1 Timothy 5:9

The Qualifications for Widows to be Enrolled

1 Timothy 5:9 “A widow is to be put on the list only if”: The expression “put on the list” means “to set down on. list, to register, to enroll” (Thayer p. 333). Used only here in the New Testament, it is the regular classical word for enrolling enlisting soldiers, hence our English word “catalogue”.

Some here have attempted to argue that Paul is creating an “office” of widowed women who were appointed by the church to perform certain acts of charity, such as the care of orphans, the supervision of the younger women, and so on. Yet such goes against the context of these verses. These widows have already lived. life of faithful service (1 Timothy 5:10), and the issue of this chapter is not church work, but rather financial support for widows with no dependents (1 Timothy 5:3-4). Remember, the church can help any Christian widow (Acts 6:1 ff), but this chapter is talking about permanent and ongoing support. These are widows that the congregation would permanently support until they died.

1 Timothy 5:9 “If”: Definite qualifications exist.

1 Timothy 5:9 “She is not less than sixty years old”: We should note that God selected this age, thus there is His wisdom behind why this was the cut-off point. Remember, the Bible grants permission for widows to remarry (1 Corinthians 7:39).. widow over sixty does have the right to remarry, but she would not be. “widow indeed” seeing that now she would have someone to care for her needs.

1 Timothy 5:9 “Having been the wife of one man”: This woman first must have been married in order to qualify as. “widow”. Secondly, such an expression means that this woman had been faithful to her husband.

Many argue that the above expression does not mean she could have only been married once, seeing that Paul's instructions to the younger widows to marry (1 Timothy 5:14), would bar them from support in their old age (if their second husband died). And this appears to be the main reason, or only real argument, why someone would interpret “wife of one man” as meaning, “a wife of one man at. time”.

First, the church can support any Christian widow. The widow indeed is. specific type of widow, one who was completely alone. Remember, this type of widow has no living husband or children. Secondly, Paul did give women advice that would have prevented them from becoming. “widow indeed”, that is he advised younger widows to have more children (1 Timothy 5:14), and in the Corinthian letter he advised some not to get married in the first place (1 Corinthians 7:28).

According the Arndt and Gingrich, the term “one” here means, “single, only one”. The reader should be aware that the NIV renders this passage “has been faithful to her husband”. But such. rendering is an interpretation of “wife of one man” and not. translation.