Daily Bread 1 Timothy 5
Advice About Widows, Elders and Slaves
1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. 8If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Observation:
As Paul ends his letter to Timothy, he closes with some very practical instructions about life in the new community. In this community, the concept of family is very important. But family has been extended to not only mean the biological family, but the family of God. As such respect is given to older members of the community, just as a Son would have for His Father or Mother.
Also the subject of widows becomes a unique concern, because widows were often a forgotten class of people in this patriarchal society. According to the Mosaic Law, it was first of all the responsibility of the family to care for widows. If this was not possible, the church was called in to provide for their needs. For their part, widows were counseled to trust in God and not turn other means to provide for themselves. Although they were in a precarious situation, Paul warns them from going outside the boundaries of the Law in order to meet their needs. To help them from that temptation, he urges the responsible parties to come to their aid.
Paul also talks about other practical matters, such as providing for elders who preach and teach (modern day full time pastors). Also he explains how to discipline an elder who is acting inappropriately. The idea of providing for the elders was that if they didn’t have to worry about another job, they could more keenly focus on their ministry of teaching and preaching in the community of faith.
Paul also warns the community against being so legalistic that they wouldn’t drink a little wine which had medicinal qualities.
Application:
With our economic situation today, it will be even more important for sons and daughters to help pitch in for their parents, especially widows. The church should also look for those in our community, who like widows, have been put in a precarious position due to their circumstances and station in life. Older people whose children have gone to college are a great resource for the church, for they have what most people do not have…time!
I also think Paul’s teaching on respect is much needed in our culture. One of the downfalls of our culture over the last 20-30 years is an increasing lack of respect for parents and older people in general. Many in my generation and younger need to realize many of the sacrifices made for us to enjoy the quality of life we now have. Of course that is being challenged by the current economy, which should only make people more appreciative of what has been given to them.
The Church should take the lead in creating this kind of environment. One of the beauties of creating an “intergenerational” learning culture is that each generation is able to learn from and be mentored by the generation above it, starting in the family. God has given us these organic structures for formation and development morally and spiritually.
Prayer: God thank you for our parents and grandparents. May we continue to honor them through our respect and also providing for them when they are in physical or material need. Thank you for providing for all of our needs according to your glorious riches in Christ. Amen.
1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. 8If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Observation:
As Paul ends his letter to Timothy, he closes with some very practical instructions about life in the new community. In this community, the concept of family is very important. But family has been extended to not only mean the biological family, but the family of God. As such respect is given to older members of the community, just as a Son would have for His Father or Mother.
Also the subject of widows becomes a unique concern, because widows were often a forgotten class of people in this patriarchal society. According to the Mosaic Law, it was first of all the responsibility of the family to care for widows. If this was not possible, the church was called in to provide for their needs. For their part, widows were counseled to trust in God and not turn other means to provide for themselves. Although they were in a precarious situation, Paul warns them from going outside the boundaries of the Law in order to meet their needs. To help them from that temptation, he urges the responsible parties to come to their aid.
Paul also talks about other practical matters, such as providing for elders who preach and teach (modern day full time pastors). Also he explains how to discipline an elder who is acting inappropriately. The idea of providing for the elders was that if they didn’t have to worry about another job, they could more keenly focus on their ministry of teaching and preaching in the community of faith.
Paul also warns the community against being so legalistic that they wouldn’t drink a little wine which had medicinal qualities.
Application:
With our economic situation today, it will be even more important for sons and daughters to help pitch in for their parents, especially widows. The church should also look for those in our community, who like widows, have been put in a precarious position due to their circumstances and station in life. Older people whose children have gone to college are a great resource for the church, for they have what most people do not have…time!
I also think Paul’s teaching on respect is much needed in our culture. One of the downfalls of our culture over the last 20-30 years is an increasing lack of respect for parents and older people in general. Many in my generation and younger need to realize many of the sacrifices made for us to enjoy the quality of life we now have. Of course that is being challenged by the current economy, which should only make people more appreciative of what has been given to them.
The Church should take the lead in creating this kind of environment. One of the beauties of creating an “intergenerational” learning culture is that each generation is able to learn from and be mentored by the generation above it, starting in the family. God has given us these organic structures for formation and development morally and spiritually.
Prayer: God thank you for our parents and grandparents. May we continue to honor them through our respect and also providing for them when they are in physical or material need. Thank you for providing for all of our needs according to your glorious riches in Christ. Amen.
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