1 Timothy 5:1-25

Teaceher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: 1 Timothy

Rusty's Notes

63 AD

• Timothy sends word to Paul in Colosse that the Ephesian church is being ravaged by false teachers.
• “There is also a problem with respect to how the widows are being cared for in the church.
• Some of the widows have adopted the heresy, and others have family members who are able to care for them. Still worse, some of the younger widows who decided not to remarry are acting promiscuously.

 
1 TIMOTHY 5
1 Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity.

• Much of what Paul advised here involved action based on sensible maturity.[1]
• Timothy was obviously much younger than many in the church at that time.
• Don’t be afraid to have a bold conversation with older men. Be honest and sensitive to them.
• Be kind in your conversations.
• Speak with respect to others.
• Speak without emotion.
• Even a child is wise in how they speak to their parents. When and how...

 
THE SUPPORT OF WIDOWS
3 Support widows who are genuinely in need.

• A woman whose husband has died and who has no male relative (e.g., a father, brother or son) to support her.[2]
• The other qualifier is one who displayed fruit of the Spirit rather than selfish pleasures.
• God’s special care for the widows is a recurring theme in Scripture (Deut., Ps., Is., & Mal.).
• It was only right that the local church show compassion to these women who were in need.[3]

4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God.

1. This is a Spirit-led act
2. This is repayment for your own raising
3. This pleases God
4. This has more to do with leaving a legacy

5 The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; 6 however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

• It is not so much about specific disciplines as much as it is living out of their true identity.
• Those living by the Spirit vs those living by their flesh.
• This puts the believer/leader in judgment over people.
• Self-indulgent = spiritually dead.

7 Command this also, so that they will be above reproach.

• A good public reputation

8 But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

• The sense of urgent importance in Paul’s words suggests that widows were causing some of the problems in Ephesus.[4]
• Is there anything worse than an unbeliever?
• Yes! Those who refuse to provide for their family.
• Even unbelievers support their family members.
• This is still within the guidelines of walking by the Spirit or walking in the flesh.
• There is both spiritual provision as well as financial provision.

9 No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, 10 and is well known for good works—that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work.

• These are a result of the fruit of the Spirit.
• Older women that probably would not remarry and were recognized as serving in the church.
• Marriage statement was the same one associated with elders and deacons in chapter 3.

11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry 12 and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge.

• Original pledge – First love being Jesus.
• They are pursuing sensual desires more than spiritual desires. (flesh vs spirit).

13 At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say.

• Idleness vs serving in the church.
• Entitlement – expectations of the church.

14 Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. 15 For some have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it can help widows in genuine need.

• Some who had pledged a commitment to widowhood were not living as the true widow of vv. 5, 9–10.
• They had abandoned their trust in God.[5]
• “accuse us” – The church will be judged by society.
• Judgement many times comes falsely.
• Most the time out of guilt.
• Make the other person look just as bad or worse than you.

 

• Speak with Kim Schilling, Meg Patton & Wanda Pontious.

 
HONORING THE ELDERS
17 The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

• Elders were a permanent feature of Jewish synagogues. It would have been natural for churches to adopt this office into their congregational government.[6]
• Paul’s practice was to use elders in organizing the churches he founded, not only in Jewish regions but also in Gentile territory (e.g., Acts 14:23).
• Jews would easily have understood this system of organization.
• Gentiles, who knew that local governments were controlled by officials who resembled elders, would not find Paul’s system strange or totally unacceptable.[7]

18 For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, The worker is worthy of his wages.

• Matthew 10:10 – ”Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food.”[8]

19 Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses.

• Hearsay… not good…
• Facebook… not good…
• One person’s testimony may be skewed by a bad experience.
• Know what is actually being taught

20 Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will be afraid.

• This is still in reference to “elders” and especially if they are in a teaching role.
• Those who continue to sin… a chance for correction and repentance?

21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism.

• You put the Gospel in jeopardy with society if you waiver on the Truth.

22 Don’t be too quick to appoint, anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 23 Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

• Medicinal purposes

24 Some people’s sins are obvious, preceding them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. 25 Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden. [9]

• Genuine character, like cream, always rises to the top.
• These words represent a warning against hasty rejection.[10]

 
Paul giving clarity to Timothy in organization, leadership, procedures and house cleaning.

[1] Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 145). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (1 Ti 5:3). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 229). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 148). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[5] Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, pp. 152–153). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[6] Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, pp. 154–155). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[7] Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 155). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Mt 10:10). (2020). Holman Bible Publisers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (1 Ti 5). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 159). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.