1 Timothy 5

15  Apparently some young widows had already been put on the list, and had subsequently turned away to follow Satan—that is, they had fallen into sin. This is why Paul urges Timothy not to put young widows on the list: he doesn’t want any others to be tempted to break their vow to God and fall into sin.

16  Just as children must care for their widowed mothers and grandmothers, so must the women of a family take care of any other widows in their family, such as widowed sisters, sisters-in-law, daughters, daughters-in-law, etc. Paul says that such widows who have another woman in the household who can care for them should not be put on the church list of widows. The church should only be responsible for those widows who are really in need.¹³

17  Timothy is also responsible for supervising and paying the elders of the church. Together with the pastor, the elders are the main leaders of the local church¹⁴ (see Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-3 and comments). Those elders who do their work well are worthy to receive double honor—that is, they are worthy both to be honored for their work and to receive payment for it.

18 Workers in the church deserve to be paid for their work. To affirm this principle, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 25:4 (see 1 Corinthians 9:7-9 and comment). If it is right to feed the ox which treads grain that perishes, it is certainly right to pay the pastor or elder who feeds us the true bread of life that never perishes.

Paul also quotes here from Luke 10:7 (see 1 Corinthians 9:14). True, elders should not work for the love of money (1 Peter5:2); but the church has a responsibility to pay them fairly.

19  From time to time accusations may be brought against an elder. Such an accusation should not even be entertained—that is, not even listened to—unless it is confirmed by two or three eyewitnesses (see Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1)

20 If a charge against an elder is proven, that elder must be rebuked publicly.¹⁵ This will provide a warning to others not to sin.

21-22 Timothy must not show any partiality or favoritism in dealing with others. Before laying on hands—that is, before appointing anyone to an office in the church—Timothy must carefully examine that person to see that he is worthy (see Acts 6:6 and comment). If later on he proves to be a sinner, then Timothy will have to take responsibility for his sin, since he was the one who appointed him. Because of that person’s sin, Timothy’s own service will be dishonored. And certainly, Timothy himself must take no part in someone else’s sin; he must keep himself pure.

23 From this verse we learn that Timothy was not a strong and healthy man physically. He had many illnesses. In New Testament times, a little wine was considered good for one’s stomach.¹⁶

24-25 These verses are connected with verse 22. In appointing men to office in the church, it is easy to be deceived. Some men’s sins can be readily seen. The sins of such men come immediately to the attention of the court.

Other men, however, seem good on the outside, but inwardly they are sinful. The sins of these men come to light only later on. Many such men have been appointed to leadership in the church, and the church has suffered great harm as a result.

In the same way, some good deeds are immediately seen, while other good deeds come to light only later on. Thus many men who are worthy to be leaders are not chosen, because their good deeds are not at first apparent. Only later does it become clear that they are indeed worthy to be leaders.

Finally, there are many people whose worthiness will only be fully manifest in heaven. How many Christians there must be who quietly do good, who sacrifice, who pray—but no one hears about them! Surely these saints will one day receive their full reward.