indeed was/is a woman who has no one to help her. So assuming that a woman fit this definition in the Church, she also had to be a believer and be one that lived a righteous and pleasing life to the LORD before the Church was required to be responsible for caring for her. And should there be relatives that refused to assist the widow in their family, the Apostle Paul states that they by their actions and disobedience to the commandments of God had denied the Christian faith and were therefore worse than unbelievers.
Application: It is the responsibility of Christian believers to care for their senior parents or relatives, plain and simple. It should not be the responsibility of the “state”. Nursing homes are notorious for not providing adequate care to their paying residents. This writer, having worked in nursing homes, can attest to the mistreatment and abuse of the elderly, especially of the elderly man or woman suffering from dementia or any cognitive decline usually lumped in the name of Alzheimer’s. Chemical restraints via prescription drugs, cheap processed foods, lack of proper hygiene, exercise or social interaction all lead to depression and worsening of physical, emotional and mental symptoms. Often the neglect and abuse leads to early death. This writer has cared for parents, in-laws, other family members and senior friends in the community whose children refused to do the right thing, and even though it was tiring, stressful, and financially challenging, the LORD Jesus Christ provided just what was needed just at the right time. It can be done. It should be done. God commands it to be done. No excuse will stand up when before the LORD’s throne of judgement.
Verses 9-10 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
The Apostle Paul continues the requirement for Church support to widows by having an age requirement of 60 years old. She must also have only been married once. She must have been known for her good works to others such as properly raising children, being hospitable to strangers, being humble enough to serve other believers, being willing to help others in trouble or distress, and she must have been enterprising and have been supporting herself as she was able.
Verses 11-13 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; 12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. 13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
The Church, according to the Apostle Paul, should not be responsible for supporting younger widows and should refuse to do so. That may seem cruel, but younger women would be looking to remarry and would be more likely to take advantage of the goodness of the Church and then cast them off when a husband is found. Instead of looking for a means of support, they could rely on an income from the Church and then remain idle and get into trouble or cause trouble. Remember that the Apostle Paul was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost/Spirit so these commands to Timothy are from God and not just the Apostle Paul’s personal ideas on church management.
Verses 14-15 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
The idea here is that if women are married and having children, they are too busy managing the affairs of their household to engage in behaviors such as gossip that harms the Church and is a poor testimony to the unsaved. Apparently the Apostle Paul was aware of some women who had turned away from the LORD and followed after Satan and he wanted Timothy to be able to deal with this situation should it arise in the church in which he was ministering.
Verse 16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
Here the Apostle Paul is commanding Christian men and women who have widowed relatives to be responsible for them so that the Church’s resources can be used for those women who have no family at all or who are “widows indeed”.
Application: In this chapter the Apostle Paul has spent a good deal of time telling Timothy how God wants the Church to handle the situation pertaining to widows in the congregation. This is not in any way to be confused with charitable giving in other situations such as when a man or woman encounters an unexpected expense and cannot pay for it, so they reach out to the Church for help. It is proper, if the Church has the means, to pay an electrical bill for someone who is sick and cannot work. What is not proper is for widowed women to be supported for an indefinite period of time if they have family elsewhere that can assist them. And if a Christian man or woman refuses to step in and care for a widowed family member, he/she will have to answer to God because it is a sin. Plain and simple.
Verses 17-18 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
Application: Those men in the Church who work hard so that the congregation can have a well run, Godly church, should be appreciated and honored or valued highly. Those men who keep the lights on by changing burned out bulbs, or who mow and edge the grass and clean up the flower beds should be thanked for what they do. They should not be hampered in any way by unreasonable demands or by criticisms from others. A thank you card or a word of encouragement goes a long way. Just as the ox that goes round and round all day stomping on the grain so that it can be gathered from the chaff will do a better job if he is allowed to eat some of the grain as he goes along and so is rewarded for his labor, so will people in the Church do a better job if supported and appreciated by those they are voluntarily serving.
Verses 19-20 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Just as there is church etiquette, there is also church discipline. The Apostle Paul is very clear that if an elder in the Church is sinning, they are to be rebuked publicly. The Greek word translated as “rebuke” is “elegcho” and it means to convict, to expose, to correct, to call to account, to show one his fault, or to demand an explanation. So dealing with an elder’s sin in a secretive manner so that the congregation or the community in which the church is located is not aware is not how God wants this situation to be handled. Why? Because just like public hangings back in the day tended to encourage people not to behave in a criminal manner, so exposing an elder will encourage the people in the church to not sin against God and against His people. The bottom line is that if God says to do something and people don’t agree with it, it should be done anyway. God is God. Obedience to His commandments is not negotiable. And church leaders are to set an example for others and need to be above reproach.
Application: This writer has had occasion to be attending a church when an accusation of sexual misconduct was put forward by a teenage member of the congregation against a man volunteering in the youth group. There was no support for the claim and there were no witnesses. In fact, other teenagers that were present when this inappropriate behavior was supposed to have happened stated that they saw or heard nothing wrong. The pastor and the church board did not follow the words of the Apostle Paul above, but decided on their own that the man was guilty and they removed him from the youth group and demanded he go to counseling to determine if he was indeed a predator. He went to the counseling session one time because he thought it would prove his innocence, and had to leave because the way the psychiatrist was to determine his attitude towards young girls was to connect him to sensory electrodes that would monitor his vital signs, etc., and then force him to watch pornographic videos. Being a Christian man, he could not put evil into his mind via the videos. So because he did not finish the psychiatric testing, the pastor and board asked him to leave the church. Later the teenage girl admitted that she had been trying to flirt with this man and was angry that she could not get his attention, so she made up the story to punish him. The pastor and board did not offer an apology. The Christian man kicked out of his church isolated himself and was afraid to go to another church in town as his reputation had been ruined. The pastor and the church board were more worried about “bad press” from this incident than they were about finding the truth. If they had followed the instructions above, the whole thing could have been avoided. This writer left that church as its leadership could not be trusted and was not following Scriptural commandments.
Verse 21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
This is pretty clear – no partiality or special favors to any member of the congregation or to the leadership. Just as the LORD is no respecter of persons, so should all Christian believers follow His example.
Verse 22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
The Church lays hands on people to pray for healing and to pray for an anointing by the Holy Ghost/Spirit. One should always ask people if it is alright to touch them before doing so. But this verse could also be referring to something other than a spiritual function such as to attack or assault some one. The meanings of the Greek words used here do not specify a clear meaning so you decide. But certainly Timothy, being in the service of the LORD Jesus Christ, should not get involved in other people’s sins and should keep himself spiritually clean. The Greek word translated as “pure” is “hagnos” and it means sacred, pure from carnality, chaste, modest, pure from every fault, and clean. This is good advice for all Christian believers.
Verse 23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
Apparently Timothy had digestive or gastrointestinal problems that the Apostle Paul thought would be better treated with wine. Wine in Scripture can be both fermented or just unfermented grape juice. Either way, this statement or advice to Timothy was not and is not promoting alcoholism as the words “a little” are included. In cultures where the drinking of “a little wine” with meals is acceptable and the norm, it is reported that there is better digestion and less gastric upsets.
Verses 24-25 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. 25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. (1 Timothy 5)
The Greek word translated as “open beforehand” is “prodelos” and it means openly evident, known to all, or manifest. What the Apostle Paul is saying here is that the sins of some are very evident and known before death and judgement, whereas the sins of some are hidden and will be known at the time of judgement. In contrast, the good works of some are very evident and known before death and judgement for a job well done and that the good works really cannot be hid or concealed as people benefit from good works.