Where the help must come from: (5:7-8): God’s normal way of providing for the needy is not through the church, but through our own hard work. A man must provide for his family to do all he could to support them. Almost everyone has family or relative of some kind. Family relationships are so important in God’s eyes. A person who has neglected his family responsibility has denied his faith. He is worse than an unbeliever. That’s why when someone is out of work, we can pray with such confidence, knowing it is God’s will for them to provide for the needs of their family through work.
Helping older widows: (5:9-10): If some widow is below sixty years, they should not be put under the destitute widows. The idea is that if someone is under sixty, they could still support themselves or get remarried. They did not need to be added to the support list of the church. But the widows who are accepted under the support list, must not only be true widows, but they must also have godly character. They were called to a job, not merely to a handout but to get involved in the service of the church. Though the age of 60 years was more advanced in those days, yet Paul keeps the widows who are below 60 years out of the support list. The widows who are taken in the list of support must have the following virtues:
- She must have a good marriage record: This refers to a woman of single marriage. A woman who had a temporary second marriage after the death of her husband cannot be taken in the list. Faithfulness to one’s marriage vows is very important in the eyes of God. The virtues are the mirror image given by Paul for deacons and overseers (1 Tim.3:12; Titus 1:6). The early church had an official list of the names of qualified widows, and we get the impression that these enlisted women ministered to the congregation in various ways. Ex: (Dorcas and her widow friends Acts 9:36-43).
- She must have good works: Jesus said: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”(Matt.5:16). Paul gives 5-fold good works for older widows who are to be supported by the church. They are:
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- Child raising: Raising her own children and even the abandoned infants which was quite common in those days.
- Hospitality: She must have exercised good hospitality to the saints and visiting evangelists.
- Washing the saints’ feet (humble service): This is a service presently not in use. But it refers to the humble service in the church.
- Helping people in trouble: It includes feeding the hungry , caring for the sick. The past life of the widow would certainly speak of these virtues.
- Various other kinds of good deeds. They should have a track record of meeting the material and physical needs in the church. But now these widows are cared for by the church, but they in turn help and care the church members.
Helping the younger widows: (5:11-16):
Paul advises that younger widows should not be put on the list of church support list for 2-reasons:
- The younger women whose active sexual lives are well might be faced with normal sexual desires which would become a hindrance to their dedication to Christ. Many women would want to remarry, have companion and bring up children. Younger widows are naturally attracted to men and want to marry again. There is nothing so bad about that. Every widow in her marriage has pleged to live life long with the husband. This pledge should not be interpreted as a “vow of celibacy” after the death of husband. That’s why Paul insists that younger widows should get remarried.
2. Further younger and energetic widows would have a more difficult time resisting the temptations connected with idleness. As the saying: “an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.” If the church supports them they would have more idle time because their maintenance is being met by the church. Instead of giving their free time in the service to God in visitation and counselling, younger widows would be more susceptible to going about from house to house and becoming idlers, gossips, busybodies, saying things they ought not to. Too much time with not enough to do is dangerous for anyone except those too old to get into trouble. Hence Paul’s counsel was that younger widows should not take the vow and be added to the list, instead they should marry, raise a family, manage their homes, and by being thus occupied give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
So the younger widows should marry and have families. While not every person is supposed to get married, marriage is natural for most people who have been married before. There is no point in remaining in lonely widowhood, if there was yet opportunity for a husband and a family. Of course, all of this would have to be in the Lord (1 Cor.7:39).