1 Timothy 5:3

3 Honor widows who are really widows.

1 Timothy 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Timothy 5:3

Honour widows that are widows indeed.
] Who those are, see in ( 1 Timothy 1:5 1 Timothy 1:9 1 Timothy 1:10 ) . The honour to be given them is not a putting of them into the office of a deaconess, in the church; which office, some think, is referred to in ( Acts 6:1 ) ( 1 Timothy 3:11 ) ( 5:9 ) , and did obtain in some of the primitive churches; and it might be that some of these widows, the apostle here and hereafter speaks of, might be preferred to the rest, and be set over them, and have the care of such, who were more infirm; but then this could only be the case of some, whereas the honour here spoken of is what is to be given to all that are really widows; and therefore rather regards some external honour and respect to be shown them, by words and actions; and especially it designs an honourable provision for them, and maintenance of them; in which sense the word is used in ( 1 Timothy 5:17 ) ( Matthew 15:4-6 ) . So, with the Jews, giving gifts to persons, and making presents to them, is called honour. When Manoah asked the angel's name, that he might do him honour, when his saying came to pass, ( Judges 13:17 ) the sense, according to them, is F17,

``that I may inquire in what place I may find thee, when thy prophecy is fulfilled, and give thee (Nwrwd) , "a gift"; for there is no honour but what signifies a gift, as it is said, ( Numbers 22:17 ) , "honouring I will honour thee".''
So giving gifts to the poor, or providing for their maintenance, is doing them honour; and that this is the sense here, appears by what follows in the context.
FOOTNOTES:

F17 Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 10. fol. 199. 4.

1 Timothy 5:3 In-Context

1 Do not speak harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers,
2 to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.
3 Honor widows who are really widows.
4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents; for this is pleasing in God's sight.
5 The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.