1Ti 5:17-23 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Tim 5:17-25: 5:17-25 Elders: As in Judaism, community leaders (see also 3:1-7 ; Titus 1:5-9 ) were usually older men who were leaders in the wider community. The letters to Timothy and Titus recognize an office of elders, as here (see also 1 Tim 4:14 ; Titus 1:5 ), but the word is also used generally for older men in the community (as in 1 Tim 5:1 ). Summary for 1Tim 5:17-18: 5:17-18 should be respected and paid well (literally should be worthy of double honor ): Cp. Gal 6:6 . There is no evidence of a paid clergy at this time; the word used here is never used for a continuous salary, though it does imply something beyond a show of respect. The quotations from Scripture (Deut 25:4 ; Luke 10:7 ) suggest gifts of money.

Summary for 1Tim 5:17-25: 5:17-25 ^a Elders: As in Judaism, community leaders (see also 3:1-7 ^b; Titus 1:5-9 ^c) were usually older men who were leaders in the wider community. The letters to Timothy and Titus recognize an office of elders, as here (see also 1 Tim 4:14 ^d; Titus 1:5 ^e), but the word is also used generally for older men in the community (as in 1 Tim 5:1 ^f).
Summary for 1Tim 5:17-18: 5:17-18 ^g should be respected and paid well (literally should be worthy of double honor): Cp. Gal 6:6 ^h. There is no evidence of a paid clergy at this time; the word used here is never used for a continuous salary, though it does imply something beyond a show of respect. The quotations from Scripture (Deut 25:4 ⁱ; Luke 10:7 ^j) suggest gifts of money.
Summary for 1Tim 5:19-21: 5:19-21 ^k The climate created by the false teachers may have led to spurious charges against the leaders of the community. This passage follows the outline of Deut 19:15-21 ^l.

• two or three witnesses: See Deut 17:6 ^m; 19:15 ⁿ; Matt 18:16 ^o; 2 Cor 13:1 ^p; Heb 10:28 ^q.
5:20 ^r Those who sin: This term refers either to one who is (rightly) accused or to one making a (false) accusation (Deut 19:16-19 ^s).

• The others are either the other elders or the rest of the church (cp. Deut 19:20 ^t; Acts 5:1-11 ^u).
5:21 ^v God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels constitute three witnesses (5:19 ^w). These witnesses confirm the accusation against leaders who sin (5:20 ^x).

• Angels are associated with God’s judgment (Dan 7:9-10 ^y; Matt 13:49 ^z; 25:31 ^aa, 41 ^ab; Luke 9:26 ^ac; 2 Thes 1:7 ^ad).
5:22 ^ae Do not share in the sins of others: Those who commission an elder are responsible for his conduct.
5:23 ^af Possibly the concern with purity (5:22 ^ag) was being taken too far with respect to wine (see 3:3 ^ah; Num 6:1-21 ^ai) or food (1 Cor 10:21 ^aj). Wine may have been considered medicinal.