to be a child-bearer · verb — present active infinitive
house
οἰκοδεσποτεῖν,oikodespotein
G3616
to be the head of (i.e. rule) a family · verb — present active infinitive
give
διδόναιdidonai
G1325
to give (used in a very wide application · verb — present active infinitive
none
μηδεμίανmēdemian
G3367
not even one (man · adjective — accusative singular feminine
occasion
ἀφορμὴνaphormēn
G874
a starting-point · noun — accusative singular feminine
adversary
ἀντικειμένῳantikeimenō
G480
to lie opposite · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, dative singular masculine
reproachfully
λοιδορίαςloidorias
G3059
slander or vituperation · noun — genitive singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasph…
Proverbs 31:27-29 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Daniel 6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault;…
1 Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 5:3-16
Directions are here given concerning the taking of widows into the number of those who were employed by the church and had maintenance from the church: Honour widows that are widows indeed. Honour them, that is, maintain them, admit them into office. There was in those times an office in the church in which widows were employed, and that was to tend the sick and the aged, to look to them by the direction of the deacons. We read of the care taken of widows immediately upon the first forming of the Christian church (Act 6:1), where the Grecians thought their widows were neglected in the daily ministration and provision made for poor widows. The general rule is to honour widows that are widows…
younger women--rather, as ellipsis ought to be supplied, "the younger widows," namely younger widows in general, as distinguished from the older widows taken on the roll of presbyteresses (Ti1 5:9). The "therefore" means seeing that young widows are exposed to such temptations, "I will," or "desire," &c. (Ti1 5:11-13). The precept here that they should marry again is not inconsistent with Co1 7:40; for the circumstances of the two cases were distinct (compare Co1 7:26). Here remarriage is recommended as an antidote to sexual passion, idleness, and the other evils noted in Ti1 5:11-13. Of course, where there was no tendency to these evils, marriage again would not be so requisite; Paul speaks…
I will therefore that the younger women marry - As the preceding discourse has been about the younger widows, and this is an inference from it; it is most evident that by the younger women the apostle means the young widows. These he considers unfit for the office of the female diaconate, and therefore wills them to marry, educate children, and give themselves wholly up to domestic affairs. Here the apostle, so far from forbidding second marriages, positively enjoins or at least recommends them. And what man of sense could have done otherwise in the cases he mentions? It is no sin in any case to marry, bear children, and take care of a family; but it is a sin in every case to be idle persons…
The Church Fathers
"But again, writing to Timotheus, he 'wills the very young (women) to marry, bear children, act the housewife.'" He is (here) directing (his speech) to such as he denotes above-"very young widows," who, after being, "apprehended" in widowhood, and (subsequently) wooed for some length of time, after they have had Christ in their affections, "wish to marry, having judgment, because they have rescinded the first faith,"-that (faith), to wit, by which they were "found" in widowhood, and, after professing it, do not persevere.
It is likely that many widows at that time had lived more recklessly and arrogantly after the death of their husbands, as if freed from some constraining tyranny of their husbands over them; and so some earn a bad reputation for themselves because of their audacity. Drawing them away from this ruinous freedom, Paul leads them back to their former yoke. He says that if a widow intends to secretly cheapen and dishonor herself, it is much better to marry and "give our enemies no occasion to speak ill of us." Thus, because he did not want to furnish opportunities for rebuke or want the widow to live the wanton life of a harlot, he permitted second marriages.
"I will therefore," he says, (since they themselves wish it,) "that the younger widows marry, bear children, guide the house." This course is at least preferable to the other. They ought indeed to be concerned for the things of God, they ought to preserve their faith. But since they do not this, it is better to avoid a worse course. God is not dishonored by their marrying again, and they do not fall into those practices, which have been censured. From such a widowhood, no good could arise, but good may come out of this marriage. Hence the women will be able to correct that indolence and vanity of mind. But why, since some have fallen away, does he not say that much care is to be taken of them, that they may not fall into the error he has mentioned? Why has he commanded them to marry? Because marriage is not forbidden, and it is a safeguard to them. Wherefore he adds, that they "give none occasion," or handle, "to the adversary to speak reproachfully."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Widow — Under the Mosaic dispensation no legal provision was made for the maintenance of widows. They were left dependent partly on the affection of relations, more especially of the eldest son, whose…
Widows — To be treated with kindness (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12; 27:19, etc.). In the New Testament the same tender regard for them is inculcated (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 5:3-16) and…
Wife — The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Gen. 4:19), and continued to prevail…
Commandments · PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES — PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES
Marriage · Lawful in all — Lawful in all
Widows · When young, exposed to may temptations — When young, exposed to may temptations
Wife · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
I will therefore that the younger women marry,.... Or "the younger" widows rather; and so some copies read; for this is not the apostle's advice to young women in general, though it will suit with them, but with younger widows in particular, of whom he is speaking:
bear children; and bring them forth, and feed, and nourish them, and bring them up in a religious way:
guide the house; manage domestic affairs, direct, order, or do what is proper to be done for the good of the family; which is much more commendable than to throw themselves upon the church, and live an idle and wanton life, and after that marry: and so
give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully; that is, either…
14. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
14. Volo igitur juniores nubere, liberos gignere, domum administrare, nullam occasionem dare adversario, ut habeat maledicendi causam.
15. For some are already turned aside after Satan.
15. Nonnullae enim jam deflexerunt post Satanam.
16. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
16. Quodsi quis fidelis, aut si qua fidelis habet viduas, suppeditet illis, et non oneretur Ecclesia, ut iis, quae vere viduae sunt, suppetat.
14 I wish the…
Paul is advising younger widows to remarry—and to marry believers (5:11-12; cp. 2:15). • not . . . say anything against them: Their actions were hurting their testimony for the Good News (see 1 Thes 4:11-12; Titus 2:8).
