1 Timothy 5:4

Rec. text inserts καλὸν καὶ (from ch. 1 Timothy 2:3) before ἀπόδεκτον with some cursives and versions; om. אACD2GKLP.

4. This verse is parenthetical. If a widow has children or grandchildren, pious care for her needs is their duty.

The nominative to μανθανέτωσαν has been understood variously by commentators; e.g. the Vulgate has discat and Chrysostom makes χῆραι the subject, ‘If any widows have offspring, their first duty is to their own households.’ But this introduces an idea foreign to the context and does not afford a good sense for ἀμοιβὰς�; also εὐσεβεῖν is more appropriate of children than of parents. We therefore take τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα as the subject of μανθανέτωσαν.

ἔκγονα is not found elsewhere in the N.T., nor is ἀμοιβή; but ἔκγονος occurs often in the LXX. (cp. Sir 40:15) and ἀμοιβή is a common word (though not in LXX. yet in Aq.). πρόγονοι is only found in N.T. here and at 2 Timothy 1:3, but we have it in Sir 8:5; 2Ma 8:19; 2Ma 11:25, in its usual sense of dead ancestors. Plato, however (Laws XI. 931 E), applies it, as here, to living parents: it is perhaps used by the writer in this verse to balance ἔκγονα. The A.V. nephews now conveys a wrong meaning for ἔκγονα, but in 1611 the word nephew signified grandchild.

πρῶτον. Respect to parents is the first duty of children; if it is in their power they are bound further to requite them (ἀμοιβὰς�.) for their care.

τὸν ἵδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν, to shew piety towards their own household. The peculiar obligation of the duty is marked by the use of ἴδιον; the support of widowed parents should not be left to the charity of the Church where the children are old enough to undertake the responsibility. see on 2 Timothy 1:5.

For ἀπόδεκτος see on 1 Timothy 2:3.