1 Timothy 5:7

1Ti 5:7. Ταῦτα, these things) which have been just now spoken.—ὧσιν, may be) viz. true widows.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti_5:7. After describing briefly the conduct of the two classes of widows, the apostle continues: καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε] ταῦτα 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; παράγγελλε, comp. 1Ti_4:11.

ἵνα ἀνεπίληπτοι ὦσιν] ἵνα here gives the purpose (at 2Th_3:12 it stands after παραγγέλλειν κ. παρακαλεῖν in a different sense). The subject of the clause is not the dependants (τέκνα καὶ ἔκγονα, 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.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti 5:7 . ταῦτα is best referred to 1Ti 5:4 , with its implied injunctions to the younger generation to support their widows.

ἀνεπίλημπτοι : i.e. , all Christians whom it concerns, not widows only.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

these things--just now spoken (Ti1 5:5-6).

that they may be blameless--namely, the widows supported by the Church.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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 ανεπιληπτοι is both of the masculine and feminine gender.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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. (2 Timothy 3:16.)

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(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. Paul’s) 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.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In the discharge of thy ministry declare these things, that all Christians, women especially, may be blameless.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

These things also command for and these things give in charge, A.V; without reproach for blameless, A.V These things, etc. The apostle had been giving Timothy his own instructions concerning widows and their maintenance by their own relations. He now adds the direction that he should give these things in charge to the Ephesian Church, lest they should be guilty and blameworthy by acting in a different spirit. He probably was aware of a disposition existing in some quarters to throw the burden of maintaining their widows upon the Church. Without reproach (ajnepilhptoi); above, 1Ti_3:2, note. If they did not so they would be liable to the terrible reproach mentioned in ver. 8, that, Christians as they called themselves, they were in their conduct worse than unbelievers.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That they - That is, the widows.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Ver. 7. And these things enjoin, in order that they may be without reproach—namely, the parties referred to in the preceding statements—widows more particularly, but along with them also the families which belonged to some of them. They are consequently supposed to be connected with the Christian community, and to be ready to listen to sound instruction. In the next verse, however, a class of characters is noticed that are expressly declared to be unworthy of the Christian name.

Patrick Fairbairn — An Exposition of Ezekiel (1851), Jonah (1849), and The Pastoral Epistles (1874) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. These things give in charge. Insist upon these things.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Give these instructions

"Command these things"

so that they may be blameless

"so that no one can find fault with them." Possible meanings of "they" are 1) "these widows and their families" or 2) "the believers." It might be best to leave the subject as "they."

does not provide for his own relatives, especially for those of his own household

"does not help with his relatives' needs, especially for those family members living in his home"

he has denied the faith

"he has acted contrary to the truth we believe"

is worse than an unbeliever

"is worse than those who do not believe in Jesus." Paul means this person is worse than an unbeliever because even unbelievers take care of their relatives. Therefore, a believer should certainly take care of his relatives.

translationWords

preach

reproach

household

faith

believe

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

7. καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε. καί carries us back to a former injunction at 1Ti 4:11; ταῦτα must refer to some counsel or warning about widows (and not about widows and their children), for plainly those who are to be ἀνεπίλημπτοι (on which word see 1Ti 3:2) are the χήραι alone. Hence the things in question (ταῦτα) would seem to be contained in 1Ti 5:5-6 which describe respectively the marks of ‘the widow indeed’ and of her who through her dissipated life has forfeited all claim to the title, which otherwise would naturally belong to her. It will be a duty for Timothy to reiterate these, ἴνα ἀνεπίλημπτοι ὦσιν.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7.] ταῦτα most naturally applies to the characters just given of widows, not more generally: and in that case ἵνα ἀνεπίλημπτοι (see reff.) ὦσιν must refer to the widows also, not to the τέκνα and ἔκγονα, 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 γάρ, but by δέ.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.