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| 1 Timothy 5:05 |
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate,
trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and
prayers night and day.
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Let us read the first 8 verses of the chapter:
1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father;
and the younger men as brethren;
2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to
shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and
acceptable before God.
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and
continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own
house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
CHURCH AND FAMILY DUTY
Honour widows who are genuinely in a widow’s
destitute position. But if any widow has children or
grandchildren, let such children learn to begin by
discharging the duties of religion in their own
homes; and let them learn to give a return for all
that their parents have done for them; for this is
the kind of conduct that meets with God’s approval.
Now she who is genuinely in the position of a widow,
and who is left all alone, has set her hope on God,
and night and day she devotes herself to petitions
and prayers. But she who lives with voluptuous
wantonness is dead even though she is still alive.
Pass on these instructions that they may be
irreproachable. If anyone fails to provide for his
own people, and especially for the members of his
own family, he has denied the faith and is worse
than an unbeliever.
THE Christian Church inherited a fine tradition of
charity to those in need. No nation has ever cared
more for the needy and the elderly than the Jews.
Advice is now given for the care of widows. There
may well have been two classes of women here. There
were certainly widows who had become widows in the
normal way by the death of their husbands. But it
was not uncommon in the Gentile world, in certain
places, for a man to have more than one wife. When a
man became a Christian, he could not go on being a
polygamist, and therefore he had to choose which
wife he was going to live with. That meant that some
wives had to be sent away, and they were clearly in
a very unfortunate position. It may be that such
women as these were also considered to be widows and
were given the support of the Church. Jewish law
laid it down that at the time of his marriage a man
ought to make provision for his wife, should she
become a widow. The very first office-bearers whom
the Christian Church appointed had this duty of
caring fairly for the widows (Acts 6:1). Ignatius
lays it down: ‘Let not widows be neglected. After
the Lord be thou their guardian.’ The Apostolic
Constitutions direct the bishop: ‘O bishop, be
mindful of the needy, both reaching out thy helping
hand and making provision for them as the steward of
God, distributing the offerings seasonably to every
one of them, to the widows, the orphans, the
friendless, and those tried with affliction.’ The
same book has an interesting and kindly instruction:
‘If anyone receives any service to carry to a widow
or poor woman . . . let him give it the same day.’
As the proverb has it, ‘He gives twice who gives
quickly’ – and the Church was concerned that those
in poverty should not have to remain in need while
one of its servants delayed.
It is to be noted that the Church did not propose to
assume responsibility for older people whose
children were alive and well able to support them.
The ancient world was very definite that it was the
duty of children to support elderly parents; and, as
E. K. Simpson has pointed out in his commentary, ‘A
religious profession which falls below the standard
of duty recognized by the world is a wretched
fraud.’ The Church would never have agreed that its
charity should become an excuse for children to
evade their responsibility.
The New Testament ethical writers were certain that
support of parents was an essential part of
Christian duty. It is something to be remembered. We
live in a time when even the most sacred duties are
pushed on to the state and when we expect, in so
many cases, public charity to do what private piety
ought to do. As the Pastorals see it, help given to
a parent is two things. First, it is an honouring of
the recipient. It is the only way in which children
can demonstrate the esteem that they feel. Second,
it is an admission of the claims of love. It is
repaying love received in time of need with love
given in time of need; and only with love can love
be repaid.
There remains one thing left to say, and to leave it
unsaid would be unfair. This passage goes on to lay
down certain of the qualities of the people whom the
Church is called upon to support. What is true of
the Church is true within the family. If a
person is to be supported, that person must be
supportable. If a parent is taken into the home of a
son or daughter and then by inconsiderate conduct
causes nothing but trouble, another situation
arises. There is a double duty here – the duty of
the child to support the parent, and the duty of the
parent to behave in such a way that that support is
possible within the structure of the home.
~this text from the Barclay
Commentary
Today's verse is verse 5:
1 Timothy 5:5
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate,
trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and
prayers night and day.
Most commentaries break this verse out in three or
four phrases.
1] Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate.
2] Trusteth in God.
3] And continueth in supplications and prayers night
and day.
Some separate out, "and desolate."
1] Now she that is
a widow indeed, and desolate.
A widow indeed, and desolate
- The word rendered “desolate” means “solitary,
alone.” It does not necessarily imply the idea of
discomfort which we attach to the word desolate. The
sense is, that she had no children or other
descendants; none on whom she could depend
for support. ~Barnes Notes
And desolate - Left
entirely alone - having neither children nor
relatives to take care of her.
~Adam Clarke
A widow indeed, and desolate
- The second rule. Let the church take care of those
who are indeed widows, that is to say, those who are
poor and destitute of help from their own friends,
and live godly and religiously.
~Geneva Bible Translation Notes
Now she that is a widow indeed
- A real widow, whom the Jews (r) call גמורה, "a
perfect one", in opposition to one that is divorced,
or a brother's widow, that has had the shoe plucked
off for her: and such an one as the apostle means,
is one that is... [desolate].
~John Gill
Desolate - or "alone":
who has neither husband to take care of her, nor
children or nephews to show kindness to her, nor any
worldly substance to subsist upon:
~John Gill
Widow indeed, and desolate
— contrasted with her who has children or
grandchildren to support her (1 Timothy 5:4).
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 5:4
[See
Study]
But if any widow have children or nephews, let them
learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite
their parents: for that is good and acceptable
before God.
She that is a widow indeed
- Has neither husband nor children, and is
left desolate. Having no earthly trust, she trusteth
in God, and shows this by her devout life.
~People's New Testament
Desolate - “left
alone,” old verb, here alone in N.T. Without
husband, children, or other close kin.
~Robertson's Word Pictures
2] Trusteth in
God.
Trusteth in God - She
has no one else to look to but God. She has no
earthly reliance, and, destitute of husband,
children, and property, she feels her dependence,
and steadily looks to God for consolation and
support. ~Barnes Notes
Trusteth in God -
Finding she has no other helper, she continues in
prayer and supplication, that she may derive that
from God which, in the course of his providence, he
has deprived her of among men.
~Adam Clarke
But trusteth in God -
not in man, nor in an arm of flesh, but in the
living God, the giver of all good things, the Judge
of widows; who vindicates their cause, avenges the
injuries done them, protects and defends them, and
relieves their wants, and gives all encouragement to
them, to trust in him; see Jeremiah 49:11.
~John Gill
Quoted verse:
Jeremiah 49:11
...widow's encouragement to
trust in God
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them
alive; and let thy widows trust in me.
Trusteth in God —
perfect tense in Greek, “hath rested, and doth rest
her hope in God.” 1Timothy 5:5 adds another
qualification in a widow for Church maintenance,
besides her being” desolate” or destitute of
children to support her. She must be not one “that
liveth in pleasure” (1 Timothy 5:6), but one making
God her main hope (the accusative in Greek expresses
that God is the ultimate aim whereto her hope is
directed; whereas, 1 Timothy 4:10, dative expresses
hope resting on God as her present stay [Wiesinger]),
and continuing constantly in prayers. Her
destitution of children and of all ties to earth
would leave her more unencumbered for devoting the
rest of her days to God and the Church (1
Corinthians 7:33-34). Compare also “Anna a widow,”
who remained unmarried after her husband’s death and
“departed not from the temple, but served God with
fastings and prayers day and night” (Luke 2:36-37).
Such a one, Paul implies, would be the fittest
object for the Church’s help (1 Timothy 5:3); for
such a one is promoting the cause of Christ’s Church
by her prayers for it. “Ardor in prayers flows from
hoping confidence in God” [Leo].
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 5:6
...speaking to another
qualification for widows
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she
liveth.
1 Timothy 4:10
...speaking to widow's hope
resting on God. [See
Study]
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach,
because we trust in the living God, who is the
Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
1 Corinthians 7:33-34
...speaking to widows
without earthly ties having more time for God
33 But he that is married careth for the things that
are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34 There is difference also between a wife and a
virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of
the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in
spirit: but she that is married careth for the
things of the world, how she may please her husband.
Luke 2:36-37
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was
of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven
years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four
years, which departed not from the temple, but
served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
1 Timothy 5:3
...speaking to whom Paul
would be fittest object for Church help.
[See
Study]
Honour widows that are widows indeed.
Trusteth in God - Hath
her hope set on God. “Hath placed her hope (and
keeps it) on God.”
~Robertson's Word Pictures
3] And continueth
in supplications and prayers night and day.
And continueth in
supplications and prayers night and day -
Continually; compare notes on 1 Timothy 2:1; see
also the description of Anna in Luke 2:36-37. The
apostle regards this as one of the characteristics
of those who were “widows indeed,” whom he would
have received into the class to be maintained by the
church, and to whom the charge of younger members of
the church might be entrusted.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 2:1
[See
Study]
I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men;
Luke 2:36-37
...quoted above
And continueth in
supplications and prayers night and day - as
the widow Anna did, Luke 2:36 [quoted
above]. A Widow indeed is one that has no
outward dependence, betakes herself to the Lord,
puts her confidence in him, and cries to him
continually for a daily supply; and such an one,
amidst all her poverty and meanness, is a living
believer, one that lives by faith on the Lord; and
is profitable, and useful to the church by her
prayers and supplications made for them, as well as
for herself; whereas she that is in the next verse [verse
6-"liveth in pleasure] described is just
the reverse. ~John Gill
In supplications and prayers
— Greek, “in her supplications and prayers”;
the former signifies asking under a sense of need,
the latter, prayer (see on 1 Timothy 2:1; see on
Philippians 4:6).
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 2:1
...quoted above in this
section [See
Study]
Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God. See sermon "Tell
It to the Mountain"
Night and day — another
coincidence with Luke (Luke 18:7, “cry day and
night”); contrast Satan’s accusations “day and
night” (Revelation 12:10).
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verses:
Luke 18:7
...speaking to crying day
and night to God
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry
day and night unto him, though he bear long with
them?
Revelation 12:10
...noticing that Satan is
crying out night and day.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is
come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of
our brethren is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night.
Night and day - “By
night and by day” (genitive,
not accusative). Paul does not say that
she should pray “all night and day.”
~Robertson's Word Pictures
Note: We are
talking about a continual process where the
firstfruit looks for any opportunity to pray and cry
out to God. Notice Luke 18:1
Luke 18:1
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that
men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
The commentaries speak to the concept of persevering
in prayer and never to grow weary doing so. For the
word, "Always" as in "ought always to pray" the
commentary says, "at all times" meaning we must not
neglect regular stated seasons of prayer; we must
seize on occasions of remarkable providences as
afflictions or signal blessings to seek God in
prayer. We must maintain a spirit of prayer.
~from Barnes Notes.
Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in
the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints.
What we have
learned in Verse 5:
1] We understand the terms, "widow indeed" and
"desolate" are speaking to widows without relatives
and friends who could help.
2] The desolate widow trusts in God.
3] The more desolate we are, the more we put our
trust in God. Fact is, we should put that kind
of trust in Him despite our resources.
4] No firstfruit puts trust in his or her resources,
helpers or talents and should see that all those
come from God anyway.
5] God calls out to the widows [and
all of us] to trust in Him.
Jeremiah 49:11
6] Firstfruits must keep that trust in God [Fervency,
Diligence and Zeal].
7] "Supplications" speak to our praying for things
we need. Notice that in Philippians 4:6,
above, that we give thanks in those supplications as
if they had already been delivered.
8] By continuing in supplications and prayers,
"night and day" we are speaking of praying at every
opportune time, as events present themselves.
We are to constantly be in a spirit of prayer.
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