Celledoor Bible: 1 Timothy 5

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First Letter from Paul to Timothy
5

1 Tim 5:1: An old man. Here the word presbyter is not take as in other places, as a bishop or priest, but as an elderly man, who is otherwise to be dealt with than young men. (Witham)

We cannot sufficiently admire the tenderness and prudence of all this Saint's guidances. Criticism, under any circumstances, is always sufficiently painful, without being accompanied by harsh and unfeeling words and manners. Age, although not exempt from fault, should always be treated with tenderness and respect.
1 Tim 5:2: A just medium must be observed in the guidance of the sex, avoiding equally an indiscreet severity or an affection too tender and bordering on sensuality. A just self-doubt in self is the best security.

All chastity refers to the heart, eyes, ears, words, looks, with the precautions of times and places.
1 Tim 5:3: Honor those widows. To honor, here means to relieve and maintain. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:4: Let her learn first, etc. He gives this as a mark to know if widows deserve to be maintained out of the common stock; if they have been careful of their own family, and to assist their parents, if still alive. In most Greek copies, and in the Syriac, is read, let them learn; i.e. let the children and grandchildren learn to govern their family, and to assist their parents, when they are widows; that, as it is said in 1 Tim 5:16, the Church may not be burdened with maintaining them. (Witham)

Let her render to her children the same good services she has received from her parents, that she may also expect from them what is her due as mother. (Theodoret)
1 Tim 5:5: She who is truly a widow and is destitute, (destitute of help, as the Greek word implies) may be maintained; and then let her be constant in prayers and devotions night and day. (Witham)

Every Christian soul is a widow of Jesus Christ, who has been forcibly torn from her: and in her communications with Heaven she should offer up an afflicted and humbled heart— the heart of a widow. It is in this manner she will avoid the dangers of the world, and secure true life in unchangeable bliss. (Haydock)
1 Tim 5:6: For she who is living in pleasure, (i.e. that seeks to live in ease and plenty) is dead while living, by the spiritual death of her soul in sin. See St. Chrysostom with no less eloquence than piety, expounding this riddle, as he terms it, that is to say, what it is to be at the same time alive and dead. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:8: He has denied the faith, (not in words, but in his actions) and is worse than an unbeliever; nay, even than brutes, that take care of their young ones. (Witham)

Faith may be renounced either by words or by actions, when our conduct shows that in our hearts we really do not believe what would otherwise influence our lives. (Calmet)

We have a horror of the name of apostasy, and fear not its works. Is not this a Christian in appearance, and an infidel in heart?
1 Tim 5:9: Not less than sixty years of age. Some think he speaks only of such a widow that was placed over all the rest: but the common exposition is of all those widows as were maintained in that manner, who made a vow of chastity, who assisted the ministers of the Church in looking to the poor, and in the administering baptism to women.

Who was the wife of one husband; i.e. has never been married but once. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:11: As for the younger widows, do not admit them into that number; for once they have flourished in Christ, which may signify in the Church of Christ, or as others translate, against Christ; when they have been nourished in plenty, indulging their appetite in eating and drinking, in company and conversation, in private familiarities, and even sometimes in sacrilegious fornications against Christ and their vows, they are for marrying again. See St. Jerome. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:12: Resulting, or incurring and making themselves liable to damnation, by a breach of the primacy of faith, their vow or promise, (Witham) by which they had engaged themselves to Christ. (Challoner)
1 Tim 5:13: Idle, etc. He shows by what steps they fall. Neglecting their prayers, they give themselves to idleness; they go about visiting from house to house; they are carried away with curiosity to hear what passes, and speak what they should not of their neighbor's faults. (Witham)

The young widow that bears a near resemblance with this portrait, is not less to be lamented on her own account than feared and shunned on the account of others.
1 Tim 5:14: The younger (widows) to marry. They who understand this of a command or exhortation to all widows to marry, make St. Paul contradict himself, and the advice he gave to widows 1 Cor 7:40 where he says, She (the widow) will be more blessed, if she remains... in accord to my counsel; and when it is there said, I would have all to be as myself. [See the notes on those places.] He can therefore only mean such young widows, of whom he is speaking, that are like to do worse. Therefore it is expounded by St. Jerome to Sabina: "Let her rather take a husband than the devil." And in another epistle, to Ageruchia: "It is better to take a second husband than many adulterers." St. Chrysostom on this verse: I will, or would have such to marry, because they themselves will do it. See also St. Augustine, de Bono viduitatis, chap. viii. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:15: For certain ones have already been turned back to Satan, by breaking the vows they had made. "Yet it does not follow, (says St. Augustine in the same place de Bono viduitatis, chap. viii.) that they who abstain not from such sins may marry after their vows. They might indeed marry before they vowed; but this being done, unless they keep them they justly incur damnation." "Why is it, (he says again, on Psalm lxxv.) they made void their first faith? but that they made vows, and kept them not. But let not this (he says) make you abstain from such vows, for you are not to comply with them by your own strength; you will fall, if you presume on yourselves; but if you confide in him to whom you made these vows, you will securely comply with them." How different was the doctrine and practice of the first and chief of the late contending reformers, who were many of them apostates after such vows? (Witham)
1 Tim 5:17: Priests, or ancient ministers, (i.e. bishops, priests, etc.) deserve twice the honor; i.e. to be more liberally supplied and maintained by the flock, especially when they labor in preaching the word.

You shall not muzzle, etc. See 1 Cor 9:9. (Witham)

It is the obligation of the faithful to provide a decent maintenance for their pastors, and the duty of pastors to be content with little. Happy the church where there is no further difference found than between the liberality of the former and the disinterestedness of the latter!
1 Tim 5:19: Against a priest. The word presbyter is commonly here expounded as bishops and priests; although St. Chrysostom understands this as men advanced in age.

Do not be willing to accept an accusation; i.e. do not sit as judge, nor listen to such information. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:20: Reprove sinners, so they are public criminals, etc. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:21: Without prejudgment] for or against anyone, showing favoritism to either side, holding the scales of justice equally. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:22: You should not be quick to impose hands on anyone, in promoting him to be a minister of God by the sacrament of orders, unless he is duly qualified.

Nor should you in this take part in the sins of outsiders, as they make themselves who ordain others rashly. (Witham)
1 Tim 5:24: The sins of Some men have been made manifest, etc. These two verses seem connected with the admonition before given, as to ordaining ministers, some men's sins and evil life being so manifest, that they are certain to be rejected.

But those of others are manifest later: they appear not until after a trial and examination.

Similarly, too, good deeds, and good lives of some men, are so manifest, that they are easily admitted. And those that are not, (that is, when they are desiring to conceal their virtues) they cannot remain hidden: by an examination and trial they will appear. (Witham)

This refers to what he had said before, that he should not easily ordain others, but pass his judgment with scrutiny and impartiality. But there are some whom the public voice already condemns; their crimes are manifest: and there are others, although bad, whose crimes cannot be proved without examination. (Calmet)

St. Basil thinks it refers to the general judgment. Many both good and bad actions are currently manifest: others will not be known until the day of judgment. Hypocrites are reserved to be judged by the Lord, as we cannot pronounce their actions. (St. Basil, lib. de Virgin.)

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