1 Timothy 5:9-15
Eternity Online: John Edmiston (Editor)
Eternity-Inspiration for Tuesday 10th March 1998
1 Timothy 5:9-15
(1 Tim 5:9-16 NKJV) Do not let a widow under sixty years old be
taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one
man, {10} well reported for good works: if she has brought up
children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints'
feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently
followed every good work. {11} But refuse the younger widows; for
when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to
marry, {12} having condemnation because they have cast off their
first faith. {13} And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about
from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and
busybodies, saying things which they ought not. {14} Therefore I
desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the
house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
{15} For some have already turned aside after Satan. {16} If any
believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not
let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really
widows.
We return to our discussion of widows here. It is apparent that the
church took care of widows who were without family and who had lived
a godly life and were over 60 years old. The test for eligibility
was not doctrinal but in actions such as "washing the feet of the
saints". The point is strongly made that "younger widows" should
remarry to avoid indulging in sensual pleasures. Once a person has
become sexually active that desire remains for life and for reasons
of self-control it was better that younger widows remarry - for as
Paul says elsewhere (1 Cor. 7) it is better to marry than to burn.
While this passage primarily applies to those who lose their
husbands through death it can be informative for us when considering
the remarriage after divorce issue. People with active sexual lives
do not stop having those desires when their partner dies or leaves
them. These desires can be so strong that the person can easily fall
into temptation. It can be argued that Jesus teaching in the gospels
prohibits remarriage after divorce. I would argue he prohibits
"immediate" remarriage (this is based on a consideration of the
Greek verbs involved you can find the argument in B. Ward Powers book
on marriage and divorce). It is my observation that divorced but not
remarried Christians occasionally fall into sexual sin and some lead
disgraceful lives, unable to marry because of their churches
teaching on one hand and yet unable to resist their own sinful
weakness on the other. It is indeed better to marry than to burn and
I think some churches need to rework their teaching on divorce so
that remarriage is permitted but after a suitable period of time (say
3 years) so that people do not just hop from one partner to the next.
I suggest three years because statistics indicate that the failure
rate of marriages contracted in the first two years after death or
divorce is very high. It also ensures that the second marriage is
not an adulterous liaison i.e. that they are not marrying the lover
that broke up the first marriage etc. These are my personal
reflections and I leave them with you as such. Your views may well
be much stronger.
The reason for the remarriage of widows has nothing to do with them
being happy. Paul's language actually carries a moderate degree of
force "I will that they should marry" or "I desire that they should
marry". It is not an imperative command but rather a firm request.
This makes the passage strangely conflicting. In verse 11 younger
widows are condemned for strongly wanting to marry - apparently this
led to the destruction of their faith! Yet in verse 14 they are being
required to marry! There are a number of possible answers to this
dilemma. The verb "gameo" for marry may being used very broadly
meaning the physical act of marriage - having sex. This would
certainly erode their faith. However that would be a rare usage. The
other alternative is that widows on the church roll were expected to
take a vow of celibacy and that desiring marriage when under a vow of
celibacy led to them "growing wanton against Christ" . This is
antithetical to the entire teaching of the NT which is against such
vows and which desires freedom. Wanting to marry when one is single
can hardly be described as "waxing wanton" (KJV).
The concern that younger widows remarry is twofold 1. That they avoid
the shame and accusation of sexual sin. 2. That they avoid the
welfare mentality and an idle lifestyle where they went house to
house gossiping. Paul, Jewish tradition and the OT concur in that
productivity from both men and women was held as a high virtue.
Idleness and promiscuity give huge amounts of ground for the Devil to
accuse God's people - and none more so than today. The Devil will
have far less grounds for accusation if "younger widows" remarry, get
off welfare, and live productive lives.
Prayer:
Lord teach us to live with mercy in our hearts to those who are truly
widows yet let this mercy be illuminated with understanding of what
is best for each person and how we can bring them into dignity and
truth. Lord help us to understand Your Holy Word and apply it wisely
in the very complex and harsh world we live in today. Amen
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