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10. A widow to be placed on the Church’s list must be ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη, well reported of in the matter of good works. The emphasis laid on ἔργα καλά in the Pastoral Epistles has been already remarked (see on 1Ti 2:10 above): of the good works which would especially come within the widow’s province a few are enumerated.
εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, if she hath brought up children, whether her own or the children of others. χῆραι are frequently mentioned in connexion with orphans of the Church (e.g. Hermas Mand. 8 and Lucian de morte Peregr. 12); but it would be quite as unreasonable to confine the reference to these, as to exclude it, and so to forbid a barren widow a place on the list. τεκνοτροφέω occurs only here in the Greek Bible.
εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, if (sc. at any time) she hath used hospitality to strangers. The word ξενοδοχέω is not found again in N.T. or LXX.; but cp. Mat 25:35 ξένος ἥμην καὶ συνηγάγετέ με. Like the ‘bishop’ (1Ti 3:2, on which see note) the ‘widow’ will be φιλόξενος. although from her circumstances it may be on a more humble scale. This qualification, however, suggests (what is reasonable in itself) that the widow who is placed on the Church’s list need not necessarily be destitute of worldly wealth or dependent for her maintenance on the Church’s alms.
εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, if she hath washed the saints’ feet. This was a not unfamiliar feature of Eastern hospitality; it was a service of humility (1Sa 25:41), as of love (Luk 7:38), and was commended to the Apostles by the Lord Himself (Joh 13:14). But this last command does not seem to have been understood literally by those to whom it was addressed; and so in the case of the Church’s widows it was the spirit of their hospitality, rather than any such detail, which would enter into consideration. Note ἁγίων; this humility of service is only due to fellow Christians, who are the most welcome guests of all.
εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, if she hath relieved the afflicted, whether “in mind, body or estate.” ἐπαρκέω is only found in N.T. here and at 1Ti 5:16; but it occurs in 1Ma 8:26; 1Ma 11:35 and is a common Greek word.
εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν, if she hath followed every good work. see on 1Ti 2:10 above. The A.V. and R.V. have “diligently followed”; but ἐπί seems here (as in 1Pe 2:21) to mark direction rather than intensity, the pursuit of good works whether initiated by others or by oneself.
(c) 11–16. YOUNG WIDOWS