1 Timothy 5:16

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. IF ANY ... HAVE WIDOWS - of his family, however related to him. 'Aleph (') A C G g omit "man or," and read, 'If any woman that believeth.' Delta f support received text. He was speaking of younger widows: he now says, If any believing young widow have widows related to her needing support, let her relieve them, thereby easing the church of the burden (1 Timothy 5:3) (there it was the children and grandchildren; here it is the young widow, who, in order to avoid idleness and wantonness (Ezekiel 16:49; 1 Timothy 5:1...

16_If any believer_. It being customary for every one willingly to throw his own burdens on the whole Church, on this account he expressly enjoins that it be guarded against. He speaks of believers who ought to support their widows; for, as to those widows who renounced a wicked relationship, it was proper that they should be received by the Church. And if they act a sinful part, who, by sparing themselves, allow the Church to be burdened with expense, let us learn from this in what aggravated sacrilege they are involved, who, by fraud or robbery, profane what was once dedicated to the Church....

9-16 Every one brought into any office in the church, should be free from just censure; and many are proper objects of charity, yet ought not to be employed in public services. Those who would find mercy when they are in distress, must show mercy when they are in prosperity; and those who show most readiness for every good work, are most likely to be faithful in whatever is trusted to them. Those who are idle, very seldom are only idle, they make mischief among neighbours, and sow discord among brethren. All believers are required to relieve those belonging to their families who are destitute, that the church may not be prevented from relieving such as are entirely destitute and friendless....

Verse 16. _IF ANY MAN OR WOMAN THAT BELIEVETH_] If any _Christian man_ or _woman_ have poor _widows_, which are their relatives, _let them relieve them _- provide them with the necessaries of life, and not _burden the Church_ with their maintenance, that the funds may be spared for the support of those _widows_ who were employed in its service, teaching children, visiting the sick, c., c. For the performing of such offices it is very likely that none but _widows_ were employed and these were chosen, other things being equal, out of the most indigent of the widows, and therefore called by the apostle, here and in 1 Timothy 5:3, αἱς οντως χηραι, _widows indeed_-widows desolate, without support, and without relatives. See note on 1 Timothy 5:10....

IF ANY MAN OR WOMAN THAT BELIEVETH - Christians are often simply called “believers,” because faith is the leading and most important act of their religion. HAVE WIDOWS - Widowed mothers, or grandmothers, or any other widows whose support would naturally devolve on them. LET THEM RELIEVE THEM - That is, let them support them. This was an obvious rule of duty; see the notes on 1 Timothy 5:8. Nothing can be more unreasonable than to leave those who are properly dependent on us to be supported by others, when we are able to maintain them ourselves. THAT IT MAY RELIEVE, ... - That it may have the means of supporting those who are truly dependent. To require or expect the Church, therefore, to support those whom we ought ourselves to supp

EXPOSITION 1 TIMOTHY 5:1 _Exhort _for _intreat_,_ _A.V.; _and _omitted. REBUKE NOT (μὴ ἐπιπλήξης); only here in the New Testament for the more usual ἐπιτιμάω (2 Timothy 4:2, and frequently in the Gospels) or ἐλέγχω, as Titus 1:13; Titus 2:15; Revelation 3:19, and elsewhere. In classical Greek it expresses a sharp castigation with words. Compare the "patruae verbera linguae" (Hor., 'Od.,' 3.

IF ANY MAN OR WOMAN THAT BELIEVETH HAVE WIDOWS,.... That is, if any member of a church, whether a brother or a sister, have mothers or grandmothers, or any near relations widows, in mean circumstances, and incapable of taking care of themselves: LET THEM RELIEVE THEM; out of their own substance; which is what the apostle before calls showing piety at home, and requiting their own parents: AND LET NOT THE CHURCH BE CHARGED; or burdened with the maintenance of them: THAT IT MAY RELIEVE THEM THAT ARE WIDOWS INDEED; that the church may be in a better capacity, its stock not being expended on others, to supply the wants of those who are really widows; who have neither husbands, nor children, nor any relations, to provide for them; nor anything in the world to support themselves with....

1 TIMOTHY 5:16 pisth, {B} Instead of pisth, (a A C F Ggr P 33 81 1739 1881 itmon vg copsa, bo ethpp _al_) the Textus Receptus reads pisto.j h' pisth, with D K L Y most minuscules itar, b, d, o syrp, h _al_. While it is possible that pisto.j h; was omitted accidentally through an oversight in copying, a majority of the Committee, observing that the shorter reading is somewhat better attested than the longer reading, regarded the latter as a natural expansion made by copyists who, in light of ver. 1...

V. INSTRUCTIONS AND EXHORTATIONS CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Concerning widows (1 Timothy 5:1)_ 2. Concerning elders (1 Timothy 5:17) 3. Responsibility and personal instructions (1 Timothy 5:22) 1 Timothy 5:1 It is not necessary to follow all these instructions in detail and explain their meaning. An elder was not to be rebuked sharply, but to be entreated as a father, and younger men as brethren. Then he speaks of widows. Those who are widows indeed are to be held in honor. Piety was to be shown at home, if they had children. “She that is a widow indeed, and desolate (left alone) trusteth in

WIDOWS. The space devoted to widows indicates the existence of a special difficulty in Asia. Paul gives Timothy definite instructions. (_a)_ Deserving widows really left alone should be maintained from Church funds (1 Timothy 5:3). (_b)_ The funds, however, must not be burdened by widows with descendants or friends capable of assisting. Descendants must make it their first charge to fulfil the family obligation involved. Otherwise they disown the Christian way of life, and acknowledge a standard lower than that of unbelievers (1 Timothy 5:4; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Timothy 5:16). (_c_) The mark of a true widow is that, avoiding