13-1Tim5:9

1Tim5v9

Qualification for Widows eligible for Ministry in the Congregation…

I Timothy 5:9-16 – Let a widow be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge. And at the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention. Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach; for some have already turned aside to follow Satan. If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, let her assist them, and let not the church be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed. (5:9–16)

The issue of support ended in Verse 8! Verse 9 starts with the LIST eligible for Ministry.

First, a widow had to be not less than____ sixty ______ years old. That requirement offers further proof that the list of widows was not a list of those eligible to receive support. Paul had just stated in verses 3–8 that the church is to support all its widows who are without other means of support. No age requirement was given there.

Sixty was the age in that culture for people to retire from their activities to a life of contemplation . It was at that age that men and women should become priests and priestesses, according to Plato (William Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon [Philadelphia: Westminster, 1975], 109). It was acknowledged that sexual passion began to wane at age sixty. Thus, the age requirement ensures that those widows would not be driven by desire . An older woman would have the time, maturity, character, reputation, and compassion to serve the Lord and the church. Unlike a younger woman, she would not be tempted to abandon her commitment to the Lord and remarry.

Second , a widow must have been the ______ wife of one man ________. The Greek text literally reads “a one-man woman ,” a construction parallel to that of 3:2 and 12. A “oneman woman” is a woman who was totally devoted to her husband. It speaks of purity in action and attitude , as in the case of the overseer in 3:2, who is to be a “one-woman man”; it does not refer to marital status. Such a woman lived in complete fidelity to her husband in a chaste, pure, unspotted marriage relationship . A widow who did not measure up to this standard would not be a proper role model for the younger women to emulate.

Third , a widow had to have a reputation for __________ good works ___________. Her excellent character was to be common knowledge. Like the elders (3:2) and deacons (3:10), she had to be above reproach. Her good works would attest to the kind of woman she was. They would manifest outwardly the quality of her spiritual character

NEXT – the five qualities listing to show the type of good works

•  …who brought up children… (nourish children) Paul does NOT depreciate women who did not have children or had the gift of singleness.

•  ..has shown hospitality to strangers.. sacrificial devotion to the needs of people she does not know.

•  ..has washed the saints’ feet… doing the menial task that was the duty of slaves – wasn’t they actually did it, but possessed such an attitude. A humble servant’s heart…

•  …has assisted those in distress… (those under pressure) – devoting life to helping those under any sort of pressure (physical, mental, or emotional)…

•  …one who has devoted herself to every good work… A diligence to the pursuit of good deeds.

The qualities Paul gives illustrate God’s design for women. They are a woman’s highest priorities. By following them, she can make a profound impact on the world. That truth is illustrated in a story told by the Scottish preacher Ian MacClaren of a woman in his church. ( Handout from last week .)

As they were talking, she began to wipe her eyes with the corner of her apron, so Dr. MacClaren said, “What’s disturbing you?”

“Oh,” she said, “Sometimes I feel I have done so little and when I think about it it makes my heart heavy, because really I’ve done so little for Jesus.”

“When I was a wee girl the Lord spoke to my heart and I surrendered to Him. And I wanted to live for Him, oh so much. But I feel I haven’t done anything.”

“What have you done with your life?” he asked.

“Oh nothing,” she said, “just nothing. I’ve washed dishes, cooked three meals a day, taken care of my children, mopped the floor, mended the clothes, you know, everything a mother does, that’s all I’ve done.”

MacClaren sat back in his chair and asked, “Where are your boys?”

“Oh, she spoke, “You know I named them all for the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You know them all and you know where Mark is. You ordained him. He went to China. He’s learned the language and now he is able to minister to the people in the name of the Lord.”

“Where’s Luke?” MacClaren said.

“You know well enough where he is because you sent him out and I had a letter from him the other day. He is in Africa and says a revival has broken out at his mission station.”

“And Matthew?” he queried.

“He’s with his brother in China and they are working together. And John, who’s nineteen, came to me last night to say God has laid Africa on his heart. He said, ‘I’m going to Africa, but don’t worry about it, Mother, because the Lord has shown me that I am to stay with you until you go home to glory, and then I’ll go. Until then I have to take care of you.”

MacClaren looked at that elderly saint and said, “Your life has been wasted, you say?”

“Yes, it has been wasted.”

“You have been cooking and mopping and washing— but I would like to see the reward when you are called home!”

 1 Timothy 5: 11-15 – But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge. And at the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention. Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach; for some have already turned aside to follow Satan. (5:11–15)

While qualified older widows are to permanently devote themselves to the ______service of the church_______ , the plan for younger widows is very different.

Why not on the LIST:

#1 – Younger widows were ___ to get married __, and the church has an obligation to encourage them to do just that.

While they must be given aid if it is needed until they remarry, Paul commands Timothy to refuse to put younger widows on the list of those who serve the church. They are not to be admitted to the order of widows Paul mentions in verses 9–10.

A second reason younger widows are not to be on the list is their lack_____ of maturity _______ : At the same time they also learn to be idle. The Greek idiom means “they qualify as idlers.” Visits once carried out for the purpose of ministry are now occasions for idleness, as they go around from house to house. Nothing constructive takes place and, at best, trivial activity occupies her.

These women had become “ busy-bodies ” talking about things not proper to mention – Gossips – sticking nose into other peoples’ business. Proverbs 11:13 and Proverbs 26:20

The Issue is the dedicating or making a pledge of service to God when younger and it would be difficult to keep. Therefore, Paul wanted younger widows to get married .

Keep house is from oikodespoteo. It goes beyond rearing the children to include all aspects of managing the household . The man provides the resources through his labor, and the woman manages them for the care of her husband and children.

Some of the younger widows had turned aside to follow Satan. They forsook the true calling to have children and manage the home and gave themselves to various sins. They even helped to spread false doctrine.

1 Timothy 5:16 – If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, let her assist them, and let not the church be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed. (5:16)

The family members to care for their own. Purpose to not burden the church to helping those that were not true widows. –

I Timothy 5:17-25 – the Restoring Biblical Eldership…. (The church does not rise higher than its leadership.)

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful of sinning. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. (5:17–25)

 The history of Israel is largely the history of the failure of its leadership . The story of Israel’s leaders is one of decline, apostasy, and defection, which led to the defection of the people.

Sadly, the history of the church has often paralleled that of Israel . The same pattern of defection from biblical truth that marred Israel’s leadership has too often marked the church’s leadership.

FOUR principles defining a biblical eldership: 1) Honoring elders, 2) Protecting elders, 3) Rebuking elders, and 4) Selecting elders – The Scripture advocates a shared leadership .

•  A plurality of godly men are to share in the leadership responsibility, though they may differ in their specific functions and giftedness.

•  The Bible knows nothing of one-man rule by pastor-kings

 Honoring Elders
V.17-18 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” (5:17–18) –

Elders is a general term referring to those who are also called “overseers ” in 3:1. That the titles elder, pastor, and overseer all describe the same person is made clear by the use of all three words to describe the same men in Acts 20:17, 28. The term “pastor” emphasizes their shepherding or feeding function , “overseer” their authority and leading function, and “elder” their spiritual maturity. This passage assumes such elders are qualified (cf.. 3:2ff.).

Honor translates time, which generally refers to “respect,” or “regard ” (cf.. 6:1.

KEY: the heart attitude…

Paul singles out some as being worthy of double honor

First, they rule well. Rule is from proistemi, which means “to stand first.” Elders are first in terms of leadership . They have the oversight of the church (cf.. 3:1; cf.. 1 Peter 5:2), and are to care for it (3:5). Because they are in charge (1 Thess. 5:12), they have a great responsibility (Heb. 13:17). When that privileged duty is discharged with unusual excellence, they should be compensated accordingly.

Especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. Malista ( especially ) means “chiefly,” or “particularly.” It does not stress the amount of work, but rather the effort. A man’s reward from God is proportional to the excellence of his ministry and the effort he puts into it.

Preaching is from logos and literally means “speech.” It looks at public proclamation of the truth that includes exhortation and admonition.

Teaching translates didaskalia. It emphasizes the idea of instruction more than proclamation.
Preaching calls for a heart response to God, while teaching is a necessary bulwark against heresy. Not all elders will have the same burden of preaching and teaching. Some may teach or preach infrequently, some constantly. Those whose ministry demands all their attention should be freed from any need to earn a living and be cared for and even rewarded for their singular devotion.

 Protecting Elders
1 Timothy 5:19 – Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. –

There are always people eager to falsely accuse a man of God. Such false accusations are one of his most dangerous weapons . Joseph, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah , and our Lord Jesus Christ all suffered from false accusations.

First, unsubstantiated ones are to be rejected.

Second, Paul gives the conditions under which an accusation against an elder is to be taken seriously. The church is not to do so except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

Rebuking Elders
Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful of sinning. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. (5:20–21)

Elders are to be protected from false accusations, but are not to receive immunity from true ones. Those elders who continue in sin must bear the consequences. Paul does not mention here any specific kinds of sin. Any sin that caused an elder to violate the qualifications listed in 3:2–7 would be grounds for rebuke in the presence of all.

Matthew 18:5 principles laid out by our Lord. We want to have a sheer terror, meaning to have a sense of the ominous reality of God’s hatred of evil.

Selecting Elders
Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. (5:22–25)

To lay hands upon someone in this context was to affirm their suitability for and acceptance into public ministry. It expressed solidarity, union, and identification with them. The practice had its roots in the Old Testament (cf.. Num. 8:10; 27:18–23; Deut. 34:9). It derived from the practice of laying hands on a sacrificial animal to identify with it (cf.. Ex. 29:10, 15, 19; Lev. 4:15). Laying on of hands also symbolizes identification in the New Testament (cf.. Matt. 19:15; Acts 8:17–18; 9:17; Heb. 6:2).

After the aside, Paul returns to his main emphasis of selecting elders. He gives four principles concerning that selection process.

First, the sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment. Some are obviously unfit to serve as elders and can be rejected out of hand. Their sins are quite evident to all, and precede them to judgment. They rush in before them like heralds announcing their guilt in advance. The judgment in view here is not the final judgment, or the believers’ judgment. Rather, it refers to the church’s assessment of a man’s suitability to serve.

Second, for others, their sins follow after. Their sins are not evident beforehand, but come to light during the church’s assessment process.

Third, deeds that are good are quite evident. It is obvious from the quality of some men’s character that they are qualified to serve.

Finally, those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. The good deeds of some are not readily apparent. They cannot be concealed, however, and will come to light during the examination process. Such men will also be found qualified to serve as elders.

The church desperately needs qualified men to serve as pastors and elders. Their lives must meet the standards of 3:2–7, and their ministries those of 4:6–16. The church’s responsibility to them is to honor and protect them, rebuke those who sin, and, above all, to be very cautious in selecting them. If those four principles are implemented, the church will be well on its way to restoring a biblical eldership.