Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Timothy 5:7
And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
7. these things give in charge ] As in 1Ti 4:11 and thrice in chap. 1; note on 1Ti 1:5. The conjunction is also rather than ‘and’. ‘Include the setting of the true life before the widows also in thy charge.’
blameless ] One of the key-words of this epistle; of a presbyter 1Ti 3:2, of Timothy 1Ti 6:14. At the stage reached now by Christianity, the moral life of the believers before the world, ‘such as cannot be laid hold of by anyone,’ is of vital importance for all ranks equally for the bishop-apostolic himself, for the clergy, for the poor widows. ‘Holiness becometh Thine house’ now most especially.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And these things give in charge – Announce, or declare these things, to wit, particularly respecting the duty of children to their widowed mothers, and the proper duty of those who are widows.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. That they may be blameless.] Charge the whole Church to attend to these things, that they may be blameless. The words are not spoken of the widows only, but of the Church or its officers; it cannot be restricted to the widows, for the adjective is both of the masculine and feminine gender.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In the discharge of thy ministry declare these things, that all Christians, women especially, may be blameless.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. these thingsjust nowspoken (1Ti 5:5; 1Ti 5:6).
that they may beblamelessnamely, the widows supported by the Church.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And these things give in charge,…. Concerning rebuking persons of a different age and sex, and concerning the maintenance of widows; and particularly that children provide for their parents when helpless; and that widows trust in God, and give themselves to prayer and supplication, and not live in sin:
that they may be blameless; before men, and in the view of the world, and not be chargeable with any notorious crime; though none are without blame in themselves, and before God, but as considered in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That they may be without reproach ( ). See 3:2 for . Final clause with and present subjunctive.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) And these things give in charge” (kai tauta parangelle) “And these things charge thou (them).” The them” refers to the younger generation of the widow or widows, that the younger are to care for or support them.
2) “That they may be blameless.” (hina anepilemptoi hosin) “In order that they may be without reproach.” This means in order that all Christians, especially of each congregation, should not be reproached or blamed for or burdened with the care of widows who have near relatives, Jas 1:26-27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7 And command these things He means, that not only does he prescribe to Timothy the course which he ought to follow, but the women also must be carefully taught not to be stained with such vices. It is the duty of the pastor not only to oppose the wicked practices or ambition of those who act an unreasonable part, but to guard against every danger, as far as lies in his power, by instruction and constant warnings.
That they may be blameless. It was the natural result of prudence and steadfastness not to admit widows, unless they were worthy; but yet it was proper to assign a reason why they were not admitted; and it was even necessary to forewarn the Church that unworthy persons should not be brought forward, or should not offer themselves. Again, Paul commends this part of instruction on the ground of utility; as if he had said, that it must by no means be despised, because it is common, since it aims at the chief part of a good and perfect life. Now there is nothing that ought to be more diligently learned in God’s school than the study of a holy and upright life. In a word, moral instruction is compared with ingenious speculations, which are of no visible advantage, agreeably to that saying,
“
All Scripture is profitable, that the man of God may become perfect,” etc. (2Ti 3:16.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) And these things give in charge.That is to say, the duties of widows, as set forth in 1Ti. 5:5, together with his (St. Pauls) estimate of the gay and frivolous character painted in 1Ti. 5:6.
That they may be blameless.That, whether seeking support from the public alms of the Christian community or not, the widows of the congregation should struggle after an irreproachable self-denying life, and show before men publicly whose servants they indeed were. In these words there seems a hint that the former life of many of these women-converts to Christianity had been very different to the life loved of Christ, and that in their new profession as Christians there was urgent need of watchfulness on their part not to give any occasion to slanderous tongues.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. These things This important discrimination between the genuine and the spurious widows.
Charge For it concerns not only the good economy of the Church, but it concerns the spiritual well-being of the women themselves.
That they may be blameless That the women of the Church may not be dead, but living blameless examples of Christianity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘These things also command, that they may be without reproach.’
This probably refers to the children who are responsible for their parents. They are to be without reproach by caring for their ageing parents. It may, however, refer to those who are ‘indeed widows’. Or his point may be that all are to be without reproach, each fulfilling their particular responsibility. Certainly that was his intention.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ti 5:7. That they may be blameless. Some would refer this to the widows; but the gender of the word , rather favours our referring it either to the deacons, or to Timothy’s hearers in general; since it is certain that widows were not the only persons who, in so luxurious a city as Ephesus, were in danger of falling into such sensualities as he had been warning them against.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ti 5:7 . After describing briefly the conduct of the two classes of widows, the apostle continues: ] refers to what was said regarding widows. Timothy is, by way of exhortation, to announce to the church, therefore to the widows, what the apostle has written to him; , comp. 1Ti 4:11 .
] here gives the purpose (at 2Th 3:12 it stands after . in a different sense). The subject of the clause is not the dependants ( , 1Ti 5:4 ) of the widows, much less they along with the widows (Heydenreich), or men and women (Grotius), but the widows spoken of in the preceding verses.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
Ver. 7. And these things give in charge ] Often inculcate and set on with a great deal of vehemence, that religion suffer not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7 .] most naturally applies to the characters just given of widows, not more generally: and in that case (see reff.) must refer to the widows also, not to the and , or to these and the widows together, as Heydenr., or more widely still, as Grot., al. This narrower reference is confirmed by the next verse, which takes up the duty of the relations, being connected not by , but by .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Ti 5:7 . is best referred to 1Ti 5:4 , with its implied injunctions to the younger generation to support their widows.
: i.e. , all Christians whom it concerns, not widows only.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
give in charge. Greek. parangello. See Act 1:4. Compare 1Ti 1:3; 1Ti 4:11; 1Ti 6:13, 1Ti 6:17.
that = in order that. Greek. hina.
blameless. See 1Ti 3:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] most naturally applies to the characters just given of widows, not more generally: and in that case (see reff.) must refer to the widows also, not to the and , or to these and the widows together, as Heydenr., or more widely still, as Grot., al. This narrower reference is confirmed by the next verse, which takes up the duty of the relations, being connected not by , but by .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Ti 5:7. , these things) which have been just now spoken.-, may be) viz. true widows.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Ti 5:7
These things also command, that they may be without reproach.-Give these teachings in charge of the whole church that they may be without blame in providing for widows indeed, and not pampering idleness in those able to take care of themselves.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
1Ti 1:3, 1Ti 4:11, 1Ti 6:17, 2Ti 4:1, Tit 1:13, Tit 2:15
Reciprocal: Phi 2:15 – blameless 1Th 2:11 – charged 1Th 5:27 – I charge
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ti 5:7. Give in charge means to insist gravely upon the rules described, lest the cause of Christ be blamed for corruptions in the membership.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Ti 5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
The things above are to be given to the church as a charge for their knowledge of their responsibility. The blameless refers to them being widows INDEED and not cheating God and the church.
This is true of the church as well. The church needs to know that they are responsible for the widows or they might be blamed for not taking care of them. In Acts six the problem was that some of the widows were not being ministered to and it led to hard feelings and charges.
In our later life – after both our parents were gone, we came in contact with an old woman that was a member at a church where I was interim pastor. As we talked with her and became friends with her I was taken with the importance of this passage. This woman was self sustaining financially and was quite active for her age, but as her health diminished she needed some assistance and later a care home.
The reason I bring this up is that her lost family was right there to take care of her. They knew their responsibility even though they weren’t Christians.
Had she not had that type of family it would have been the churchs kindness and responsibility to fill in for her in her time of need.
Common sense demands this care of an aged woman, yet God felt he had to tell us this via the apostle Paul – He tends to know how Christians degenerate toward one another.
There is a sense in which we should be open to assisting widows on a personal basis as well – help as you can when you can.
Before we move on, the term nephew currently relates to the son of a brother or sister, however in the English language in the past it related closely to grandchildren or any family member according to Barnes.
Barclay mentions along this same line of thought “It was Greek law from the time of Solon that sons and daughters were, not only morally, but also legally bound to support their parents. Anyone who refused that duty lost his civil rights. Aeschines, the Athenian orator, says in one of his speeches: “And whom did our lawgiver (Solon) condemn to silence in the Assembly of the people? And where does he make this clear? ‘Let there be,’ he says, ‘a scrutiny of public speakers, in case there be any speaker in the Assembly of the people who is a striker of his father or mother, or who neglects to maintain them or to give them a home.”‘ Demosthenes says: “I regard the man who neglects his parents as unbelieving in and hateful to the gods, as well as to men.” Philo, writing of the commandment to honour parents, says: “When old storks become unable to fly, they remain in their nests and are fed by their children, who go to endless exertions to provide their food because of their piety.” To Philo it was clear that even the animal creation acknowledged its obligations to aged parents, and how much more must men? Aristotle in the Nichomachean Ethics lays it down: “It would be thought in the matter of food we should help our parents before all others, since we owe our nourishment to them, and it is more honourable to help in this respect the authors of our being, even before ourselves.” As Aristotle saw it, a man must himself starve before he would see his parents starve. Plato in The Laws has the same conviction of the debt that is owed parents: “Next comes the honour of loving parents, to whom, as is meet, we have to pay the first and greatest and oldest of debts, considering that all which a man has belongs to those who gave him birth and brought him up, and that he must do all that he can to minister to them; first, in his property; secondly, in his person; and thirdly, in his soul; paying the debts due to them for their care and travail which they bestowed upon him of old in the days of his infancy, and which he is now able to pay back to them, when they are old and in the extremity of their need.” Barcley, William; THE LETTERS TO TIMOTHY TITUS, AND PHILEMON; Philadelphia; Westminster; 1975; PP. 106-7
My how things have changed! Let’s get back to what is right and give our elders honor and respect!
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Timothy was to teach these things so family members in the church would shoulder their rightful responsibility. He was also to do so to encourage the widows to seek the Lord rather than pursuing lives of "wanton pleasure" (1Ti 5:6).
"The Ephesians are evidently so spiritually immature that even after all the years of Paul’s ministry he is not able to speak to them as mature Christians but still is dealing with the basics [cf. 1Co 3:1-2]." [Note: Mounce, p. 284.]