Introductory remarks:
In this chapter Paul will give Timothy details about the duties of the one who will serve the assembly. "He tells Timothy to treat his elders as parents and the younger ones as brothers and sisters when he has to correct them. Care for widows only if they have no family. Anyone who neglects his family is denying the faith. Women under 60 should remarry and take care of their homes, because if the church takes them in they will cause trouble because of their idle lives. He instructs Timothy to publicly criticize sin so everyone will learn from it, to be impartial, to avoid hasty judgments and to keep his reputation pure. Some works of men are overtly good or bad but the hidden sins or good, will be discovered eventually" (A Survey of 1 Timothy - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: Duties toward others vv. 1-25.
Duties toward Others
Verse 1, "Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father: and the younger men as brethren."
LGT "Do not sharply rebuke an elder, but exhort [him] as a father; younger [men] as brothers."
Do not sharply rebuke an elder: Paul tells Timothy the proper way to correct an older man, that is, old an honored church-member, and could mean an overseer or superintendent. I do not believe that there were officers, as such, but the assembly was structured, as a family, with the older men in the faith, who had grace doctrine in their souls; they were the overseers or superintendents. But exhort him as a father: Paul tells Timothy he should urge and encourage him as if he were his father. Younger men as brothers: and Timothy should do the same to the younger men because they are his brothers; and I take it a step farther, a brother of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Paul gives this advice to the young Timothy in order that no one may despise his youth; for the entire purpose of any "rebuke" is not to punish them, but to bring them back into a position of fellowship. Sin separates the believer from fellowship with the Lord, and when a believer is out of fellowship with the Lord, there is no fellowship in the family. In other words, Paul is telling Timothy not to be a spiritual bully, but a loving servant sent to them by Paul; he was not sent there to straighten people out, but nurture them and edify them in grace.
Verse 2, "The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity."
LGT "Elder [women] as mothers, younger [women] as sisters, with all purity."
This verse proves to me that the first church assembly was not structured after the synagogue with political officers with titles. The same Greek word is used for "older women" except it is in the feminine gender, presbuteras. Now women were not to usurp authority over a man, so if presbuteros, in the masculine gender meant elder in the sense of a bishop, as the word means today of being a Pastor with authority over the congregation, women would also be bishops and pastors. I believe the first church was structured as a family of God worshipping God by fellowshipping in the Word of God. Paul gives the same advice to Timothy regarding older women and younger women that he gave to the older men and younger men in verse 1. It was a family, and Timothy was to treat them as family.
Verse 3, "Honor widows that are widows indeed."
LGT "Honor widows that [are] widows indeed."
This peculiar sentence is very hard to identify. We know that widows and orphans are to be cared for by the church; so it seems logical to me that Paul is telling Timothy that they should care for those widows who have no other family to help (explained in the next verse), and that would explain the phrase, "widows indeed."
Verse 4, "but if any have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God."
LGT "But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let them learn first to be pious [as to] their own house, and to render recompense to [their] ancestors; for this is acceptable before God."
But if any widow have children or grandchildren: we hit on this briefly in the last verse, for these would not be widows who need help from the church proper. Let them learn first to be pious as to their own house: piety, that is faithfulness in the respect of caring for the widows, begins in the home; we should always care for our immediate family. And to render recompense to their ancestors: the widow is unable to supply her own maintenance so that her family should pick it up, that is the meaning of the word 'recompense" in this context. For this is acceptable before God: "There is no reason why any one should think that it has its origin in the opinion of man (that family members are responsible for widows); but God hath so ordained" (Calvin). It does not matter what men say, but it is of unparalleled importance what God has ordained; this is grace doctrine!
Verse 5, "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day."
LGT "Now she who [is] a widow indeed, and left alone, has [her] hope in God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day:"
Now she who is a widow indeed: this we have explained in verse 3 as widows without a family to help. And left alone: without any family to help, and left to fend for herself. Has her hope in God: is completely depended on God, and therefore, on God's family also. And continues in supplications and prayers night and day: Given to praying without ceasing, not praying all night and day, but during the daytime and during the nighttime. She not only prays for herself, she makes supplications for the well being of the whole assembly; she is a godly woman who relies completely on the Father.
Verse 6, "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth."
LGT "But she that liveth in self-gratification, is dead living."
But she that liveth in self-gratification: in contrast to the widow who trusts in God Paul describes the widow who lives luxuriously, and indulges her appetites in every sensual way, feeding her senses with 'eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." Is dead living: is of no use to anyone, not even herself, for she is as industrious as a corpse.
Verse 7, "And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless."
LGT "And these things charge, in order that they may be irreproachable."
Paul is telling Timothy to teach the church about these things in order that they might not fall into the snare of being irresponsible, and get caught up abusing these doctrines, especially in families taking care of their widowed mothers.
Verse 8, "But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."
LGT "But if anyone does not provide for his own, especially [his] own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever."
But if anyone does not provide for his own: "his own" means those who are directly related to him by blood. Especially his own household: his own wife and children. He has denied the faith: he has abandoned the teachings of the gospel of grace in this matter. His actions are not consistent with the faith he professes. And is worse than an infidel: this is regarding his actions here and now, for even if he is a complete lazy looser, he is better off eternally; but he is a looser when the crowns are passed out at the judgment seat of Christ. Even the unbeliever takes care of his own, as a natural coarse of action. Barnes notes on this phrase: "The doctrine here is, (1.) That a Christian ought not to be inferior to an unbeliever in respect to any virtue; (2.) that in all that constitutes true virtue he ought to surpass him; (3.) that the duties which are taught by nature ought to be regarded as the more sacred and obligatory from the fact that God has given us a better religion; and (4.) that a Christian ought never to give occasion to an enemy of the gospel to point to a man of the world and say, 'there is one who surpasses you in any virtue'."
Verse 9, "Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man."
LGT "Let none be enrolled a widow being less than sixty years old, being wife of one man."
Let none be enrolled a widow: be enrolled on a list in the church for those who would receive support from the assembly. Being less than sixty years old: younger than this they were supposed that they could work and take care of themselves. Being wife of one man: Paul is not against second marriage, and a widow under the age of sixty might consider another marriage.
Verse 10, "Well reported for good works; if she brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work."
LGT "Being borne witness to good works, if she brought up children, if she entertained strangers, if she washed saints' feet, if to the oppressed she offered relief, if she followed after every good work."
Being borne witness to good works: being witnessed to by others as a good and faithful woman. If she brought up children: if she brought her children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and that the children respect authority and are well mannered. Paul is not against barren widows; that is why he has these other qualifications. If she entertained strangers: if she was hospitable to Christian strangers. If she washed saints feet: this was an oriental custom of the washing the feet of those who came to visit; they would have traveled on dusty roads and wearing sandals the feet would get dirty, and the mistress of the house would have a basin at the entrance of the house, and she would wash the visitors feet; this is closely related to the hospitality of entertaining strangers. This washing of feet was never intended by the Lord to become a ritual in order to receive God's approval. If to the oppressed she offered relief: if it was in her character to offer help to those in sorrow and suffering. If she followed after every good work: if she does not seek her own welfare first, but is conscientiously aware of the needs of others, and is ready and willing to help in all that she is able.
Verse 11, "But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry."
LGT "But younger widows refuse: for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they wish to marry:"
But the younger widows refuse: they lack experience and they have other interests (Robertson). Paul is not telling Timothy to excommunicate the younger widows, but simply that they have not the same subdued calm nature as the older widow, and should not be enrolled with the older widows. For when they have grown stubborn against Christ: through their own passions that are occupying their minds. These younger widows could not be depended on. They wish to marry: getting married again is occupying their minds, and this can be quite a challenge in their desires. Paul is not saying it is wrong for them to re-marry; it is simply that this is the central thought occupying their minds. Their minds are not Christ centered.
Verse 12, "Having damnation, because they have cast off their faith."
LGT "Having judgment because they cast off [their] first faith."
"It is not that younger widows are condemned for marrying again. What is condemned is this. A young husband dies; and the widow, in the bitterness of sorrow and on the impulse of the moment, decides to remain a widow all her life and to dedicate her life to the church, but later she changes her mind and remarries . . . What complicated this matter very much was the social background of the times. It was next to impossible for a single or a widowed woman to earn her living honestly. There was practically no trade or profession open to her. The result was inevitable; she was almost driven to prostitution in order to live. The Christian woman, therefore, had either to marry or to dedicate her life completely to the service of the church; there was no half-way house" (William Barclay). The term "having judgment" was not that they were condemned eternally; it meant that they had this on their consciences of breaking their vow, or their good intentions, as the case may be.
Verse 13, "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not."
LGT "And withal also they learn [to be] idle, going about to the houses; and not only idle, but also tattlers and busy-bodies, speaking things [they] ought not."
And withal also they learn to be idle: this widow who no longer has the responsibility of caring for her husband, and not having any children, not having any children to care for, and supported by the church, inactivity sets in to their ruin. Going about to the houses: having no interest in her own home, she gads about the neighborhood. And not only idle, but also tattlers and busybodies: they have no real interest except to cause unrest in others, for they have no stability in their own home. Having no interest at home, they stick their noses into the affairs of their neighbors, and begin spreading gossip. Speaking things they ought not: "Revealing the concerns of their neighbors; disclosing secrets; magnifying trifles, so as to exalt them selves into importance, as if they were entrusted with the secrets of others; inventing stories and tales of gossip, that they may magnify and maintain their own consequence in the community. No persons are commonly more dangerous to the peace of a neighborhood than those who have nothing to do" (Barnes).
Verse 14, "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully."
LGT "I desire therefore younger [ones] to marry, to bear children, to rule the house, to give no occasion to the adversary on account of reviling."
I desire therefore younger ones marry: there is no word for widow here, but is clearly understood by the context; the "therefore" connects this with the previous statements. To bear children, to rule the house: this is the woman's crowning glory, for nothing is more natural for a young woman than to bear children and keep order in her house, and this would take up her time in wonderful and proper pursuits. To give no occasion to the adversary on account of reviling: this adversary is not Satan, but his children.
William Pringle notes:
"Let us ponder well this doctrine of Paul: for, although he treats here of widows in particular, yet we are all admonished, that, in order to perform our duty towards God, it is not enough that our conscience be pure and clean, and that we walk without any bad disposition; but we ought likewise to add such prudence that enemies shall have their mouth shut when they wish to slander us, that their impudence may be known, and that we may always be ready to give an account of what we have done, and that they may have no pretence for blaspheming against the name of God and His Word, because there will be no appearance of evil in us. True, we cannot avoid being slandered; but let us always attend to this, that no occasion may be given on our part, or by our impudence."
Verse 15, "For some are already turned aside after Satan."
LGT "For already some are turned aside after Satan."
This does not mean that any believer leaves the Lord and accepts the ways of Satan, and lose their salvation; it does mean that some of these young women have let themselves get out of fellowship with the Lord and the other believers, and have become tattlers and busybodies. A believer out of fellowship becomes in many cases the same as the unbeliever in practice; however, the Lord will not let a believer stay in the pigpen too long.
Verse 16, "If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed."
LGT "If any believing woman have widows, let her impart relief to them, and let not the assembly be burdened, in order that to the widows indeed it may impart relief."
If any believing woman have widows: This is the literal translation, for "man" is omitted, and the meaning is, "If any Christian woman have relatives or persons attached to her household who are widows" (Vincent). Let her impart relief to them: Christian families should support their own if possible. And let not the assembly be burdened: each family needs to carry their own burden as far as it is possible, and not simply turn their loved ones over to other believers, just to make it easier, and not have the responsibility. In order that to the widows indeed it may impart relief: so that to the older widows that cannot marry and have children, or have no immediate family that may help them, so the assembly might concentrate their benevolence. Elderly widows who have no income are helpless and need our love and help.
Verse 17, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the Word and doctrine."
LGT "The overseers that take the lead well, let [them] be counted worthy of double honor, especially the ones who labor in [the] Word and teaching Doctrine."
The overseers that take the lead well: the ones who exercise their supernatural Holy Spirit given gift of pastor teacher diligently as unto the Lord; they teach grace doctrine as Paul taught them. Let them be counted worthy of double honor: from all that I can gather from reading different expositors, the double honor refers to the age and office of the overseer; I also believe that if his studies were such that he needed help in his maintaining his household, the rest of the assembly would help out in this area. Especially the ones who labor diligently as unto the Word and teaching Doctrine: I believe Paul is referring to one office not two. It seems as though there was a group of elders that were chosen from among the families, and that one overseer was elected as superintendent representing all the families, but not as an authority over them, but one who taught from experience and knowledge. The overseer was not to be expected to spend time in study without help from the family, especially if it took away from his usual employment. I do not believe that Paul expected the overseer to receive all his support from the assembly, at least, not as those pastor teachers of denominations receive today; that is, most of them that have huge congregations are filthy rich, because they are there for filthy lucre.
Verse 18, "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his reward."
LGT "For says the Scriptures: Thou shalt not muzzle the ox treading out corn, and, The workman is worthy of his hire."
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn: Paul is quoting Deut. 25:4, for the purpose of teaching Timothy that it was correct for the assembly to support the overseer they have chosen to be their teacher; in Ephesus Paul set Timothy up as their overseer. I hear this verse quoted today as if it is supporting men who have been set up as authorities over the assembly to also receive support. I believe that it is probably proper if the man is not able to work, and that he is spending at least eight hours a day studying God's Word, and then teaching Bible Doctrine the way God intended it to be taught. And that he is not running around on visitation, and playing golf three or four days a week. I also believe that the man should be able to work at a job that is not too strenuous, that it might not interfere with his study. I believe the teacher should not receive a wage that is higher than the medium wage of his congregation. I also believe that the assembly should be studying grace doctrine and not the way the assemblies are run today as one big rock concert. The church should be family oriented and run as an extension of each individual family. I also believe that no assembly should become too large, so that the so-called pastor teacher may live luxuriously and effeminately. I am profoundly saddened by the direction the Laodicean church is heading; we are in the age of apostasy, and I believe it will soon come to an end. The workman is worthy of his hire: Paul is quoting Luke 10:7; and it is to the same end as the last quote from Deuteronomy, with this added incentive; that the teacher should prepare at least eight hours a day, and let the visitation be the job of the other elders of the assembly. The teacher must be a workman, that is, labor at his studies, and then be paid a reasonable amount, as I said above, not more than the average working stiff in the family.
Verse 19, "against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses."
LGT "Against an elder receive not an accusation, unless on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses."
Accusations run wild against any man teaching grace doctrine, and unless two or three witnesses can prove it, Paul tells Timothy to ignore it, because it is probably slander. Any man who stands up for the truth will be maligned and will suffer persecution in one form or the other. The church should not, as the Roman Catholic Church, protect the minister from all charges, but it should be investigated, and if found true, they should be punished accordingly; not like the Church in Rome protecting child molesting priests.
Verse 20, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."
LGT "Those that sin convict before all, in order that the rest may have fear."
Those that sin convict before all: the elders that sin, because of their public office, they should be convicted publicly. In order that the rest may fear: the rest refers to his fellow elders. Calvin shows how the Roman Catholic Church ignores doctrine; 'And indeed, we see how great and diversified are the privileges by which Popery surrounds its clergy; so that, although the life of their monks and priests be the most wicked and dissolute that can be described, still they are exempted from all reproof."
Verse 21, "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality."
LGT "I earnestly testify before God and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that these things thou shouldest keep, apart from discriminating, doing nothing by partiality."
I earnestly testify before God and Christ Jesus: Paul often calls in God and Christ as his witness; I believe this also is to prove that he is speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And the elect angels: these are not a separate group of angels from the rest; these are the angels that did not fall with the other third, when Satan was cast out of heaven, they did not lose their first estate. That these things thou shouldest keep: "these things" refers to all that Paul had said so far in this epistle, and also what he will say in the rest. Apart from discriminating: "It is as important that there should be entire impartiality in the church as in civil transactions, and though it is not wrong for a minister of the gospel to have friends, yet in the administration of the affairs of the church he should remember that all are brethren, and all, of whatever rank, color, sex, or age, have equal rights." Glenda and I belonged to a small Baptist church that met in the woman's clubhouse in Upland Calif. The church went into a building program and that was its doom; from that point on it went down hill; the partiality to the rich people who donated money to the church became public notice; the pastor even bragged to me of the fact that he believed God had called him to reach the rich with the gospel. It was about two years after the building was complete when God called this pastor to another church, and the church became so liberal that we had to leave also. Doing nothing by partiality: the minister must treat every member as joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
Verse 22, "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure."
LGT "Lay hands hastily on no one, nor make common cause with sins of others: keep thyself pure."
Lay hands hastily on no one: this could be meant in ordaining someone to the ministry too soon, before they were prepared; or it could mean restoring an erring minister back into fellowship too soon, without first examining him thoroughly.
McGee makes this comment; I use his in order that you do not think I am simply against all denominations; which I am, by the way:
"If we exalt a young Christian to the position of a teacher before he is thoroughly grounded in the Word, the theology he teaches is apt to be weird theology. The church ought to be a place of instruction where the Word of God is taught and men and women are built up in the faith. Instead, today we often develop what I call Alka-Seltzer churches - its all fizz, foam, and froth, a lot of emotion, and a lot of talk about love, love, love. It is important that love be displayed in a church, but it needs to be anchored in the Word of God. Our mistake is that we often interpret some sort of experience as being the test of spiritual maturity. We've got the cart before the horse. The Word of God is the test, and experience can prove the truth of it. We can be certain that an experience which contradicts the clear teaching of the Bible is not from God at all."
Nor make common cause with sins of others: Paul is telling Timothy not to compromise what he knows to be the truth and let some young Christian take the leadership role too soon; for if he does he will be participating in his errors. Keep thyself pure: Paul is telling Timothy to keep on doing what he knows the gospel of grace teaches, and he will be pure from error.
Verse 23, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine infirmities."
LGT "Be No longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine on account of thy stomach and thy frequent infirmities."
Be No longer a drinker of water: Paul is not telling Timothy not to drink water at all, but simply to also drink wine. This is in opposition to the ascetics who were total abstainers. But use a little wine on account of thy stomach: "Observe that oinos here, as everywhere else, means wine, fermented and capable of intoxicating, and not a sweet syrup made by boiling down grape-juice, and styled by certain modern reformers 'unfermented wine.' Such a concoction would have tended rather to aggravate than to relieve Timothy's stomach ache or other infirmities" (Vincent). Without sounding foolhardy, it seems to me that Paul knew the benefits of drinking wine in moderation, and that it is beneficial to the digestive system as well as the heart; Paul taught moderation in all things; what is foolhardy is forbidding wine based on the fact that it can be done in excess to the detriment of the body. Modern day critics of wine are usually self-righteous modern day ascetics, who are telling people they should be like them, and not like other men who drink wine. And thy frequent infirmities: Timothy obviously had other physical problems which a little wine would help, otherwise Paul would not make the recommendation; Paul probably learned this from Luke who was his personal physician for some time. Let me startle some: "Jesus Christ also drank wine, in moderation, and never got drunk."
Verse 24, "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before judgment; and some men they follow after."
LGT "Of some men the sins are manifest, going before to judgment, and some also they follow after:"
Of some men the sins are manifest: their sins are openly manifest before all. Going before to judgment: Paul is telling Timothy that some men's sins are open to all and they need not wait for a trial, and they should not be introduced into the ministry. And some also they follow after: some of these men that desire to become ministers hide their sins by deception, but they will not escape in the long run. Paul is telling Timothy to be aware of these types, and put them to a rigid test in order to bring their deeds to light. "It ought not to be inferred from favorable appearances at once, or on slight acquaintance, that they are qualified for the office - for they may be of the number of those whose characters, now concealed or misunderstood, will be developed only on the final trial" (Barnes).
Verse 25, "Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid."
LGT "In like manner also good works are manifested, and those that are otherwise, cannot be hidden."
In like manner: the same principle as regarding evil works applies to good works. Also good works are manifest: some men's good works are obvious to all, and they need not wait to be judged. And those that are otherwise, cannot be hidden: some good men are not well known and their deeds are not manifest at first light; however, they are revealed in time, because these men are sincere and not phony trying to be something they are not. These men definitely qualify for the service of our Lord. Paul continues these doctrines in chapter six, the final chapter of this letter to Timothy.
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