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Here the apostle, I. Directs Timothy how to reprove, 1Ti 5:1,2. II. Adverts to widows, both elder and younger, 1Ti 5:3-16. III. To elders, 1Ti 5:17-19. IV. Treats of public reproof, 1Ti 5:20. V. Gives a solemn charge concerning ordination, 1Ti 5:21,22. VI. Refers to his health (1Ti 5:23), and states men's sins to be very different in their effects, 1Ti 5:24,25.

Analysis Of The Chapter

This chapter 1 Timothy 5 embraces the following subjects:

(1) The proper method of admonition when others err - to wit, an aged man should be entreated as a father, younger men as brethren, the aged women as mothers, and the younger with the pure feelings which one has for a sister; 1 Timothy 5:1-2.

(2) instructions respecting the proper treatment of widows; 1 Timothy 5:3-16.

(a) Those who were true widows were to be regarded with honor and respect.

(b) Who sustained this character; 1 Timothy 5:4-7. Those who had evinced piety at home in taking charge of those who were dependent on them, and who were steady in their devotions. No one was to be received into this number who was not of the age of sixty, who had been married to more than one man, and who had not given evidence in all the duties of domestic fidelity and charity, that she was imbued with the spirit of religion; 1 Timothy 5:9-10.

(c) Those who were young were not to be admitted into this class; 1 Timothy 5:11-15. The reasons given are, that they would marry again, or that they would be idle, and would be intermeddlers in the affairs of others. It was better, therefore, that they should marry, and have charge of a family of their own; 1 Timothy 5:14-15.

(d) The duty of the individual members of the church to sustain helpless and dependent widows, if they had such among their relations; 1 Timothy 5:16. In these verses 1 Timothy 5:3-16 it is evident that the apostle had his eye on a class of widows that sustained some such relation to other females as the elders did to the whole church. They were aged women to whom was entrusted the superintendence of the females of the church - probably because from the customs then prevalent, men had much less liberty of access to the other sex, and much less freedom of contact was allowable, than now.

(3) the duty of supporting and honoring those who ruled in the church; 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

(4) the suitable guarding of the rights of the elders in the church. No accusation was to be received, unless it was sustained by two or three witnesses; 1 Timothy 5:19.

(5) no one who was guilty was to be spared. All who sinned were to be publicly rebuked; 1 Timothy 5:20

(6) A solemn charge is given to Timothy to keep these commandments; 1 Timothy 5:21.

(7) the statement of his duty not to ordain any person rashly or hastily to the sacred office; 1 Timothy 5:22.

(8) to guard his health; 1 Timothy 5:23.

(9) a declaration respecting sin - that sometimes it is open beforehand, and sometimes it is concealed until it is revealed at the judgment, closes the chapter; 1 Timothy 5:24-25. The design of this closing statement seems to be, to show Timothy that he should not judge people by appearances, but that he should evince great caution in forming his estimate of their character.

Rules to be observed in giving reproofs to the old and to the young, 1 Timothy 5:1, 1 Timothy 5:2. Directions concerning widows, 1 Timothy 5:3-16. Of elders that rule well, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Timothy 5:18. How to proceed against elders when accused, and against notorious offenders, 1 Timothy 5:10-21. Directions concerning imposition of hands, 1 Timothy 5:22. Concerning Timothy's health, 1 Timothy 5:23. Reasons why no person should be hastily appointed to sacred offices, 1 Timothy 5:24, 1 Timothy 5:25.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 Timothy 5

In this chapter the apostle lays down rules about the manner of rebuking persons, suitable to their several ages; gives directions concerning widows, both old and young; and instructs Timothy how to behave towards elders in office on different accounts. The rules for giving reproof to old men, as fathers; to young men, as brethren; to elder women, as mothers; and to the younger, as sisters, are in 1 Timothy 5:1. Next follow the directions about taking care of widows, who are to be honoured and maintained by the church, that are widows indeed, 1 Timothy 5:3 not such who have relations that are capable of taking care of them, who ought to do it, and not burden the church; since so to do is an act of piety, a requiting parents for their former care and kindness, and is good and acceptable in the sight of God, 1 Timothy 5:4 but such who are desolate and alone, and have no husbands nor children, nor any to support their wants, but wholly depend on the providence of God, and are constant at the throne of grace crying for help and relief, which shows they are living Christians; whereas such who spend their time in sinful lusts and pleasures, are dead while they live; wherefore if members of churches, with respect to this business, would be blameless, they ought to take care of the former, and reprove the latter, 1 Timothy 5:5. And as for those persons who cast their poor widows upon the church, and will not provide for them, when they are able, they are to be looked upon as deniers of the faith, and to be worse than the Heathens themselves, 1 Timothy 5:8. The qualifications of widows to be taken care of by the church, besides those before mentioned, are, that they be sixty years of age, having been the wife of one man, and well known for their good works, some of which are particularly mentioned, 1 Timothy 5:9 but those who are under the age fixed, and especially are fit for marriage, and the procreation of children, should be rejected, because of their lasciviousness, idleness, tattling, and busying themselves about other people's matters; these, on the contrary, should be directed to marry, bear children, take care of household affairs, and give no occasion to the enemy to reproach and blaspheme; and the rather such advice should be taken, since there had been some sad instances of apostasy in such persons, 1 Timothy 5:11. And then the apostle repeats his order to believers, to take care of their poor widows, who were able to do it themselves, that so the church might not be burdened, and might be able to relieve such as were real and proper objects, 1 Timothy 5:16. And then follow rules with respect to elders in office, as that those that rule well, and labour in the ministry of the word, should be honourably maintained; which is confirmed by a passage of Scripture in the Old Testament, and by a saying of Christ's in the New, 1 Timothy 5:17, that an accusation should not be received against one of such a character, but by two or three witnesses, 1 Timothy 5:19 and that such of them that fell into any notorious sin should be publicly rebuked, in order to make others afraid to sin, 1 Timothy 5:20. And these things the apostle, in the most solemn manner, charges Timothy, in the sight of God, Christ, and the angels, to observe, without partiality, 1 Timothy 5:21. To which he adds, that he would not have him be hastily concerned in the ordination of anyone as an elder, lest he should involve himself in his sin, whereas by acting otherwise he would be free, 1 Timothy 5:22 and then inserts some advice to himself, to take care of his health, 1 Timothy 5:23 and concludes the chapter with observing, on occasion of what he had said, 1 Timothy 5:22 that some men's sins were open, and their characters were easily discerned, and others were private, and such were also the good works of others; which made the case either more easy or more difficult to determine what was to be done; and therefore nothing should be done suddenly and rashly, 1 Timothy 5:24.

Ch. 5. Apostolic Government in regard to Discipline

CHAPTER 5

1 Timothy 5:4. μανθανέτωσαν] The reading μανθανέτω, which is found in some cursives, 3, 35, and many others, as well as in Vulg. Clar. Ambr. Aug. Ambrosiast. Pel., is to be regarded as a correction, τὶς χήρα being supposed to be the subject of the verb. As to the correctness of this supposition, see the exposition.

ἀπόδεκτον] The words καλὸν καί, which precede in the Rec., are rightly omitted from the text by Griesb., who follows all uncials, very many cursives, versions, etc.; they are beyond doubt taken from 1 Timothy 2:3.—1 Timothy 5:5. Instead of ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, א and some other authorities have the reading ἐπὶ κύριον.—1 Timothy 5:8. τῶν οἰκείων] The article is wanting in A D* F G א; probably not genuine; Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8 omitted it.

For the active προνοεῖ (Tisch. 7), D* F G K א, al., have the middle προνοεῖται (Tisch. 8), which, however, may be a correction after Romans 12:17; in 2 Corinthians 8:21 the reading is doubtful.—1 Timothy 5:10. ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν] The reading ἐτεκνοφόρεσεν in F G, gr. is strange, since the word occurs nowhere else.—1 Timothy 5:11. For καταστρηνιάσωσι (Rec. Lachm. ed. maj., Tisch. 7, following C D K L א, most others), A F G 31 have the reading καταστρηνιάσουσιν (Lachm. ed. min., Buttm. Tisch. 7). The infrequency of the construction of ὅταν with the indic. pres., which occurs only a few times in the N. T. (compare especially Revelation 4:9), might be an argument for the originality of the latter reading; but most authorities are against it.—1 Timothy 5:14. Before νεωτέραζ there stands in D* and some cursives the article τάς; some other cursives, as well as Slav. Chrys. Theodor. etc., have χήρας after νεωτέρας; clearly an explanatory correction.—1 Timothy 5:15. It is doubtful whether τινες was originally placed before or after ἐξετράπησαν. For the former position (Rec. Tisch. 8) we have the authority of א C D K L P, al.; for the latter (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 7), that of A F G, al.—1 Timothy 5:16. The Rec. πιστὸς ἢ πιστή is found in D K L, nearly all cursives, some versions, and in Ath. contra Arr. Tisch. 7 retained the Rec.; on the other hand, Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8 omitted πιστὸς ἤ. The expositors (also Reiche) have declared for the Rec. It is to be noted further, that in Vulg. ed. Ambros. Aug. Pel. the words ἢ πιστή are omitted, and also that in Boern. Vulg. ms. the translation si quis fideles habet viduas is found. For further remarks, see the exposition of the verse.

Instead of ἐπαρκείτω (Rec. Tisch. 7, following C D K L P, al.), A F G א have the middle ἐπαρχείσθω (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8), which is indeed the original reading, the change being occasioned by the ἐπήρκεσεν in 1 Timothy 5:10, and the ἐπαρκέσῃ in 1 Timothy 5:16.—1 Timothy 5:18. For βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις, Lachm. and Buttm., on the authority of A C P 37, 57, 73, 80, al., Copt. Arm. Vulg. Chrys. etc., read οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα, which, however, might be a correction after 1 Corinthians 9:9. Tisch. has the common reading.—1 Timothy 5:20. After τούς, Lachm. and Buttm., on the authority of A D* Clar. Theoph. Ambros. Jerome, read δέ, which in F G, Boern. Vulg. ms. is found after ἁμαρτάνοντας. This variety in the position of δέ makes it suspicious in any case.—1 Timothy 5:21. Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ (Scholz, Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. Reiche, etc.), instead of the usual reading κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Against κυρίου we have the testimony of A D* F G 17, 31, al., Copt. Sahid. Aeth. Clem. Basil, etc., and for Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ we have that of A D* G 17, 31, 73, al., versions, even the Sahidic and Fathers.

For πρόσκλισιν (Rec., with the authority of F G K, many others, It. Vulg. etc.) it is too rash, with Lachm. and Buttm., on the authority of A D L 10, 31, al., Ath. Bas. etc., to read πρόσκλησιν; because, notwithstanding the testimony of the oldest MSS., the sense almost imperatively demands πρόσκλισιν. This is a case where Tisch.’s words (see the article “Bibeltext des N. T.” in Herzog’s Real-Encyklopädie, II. pp. 183 f.) apply: “In spite of the great preference to be given to our oldest Greek MSS., we must not overlook the fact that sometimes those opposed to them, and centuries later, have at the same time the authority of much older versions and Fathers.” Tisch. retained the Rec.; he explains (l.c. p. 164) πρόσκλησιν as an itacism occasioned by the dictation of the text; similarly Reiche on the passage.—1 Timothy 5:23. Rec. στόμαχόν σου (Tisch. 7, after D F G K L, al.); the σου is wanting in A D* P א (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8); in any case, the later addition is easier to explain than the omission.—1 Timothy 5:25. After ὡσαύτως, Lachm., on the authority of A F G g., inserted δέ; it is possible that δέ was struck out by a copyist on the analogy of 1 Timothy 2:9.

τὰ κάλα ἔργα] Instead of this reading, A D F G א 37, 116, al., Vulg. Clar. Boern. Theophyl. Aug. Ambros. Pelag. are decisive for τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλά (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch.).

Instead of the Rec. ἐστι after πρόδηλα, there stands in D F G P 17, 67* 93, al., εἰσιν; in A א 67* it is omitted (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch.).

δύναται] Lachm. Buttm. and Tisch. read the plur. δύνανται, on the authority of A D א 17, 44, 67, 71, al., plur. edd. Theodoret.

1Ti 5:1-25.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS AS TO HOW TIMOTHY SHOULD DEAL WITH DIFFERENT CLASSES IN THE CHURCH.

1. an elder--in age; probably not an elder in the ministry; these latter are not mentioned till

1Ti 5:17,

"the elders that rule." Compare

Ac 2:17,

"your old men," literally, "elders." Contrasted with "the younger men." As Timothy was admonished so to conduct himself as to give no man reason to despise his youth

(1Ti 4:12);

so here he is told to bear in mind his youth, and to behave with the modesty which becomes a young man in relation to his elders.

Rebuke not--literally, "Strike not hard upon"; Rebuke not sharply: a different word from "rebuke" in

2Ti 4:2.

entreat--exhort.

as brethren--and therefore equals; not lording it over them

(1Pe 5:1-3).