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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Ti_5:3-8
3Honor widows who are widows indeed; 4but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 5Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. 6But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. 8But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1Ti_5:3 "Honor widows" The term "honor" in 1Ti_5:3; 1Ti_5:17 may denote a salary or a stipend the church gave
1. to needy widows (cf. 1Ti_5:3-8)
2. to special women helpers (cf. 1Ti_5:9-16)
3. to the elders (cf. 1Ti_5:17-22)
It seems that the church, following the OT and synagogue (cf. Deu_24:17-22; Exo_22:22-24; Isa_1:17; Act_6:1 ff; Act_9:39; Act_9:41), cared for widows. It was Paul's concern that those the church helped were really in need or had no family of their own to help them (cf. 1Ti_5:4; 1Ti_5:16). The false teachers exploited widows (cf. 1Ti_5:6; 1Ti_5:15). Paul admonishes the church to help true widows.
1Ti_5:4 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence (as is 1Ti_5:8). There were widows who were being neglected by their own families (cf. 1Ti_5:8; 1Ti_5:16).
▣ "for this is acceptable in the sight of God" This probably refers to the Ten Commandments about honoring father and mother (cf. Exo_20:12), in this case a widowed mother. In the OT God defends the weak, socially disenfranchised, and powerless. The cry to defend "the widow, the orphan, and the alien" becomes as characteristic here as the Deuteronomic phrase (repeated in Jeremiah).
Believers show their love and respect for YHWH by honoring His word and will for maintaining strong family ties and responsibilities.
1Ti_5:5 "Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone" This is the same rare grammatical construction as 1Ti_4:3 (i.e., an adjective and a participle, cf. Tit_1:15). One wonders if this was a literary marker of a scribe who Paul used in the Pastoral Letters. Paul gives specific guidelines for his day on the qualification for receiving help from the church (but not on the "list" of 1Ti_5:9):
1. perfect tense – has and continues to live alone
2. perfect tense – has been and continues to be a godly woman
3. perfect tense – continues to flee earthly pleasures by means of continual prayer
Anna (Luk_2:37) and Dorcas (Act_9:36) (although she is not specifically said to be a widow), would fit these qualifications.
1Ti_5:6
NASB "But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure"
NKJV "but she who lives in pleasure"
NRSV "who lives for pleasure"
TEV "who gives herself to pleasure"
NJB "who thinks only of pleasure"
Because of the cultural situation this may refer to
1. widows turning to prostitution as a means of making a living
2. the sexual exploitation by the false teachers (cf. 2Ti_3:5-7)
This seems to be a very stern warning (cf. 1Ti_5:15).
This same word is used in Jas_5:5.
▣ "is dead even while she lives" This refers to a state of spiritual death (perfect active indicative). This verse is describing widows in the house churches of Ephesus! The false teachers had brought about not only their own "deaths," but now they are spiritually responsible for the "deaths" of others.
1Ti_5:7
NASB "Prescribe these things"
NKJV "these things command"
NRSV "give these commands"
TEV "give them these instructions"
NJB "instruct them in this"
This term refers to "strict military commands" (cf. 1Ti_1:3; 1Ti_1:18; 1Ti_4:11). These were not suggestions! These were not items of personal preference.
▣ "so that they may be above reproach" The "they" seems to refer to the relatives of widows with living families. This was and is an appropriate calling for all believers. Whoever fails to provide for his own relatives, especially his immediate family, has disowned the faith and in the eyes of the community is worse than an unbeliever (1Ti_5:7-8). This reflects Jesus' teachings in Mar_7:9-13. This seems to relate to the continual emphasis on giving no handle for criticism, both to believers and unbelievers (cf. 1Ti_3:2; 1Ti_3:7; 1Ti_3:10; 1Ti_5:7; 1Ti_6:14). Christians must always live so as to attract others to faith in Christ. The positive side of this is seen in 1Ti_5:4, while this is the negative. See hyperlink at 1Ti_3:12.
1Ti_5:8 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence meaning some believers have neglected their families (cf. 1Ti_5:4; 1Ti_5:16)
▣ "denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" I believe this refers to the person's witness in the community (cf. 1Ti_5:7; 1Ti_3:4-5), not to their salvation. Even unbelievers help their own families. However, there are other texts which use this same term "deny" and imply a total rejection of God (cf. 2Ti_2:12; Tit_1:16; 2Pe_2:1; Jud_1:4). In context this may somehow be related to the actions or teachings of the false teachers "who fell away from the faith" (cf. 1Ti_1:19-20; 1Ti_4:1-2; 1Ti_6:9-10; 1Ti_6:20-21) or their followers (cf. 1Ti_5:6; 1Ti_5:15). See hyperlink at 1Ti_4:1.