1 Timothy 5:14

“Therefore”: In view of these pitfalls.

1 Timothy 5:14 “I want younger widows to get married”: The very fact that they married the first time indicates that they will have sexual desires. These are not women who like some men have. gift to live. single life (1 Corinthians 7:7).

1 Timothy 5:14 “Bear children, keep house”: To bear children implies their training as well (1 Timothy 2:15). To keep house means to manage and direct the household affairs.

1 Timothy 5:14 “And give the enemy no occasion for reproach”: The “enemy” can refer to both. human being opposed to the gospel and the devil himself. “Any human enemy of Christ, any sneering worldly man, who delights to find any flaws in the character of Christ's followers” (Reese p. 238). Any misconduct by Christian widows would give unbelievers an opportunity to discredit the church and the gospel message. The term “reproach” means, “railing, abuse, verbal abuse”. If the younger Christian widow will marry, bear children and manage the home, she will be greatly limiting the enemy's opportunity to criticism. “The world is quick to use any scandal to discredit the Church. It is always true that ‘the greatest handicap the Church has is the unsatisfactory lives of professing Christians'” (Barclay p. 133).

Please note that God does not feel that domestic duties are unimportant, rather, such duties can be. powerful argument for the attractiveness of Christianity. Hiebert notes, “Paul conceived of the home as the woman's intended sphere, the place where she finds her security from social dangers; there her womanly qualities find their full play” (p. 100). See also Titus 2:3.