1 Timothy 5:8

“If anyone does not provide for his own”: The term “provide” means to “take thought for, think of beforehand”. That is, providing for one's own means, making plans now for the future care of our parents when they become aged. “It is. Christian duty thus to foresee and to provide for one's dependents” (Hiebert p. 94). How many younger Christians now are making plans so they can care for their parents when their parents cannot care for themselves?

1 Timothy 5:8 “His own”: That is, parents or grandparents, even though they might not be living with you. It seems that this could also include taking care of Christian relatives, such as aunts and uncles or brothers and sisters who might not have any children to care for them.

1 Timothy 5:8 “And especially for those of his household”: Which means that the expression, “his own” includes more than those family members who are just in his immediate household. “His own people and especially the members of his family” (Arndt p. 708).

1 Timothy 5:8 “Especially”: Chiefly, most of all, above all (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 5:17).

1 Timothy 5:8 “Household”: Related by blood, kindred (Thayer p. 439). “Of all the members of. household, member of one's family” (Arndt p. 556).

1 Timothy 5:8 “He has denied the faith”: That is, has denied doctrines that compose the faith (Ephesians 6:2; Mark 7:9).

1 Timothy 5:8 “Worse than an unbeliever”: “First, it is worse to claim to possess the true teaching and then flagrantly deny it, than to make no such claim” (Reese p. 225). “When pagan moralists and infidels in contemporary society acknowledged their obligation to their parents, it is unthinkable that Christian morality should lag behind general pagan standards” (p. 226).

Even unbelievers support their parents and grandparents and express love towards family members (Matthew 5:44). Compare with 1 Corinthians 5:1.