1Ti 5:3-16 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Tim 5:3-16: 5:3-16 A widow without wealth or family was alone in a world that did not provide for her. The Christian community was expected to care for such widows among its members (see Deut 10:17-19 ; Isa 1:17 ; cp. Acts 6:1-6 ; Jas 1:27 ). Some have argued that this passage suggests a religious order of widows in the first-century church at Ephesus, but there is no certain evidence of such an order in the first-century church, only of a ministry of care for community members without means.

Summary for 1Tim 5:3-16: 5:3-16 ^a A widow without wealth or family was alone in a world that did not provide for her. The Christian community was expected to care for such widows among its members (see Deut 10:17-19 ^b; Isa 1:17 ^c; cp. Acts 6:1-6 ^d; Jas 1:27 ^e). Some have argued that this passage suggests a religious order of widows in the first-century church at Ephesus, but there is no certain evidence of such an order in the first-century church, only of a ministry of care for community members without means.
5:5 ^f The only recourse for a widow who was truly alone was hope in God (Pss 68:5 ^g; 146:9 ^h).
5:6 ⁱ Some widows in Ephesus were living only for pleasure, more interested in receiving than in giving (see also 6:17-19 ^j; Jas 5:5 ^k). They did not need support.
5:8 ^l Faith is not mere belief but a whole way of life (see Jas 2:14-26 ^m).
5:9 ⁿ at least sixty: Young widows required a different approach (5:11-15 ^o). Young and old were customarily divided at around forty; elders would probably have been over fifty (see Titus 2:2 ^p).

• was faithful to her husband (literally was the wife of one husband): The grammar is identical in 1 Tim 3:2 ^q, 12 ^r; Titus 1:6 ^s.
5:10 ^t and served other believers humbly: Cp. Gen 18:4 ^u; Luke 7:44 ^v; John 13:1-17 ^w.
Summary for 1Tim 5:11-15: 5:11-15 ^x Young widows still in their childbearing years required a different approach. Paul was concerned that the false teachers were leading them astray.
Summary for 1Tim 5:11-12: 5:11-12 ^y If Paul was concerned about remarriage to unbelievers (cp. 5:14 ^z), their previous pledge would refer to their Christian faith, which they would surrender upon entering a pagan marriage; such a marriage would probably have alienated them from Christ. It is also possible that Paul and the church recognized a special category of “sacred widowhood” (see 5:5 ^aa; cp. Acts 9:36-37 ^ab), entered by a vow that Paul refers to as the previous pledge.
5:13 ^ac Too seldom do those who are fully supported by the church invest their lives in remarkable piety (cp. 2:9-10 ^ad; 5:10 ^ae). Abusing the church’s support does not help them or the Good News (cp. 5:14 ^af).

• talking about things they shouldn’t: The wording suggests involvement in the false teaching (5:15 ^ag; cp. 2 Thes 3:11-13 ^ah; Titus 1:11 ^ai).
5:14 ^aj Paul is advising younger widows to remarry—and to marry believers (5:11-12 ^ak; cp. 2:15 ^al).

• not ... say anything against them: Their actions were hurting their testimony for the Good News (see 1 Thes 4:11-12 ^am; Titus 2:8 ^an).
5:15 ^ao now follow Satan: They had committed apostasy, renouncing Christ, probably in connection with the false teachers (1:6-7 ^ap; cp. 3:6-7 ^aq; Heb 2:1 ^ar) and their self-indulgence (1 Tim 5:6 ^as, 13 ^at).
5:16 ^au Individual Christian households maintained their function and identity within the church (cp. 2:15 ^av; 3:15 ^aw). They were not eclipsed by the church, although the household of God is primary to the identity of the believing community (see Mark 3:31-35 ^ax).