Instructions Regarding Various Groups in the Church I Timothy 5:1-25
At the outset of our lesson, many of us contend that there is a vital distinction between worship and service. We think that worship is only when we present ourselves publicly in our churches; moreover, we conclude that our presence on Sundays only serves as the basis of worship. Whereas, it is highly noble that we worship corporately (Hebrews 10:25); however, our whole life should be dedicated to the desired end that God would be glorified, regardless to wherever we are. Even in our secular affairs, we should be serving God, for true worship of God truly inspires service. Genuine service to others is a true reflection of our worship of God.
I Timothy 5:1-25 may be outlined as follows: I. Service In Relation to Human Relationships – I Timothy 5:1-2; II. Service In Relation to Widows – I Timothy 5:3-16; III. Service In Relation to Elders – I Timothy 5: 17-25.
- Service In Relation to Human Relationships – I Timothy 5:1-2
In I Timothy 5:1-2, Paul, a master biblical counselor, will instruct Timothy with regard to his social relationships with others. These various groups must be dealt with wisely, for Timothy needed to have a profitable relationship with them. The first group that Paul will admonish Timothy to deal wisely with is the Elder or older, not necessarily mature, man. Timothy was admonished by Paul not to “rebuke” or censure him. He should exhort or appeal to him rather than censure him. He was to treat the Elder as a father. Next, Timothy was exhorted to treat the “younger men as brothers” (verse 1). With respect to the older women, Timothy was exhorted by Paul to treat them like mothers. He is to treat them with gentle respect. With respect to younger women, he was to treat them as sisters, with all purity. As Timothy deals with the young members of the opposite sex, he must exercise complete purity, not giving any appearance of evil (I Thessalonians 5:22).
- Service In Relation to Widows – I Timothy 5:3-16
In verses 3-8, Paul will instruct Timothy with respect to his service to widows. These verses supply the church with how we should support the widows. In verse 3, the church needs to render “honor to widows that are widows indeed.” The expression, “widow indeed” relates to those who really have no other means of support. These certainly need to be esteemed among the church, as well as, provided with some means of support. However, the widows in verse 4 who have relatives can provide financial support. The word “nephew” can refer to “grandchildren or descendants.” These relatives should render support, for in so doing, they will be showing their religious responsibility for what their relative have done for them.
Honoring and esteeming parents is always pleasing to God, for one of the Ten Commandments enjoins us to do so (Exodus 20:12). Paul goes on to depict what a widow is in verses 5-7. She is one who has no provided means of support, and whose “trust is in God.” She also is one who is a prayer warrior- one who makes “supplications and entreaties night and day.” In total contrast to the “widow indeed,” is the widow who was noted to live a life of pleasure (verse 6). To such a widow, the church is not obligated to support! In verse 7, Timothy was charged with the responsibility to carry out the instructions given regarding widows. As another note regarding this subject of widows, Paul issued a serious charge that Christian relatives should not disregard their duty to care for their widow relatives, for doing so, they have “denied the faith,” and they are “worse than an infidel” (verse 8).
In verses 9-10, Paul cites those widows who meet the condition of being a widow indeed (v. 3) with the following qualifications: (1) she must be at least sixty (60) years old; (2) she must have been faithful to her husband; (3) she must be well-known for her good deeds. Paul will cite five examples of good deeds that she is noted for that included her involvement with child-raising, hospitality, washing saints’ feet, helping people in trouble, and various other deeds of kindness.
In verses 11-12, younger widows were not to be placed on the list. For one thing, the younger widows would pledge faithfulness to serve Christ and the church but would then start looking for husbands. In verse 13, furthermore, with the young women growing cold spiritually, they will stop serving others and will start getting into trouble. In verse 14, Paul’s counsel was that younger women would marry, raise a family, manage their homes, so that they would not give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
In verse 15, Paul had indicated that some young women were already guilty of turning away to follow Satan; thus, such behavior will bring reproach upon the name of Christ and the witness of the church. In verse 16, Paul admonished that relatives should take care of their own needy members, that the church be not burdened (charged).
May God Bless!
