Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 53

Paul Instructs Timothy on how Members of Christ Body should be Treated in Christ Church Part 9

1 Timothy 5:15-16 For some are already turned aside after Satan. 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. KJV

As we declared in the previous study/commentary, the Apostle Paul had received testimony from various creditable members of many of the local Church bodies of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ concerning the wandering and straying behavior of some of the younger widows in the Church who had allowed the enemy to occupy their minds and cause them to turn aside from that which should have been their duty and responsibilities in the Church body into becoming nosy busybodies, meddlers, and gossips speaking lies about other members of Christ body because the devil himself is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), and so we see Paul confirms his discovery to Brother Timothy with these words, "For some are already turned aside after Satan." (1 Timothy 5:15) (KJV). The little English phrase 'are already' is translated by the Greek word ede meaning even now: - already, by this time. The little English phrase 'turned aside' is translated by the Greek word ektrepō which means to deflect, that is, turn away (literally or figuratively): - avoid, turn (aside, out of the way). Here is what the JFB Commentary had to say concerning this turning aside after Satan by some of the younger widows, "For in the case of some this result has already ensued; 'Some (widows) are already turned aside after Satan,' the seducer (not by falling away from the faith in general, but) by such errors as are stigmatized in 1 Timothy 5:11-13, sexual passion, idleness, etc., and so have given occasion of reproach (1 Timothy 5:14). 'Satan finds some mischief still for the idle hands to do.'"

Paul now informs, instructs, and institutes this policy for every Church to put into place concerning the young men and women in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ who have older women/widows within their own families by writing these words to Timothy, "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." (1 Timothy 5:16) (KJV). When Paul writes here, 'If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them," Paul is saying to every individual family in the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ that they (the younger men and women of each family) should be first and foremost responsible for the care and support of the older women in their families who are widowed. The little English phrase 'let them relieve' is translated by the Greek word eparkeō which means to avail for, that is, help: - relieve, be of use to, be useful to. In other words, although such widows would be eligible and entitled  to receive financial support or assistance from the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, they should not have to do so, seeing that they have younger men and women in their earthly family who should willingly want to provide them whatever they needed, just as their husband would have done for them. Here is what Albert Barnes had to say concerning younger men and women in families taking care of their older relatives who were widowed, "Widowed mothers, or grandmothers, or any other widows whose support would naturally devolve on them. Let them relieve them - That is, let them support them. This was an obvious rule of duty. Nothing can be more unreasonable than to leave those who are properly dependent on us to be supported by others, when we are able to maintain them ourselves."

Here also is what Dr. John Gill had to say concerning younger men and women in families taking care of their older relatives who were widowed, "That is, if any member of a Church, whether a brother or a sister, have mothers or grandmothers, or any near relations widows, in mean circumstances, and incapable of taking care of themselves: let them relieve them; out of their own substance; which is what the Apostle before calls showing piety at home, and requiting their own parents." When Paul writes these words here at the end of this verse, 'and let not the Church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed', he is simply, surely, and sweetly saying that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ should not be responsible for taking care of the needs of widows in Christ body that have younger men and women in their families who are able and capable of supplying them all their earthly needs and necessities, for this very reason and cause did the Jews during that time (and some have continued this practice for many generations) have the elderly Father and Mother live in the same house as their sons and daughters. This also is what the Apostle Paul knew quite well being a Jew himself of the tribe of Benjamin, that is, a Hebrew of the Hebrews and surely he and his family practiced this tradition or rule of care concerning their elderly mothers and grandmothers who were widowed. Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say concerning the Church of Jesus Christ being responsible for taking care of true widows or widows indeed, "Let not the Church be charged; or burdened with the maintenance of them: that the Church may be in a better capacity, its stock not being expended on others, to supply the wants of those who are really widows; who have neither husbands, nor children, nor any relations, to provide for them; nor anything in the world to support themselves with."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…