Survey
of the Letters of Paul: 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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.