CHAPTER V From matters relating to the strictly personal state and behaviour of Timothy, the apostle now proceeds to give a series of directions in respect to the proper method of dealing with persons differently situated as to age and position in life. _Reprimand not an elderly person, but exhort h... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 3. _Honour widows that are widows indeed._ It is questioned whether the honouring here enjoined is to be understood in the general sense of showing deference and respect to one, or in the more specific sense of ministering support, relieving and raising one's condition: a very needless question... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 4. _If, however, any widow has children or grandchildren_ (ἔκγονα, offspring; but remoter than children, τέκνα, τέκνων, Hesych. grandchildren, which was once also the meaning of our _nephews_), _let them first learn to show piety at home_ (or toward their own house), _and requite their parents:... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 5. Turning, then, from such widows and their families to those whom he wished more particularly to press on the notice of Timothy and the officers of the church, the apostle says: _But she who is a widow indeed_ (a widow in the full and proper sense), _and desolate, has set her hope on God, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 6. _But she that lives deliciously_ (or wantonly; σπαταλῶσα occurs only again in James 5:5), _is dead while she lives:_ the reverse of the true widow, who was represented as comparatively dead to the world, and alive to God, this person appears to have a relish only for the world and its pleasu... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 7. _And these things enjoin, in order that they may be without reproach_ namely, the parties referred to in the preceding statements widows more particularly, but along with them also the families which belonged to some of them. They are consequently supposed to be connected with the Christian... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 8. _But if any one provides not for his own_ (that is, his near relatives), _and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever._ Special respect is probably had in this strong declaration to a class of relatives previously mentioned the children... [ Continue Reading ]
Vers. 9, 10. Very few parts of this epistle have given rise to greater diversity of opinion than the instruction contained in these verses; and from the scantiness of our information respecting the domestic economy of the churches in the earliest times, it may be difficult to present a view of the p... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 11. _But younger widows decline_ namely, to put on the list of widows entitled to special guardianship and sustenance on the part of the church. The reason follows: _for when they shall become wanton_ (The future, καταστρηνιάσωσιν, seems the better reading, being that of א, C, D, K, L.) _agains... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 12. Hence the severe judgment pronounced on their case: _having condemnation, because they made void their first faith_ not broke their vow or promise to the church to remain in perpetual widowhood, and which, if it had been referred to, could at most have been designated their _former_, not th... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 13. Other proofs are here given of their tendency in that direction, and such as would naturally grow by the comparative ease in which they might be enabled to live in consequence of the pecuniary support ministered to them by the church. _Moreover, they learn also to be idle, going about from... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 14. _I wish, therefore, that the younger_ [widows] this is certainly what must be supplied, widows alone being the subject of discourse, not generally women _marry, bear children, manage the house, give no occasion for reproach to the adversary._ The therefore indicates the connection with what... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 16. _If any woman that believes hath widows, let support be given to them,_ (There are two variations here from the received text. The first and most important i s the simple πιστη ́ (instead of πιστο ́ ς ἠ ̀ πιστη ́), the reading of א, A, C, F, G, P, also the Vulg. as represented by the Cod.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 17. _Let the elders who govern_ (or preside) _well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in word and teaching._ That elders alone are mentioned in connection with the government or presidency of the churches, is again a clear proof that they were the only spiritual ov... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 18. _For the Scripture saith,_ the _for_ implying that the passage to be quoted supports the sentiment just expressed, _Thou shalt not muzzle an ox while treading out,_ namely, the corn; or, as it might be expressed, Thou shalt not muzzle an ox when threshing. But the form of expression points... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 19. _Against an elder_ (that is, manifestly, one in the presbyteral office) _receive not an accusation, except it be_ (ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ, a double negative to strengthen the proviso) _upon two or three witnesses,_ namely, upon their united testimony as the ground of formal proceedings. According to t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 20. _Those that sin rebuke before all, in order that the rest also may have fear._ The participle being employed to designate the offending parties, τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, implies more than an occasional act of transgression; it denotes persons who are given to sinning, or are known as sinners. Suc... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 21. _I solemnly charge thee before God and Christ Jesus,_ (This is undoubtedly the correct reading, being that of א, A, D, F, Ital., Vulg., Cop., Ǣth., etc., while the received text, Κυρι ́ ου Ἰη. Χ, has quite inferior support.) _and the elect angels, that thou keep these things without prejud... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 22. _Lay hands on no one hastily:_ with what design? Was it for ordination to ecclesiastical offices? or absolution from scandalous offences? The latter view has found not a few supporters both in former and present times; it is advocated at great length by Hammond, who adduces quotations from... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 23. _No longer drink water_ that is, water exclusively _but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thy frequent ailments._ The direction here given is in itself plain enough. For some reason not specified, but probably from a desire to testify against prevailing excess by the strictest e... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 24. _The sins of some men are manifest_ πρόδηλοί, the πρό having respect to place rather than to time, manifest before or in the sight of men _going before to judgment; with some, again, they follow after._ The connection of this passage with the preceding cannot be regarded as very close. That... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 25. _In like manner also, the works that are good are manifest, and those that are otherwise cannot be hid._ The τὰ before καλὰ is evidently designed to give prominence to the quality of the actions as good; and this is best brought out in the English idiom by rendering, not _the good works_, b... [ Continue Reading ]