Timothy’s Gospel Example in Regard to Specific Relationships

Paul next gave Timothy advice for some particular circumstances, where he called upon Timothy to set a clear and impartial example (21).

How to Treat the Church (1-2)

First, Paul wanted to make it clear that the church was a family, and in a family, an older man, an older woman, a young man, and a young woman are treated with a certain kind of honor, and that same honor was to carry over into God’s family (1-2).

How to Treat a Widow (3-8)

Widows were to be honored (3); those widows who had family were to be honored and cared for by their families (4). These were, of course, to be true widows, left all alone; their hope was in God, and they were given to prayer, not self-indulgence (5). Widows who were self-indulgent and created division and disorder brought about their own ruin (6). Families of widows were those responsible for caring for them and to do so in a way above reproach. Those who did not care for these widows were considered faith-deniers (7-8).

How to Treat Older Widows Without Family (9-10)

Because there were no welfare systems, Paul commanded that widows who were alone, true widows (5), who met eight qualification standards, were to be cared for by the church. Widows whom the church cared for:

• were over sixty

• were the former wife of one husband (9)

• had a reputation for good works

• had trained their children

• had shown hospitality

• had served the saints

• had nursed the afflicted

• had devoted themselves to good works (10)

How to Treat Younger Widows (11-15)

Even the younger widows without family to care for them were not to be put on the “widow care role.” Younger women were susceptible to being moved by their passions and would be tempted to violate their commitment and responsibility to the church and marry. If they were to defy their commitment, Paul was concerned they would come under condemnation and be shaken from their faith (11-12). Further, Paul was concerned these young, energetic women would become idle and bored and then make their cause the private affairs of others (13). Paul encouraged young widows to marry, bear children, and manage households (14). Paul mentioned that some young widows who had not channeled their energies into the Kingdom-building activities of managing a household had already been influenced by satan and were acting in ways that brought slander upon their lives as they strayed after satan (15). (To stray after satan meant to become enamored with society’s values and pleasures.)

How Women Were to Treat Widows (16)

Women who could care for their older widow relatives were to shoulder the task so the church could focus on those widows who had no one (16).

How the Elders of the Church Were to Be Treated (17-25)

Paul wanted Timothy, without partiality, to set the example of honoring elders and to pay those generously who worked hard at teaching and preaching (17-18). He, especially, wanted no elder to be charged with an accusation without the evidence of two witnesses (19). Those who were charged and then continued on in their sin with defiant persistence were to be rebuked publicly to keep fear for God established in the fellowship (20). Paul reminded Timothy to do all of these things without showing partiality (21). Because elders lived their lives in public, Timothy was not to be hasty in laying hands of ordination on them. He was rather to take time to investigate their lives so he would not share in the public shame of the sin of those he did not properly examine (22). He reminded Timothy that some sins were easily seen and others not, so he was to concentrate on people's good works when vetting an elder (24-25). In the middle of all this counsel, Paul realized most elders were abstainers of alcohol, but he encouraged Timothy to take a little wine, knowing his general physical weakness would be aggravated by all this vetting (23).