1 Timothy Chapter 5
Instructions about Specific Groups
5:1 Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers,
Paul gave Timothy some divine inspiration on how to pastor a church. Timothy was not to rebuke an elder publicly, but he was to speak to him in private. He was not to be a know-it-all. He was to speak to the younger men as he would a brother.
5:2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters – with complete purity.
A pastor of a church needs to be very careful when dealing with members of the opposite sex. The new morality and sexual freedom cannot and will not work in the local church. The new morality is simply old sin with a different title.
5:3 Honor widows who are truly in need.
The Greek word for "honor" is τιμάω (timaow), a present active imperative verb, meaning a command to continually value the widow as an extremely important person. Many cultures do not value widows. They treat them as extra baggage. Many cultures expect the widow to die and be buried immediately with her husband. God places a great value on widows. They are not to be extra-baggage. They are to be treated special.
The first problem of the early church was their unfair treatment of widows. The Gentile widows were receiving more care than the Jewish widows. Deacons were created to solve this problem. One of these deacons accused the Sanhedrin of murdering their own Messiah. Another deacon explained Isaiah 53 to the Ethiopian eunuch, opening up the gospel to Africa. Deacons were created to make sure that the widows were receiving care from the local church.
5:4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God.
If a widow has children or grandchildren, then they are to support her. If they are not, then the deacons need to find out why they are neglecting their duty.
5:5 But the widow who is truly in need, and completely on her own, has set her hope on God and continues in her pleas and prayers night and day.
The prayers of this lonely widow hold the church together. The deacons are to check up on her to make sure that she is receiving proper care.
5:6 But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
If the widow is living in pleasure, then the deacons would be better off spending their time with the more lonely widows.
5:7 Reinforce these commands, so that they will be beyond reproach.
The elders were to make sure that the deacons were treating the widows with honor.
5:8 But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
The widow is to be taken care of by her own flesh and blood, or they are worse than an unbeliever. They are worse than infidels. They are worse than Adolph Hitler.
5:9 No widow should be put on the list unless she is at least sixty years old, was the wife of one husband,
If a widow was under sixty, she could still work and help herself.
5:10 and has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress – as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works.
Elders were to look at the past life of the widow. If she was a godly woman, then she most likely would not report her condition. The deacons were to investigate the widow’s past life and determine her needs.
5:11 But do not accept younger widows on the list, because their passions may lead them away from Christ and they will desire to marry,
The young widow may decide to remarry, which she had liberty to do so. However, the deacons needed to check to make sure that the excitement of her new marriage did not lead her away from the faith.
5:12 and so incur judgment for breaking their former pledge.
The deacons were to be very careful in testing the young widows.
5:13 And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not.
The danger of a young widow is that she may replace her loneliness with gossip.
5:14 So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us.
Many cultures despised widows and buried them with their husbands. Paul commanded that she start a new life.
5:15 For some have already wandered away to follow Satan.
These widows were not genuine believers, but professing believers warned about in the last chapter. Satanism was big in the Greco-Roman culture, especially for widows who were dead to society. When society rejected them, they warred against society by becoming witches.
5:16 If a believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are truly in need.
Family members were to assist the widows in their immediate family. The church was to concentrate on the widows without family.
5:17 Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.
Elders were to be supported by the congregation so that they could study and teach the Word of God. The elders were so valuable to the community that they were to receive double pay. If you take the average salary of the congregation, then the elders were to receive double. The church does not want the elders to concentrate on material needs. Also notice that there were some elders who taught and some who did not. The teaching elders were to be paid more.
5:18 For the scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker deserves his pay.”
Paul quoted Deuteronomy 25:4. The congregation is not to deny material food to the pastor-teacher who is feeding them spiritual food.
5:19 Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
If elders are teaching the Word of God, then Satan will attack them by friends and even family members. The elders are to be protected. No accusations should be accepted unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. Elders are not to listen to the gossip of the congregation. Gossip is a weapon of the enemy and it must be recognized and dealt with by the elders.
5:20 Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest.
If an elder sins, he should be rebuked before the congregation. If an elder with strong Bible doctrine accepts rebuke, then this should be an example to the flock.
5:21 Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind.
Paul commanded Timothy to run the church in the manner described. Timothy was not to show favoritism to the wealthy member who gave more to the church. Not only was an apostle watching Timothy, but so was God, Christ Jesus, and the elect angels. Elders today are watched by elect angels to see if they are carrying out their God-given responsibilities.
5:22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Once an elder was selected, then the congregation laid hands on him as a symbolic gesture of identification. The congregation was identifying the elder as their leader in God's sight. Timothy was told not to lay hands, nor make an elder to lay hands, on a new convert. A new convert had not had ample time to master Bible doctrine. He will teach error and make human viewpoint decisions, which will hurt the church.
5:23 (Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.)
Alcoholics use this verse to support their drinking habits. Wine was used as a stomach medicine. Paul had the gift of healing early in his ministry. The purpose of this gift was to authenticate that the words that he taught were from God. These gifts were only given to the apostles and their legates. Later in Paul's ministry, as the New Testament was being completed, these apostolic gifts disappeared. This is why Paul is telling Timothy to take medicine. Many cults and isms and even some churches make the false claim that Christians are not to be sick and they are to pray to God and not take medicine. In this example, Paul prayed and prescribed medicine.
5:24 The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later.
Sometimes God judges a sin immediately. Sometimes the judgment comes later. God is merciful and sometimes slow to act. The believer may think that he is getting away with sin. However, God will act and judge when the cup of iniquity is full. God will often give him time to judge himself and confess his sin. God will not allow His children to continue in sin. He will spank them and restore them when needed. God is slow, but He is never late. God is love, but He is also judge. A good and perfect God will not allow sin in His heaven. Either the Bible will keep you out of sin or sin will keep you out of the Bible.
5:25 Similarly good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden.