Older believers have purpose and a place in God’s program. God’ people must valued and respect them Younger Christians must take the honor and support of the widows in their family as a personal responsibility in worship to Christ (See the previous two articles). But what about impoverished widows with no family or friends to support them? The apostle Paul teaches local churches to financially support qualified widows.
Please read 1 Timothy 5:3-16.[1]
Help only qualified widows?
The Apostle Paul spent much time here explaining specific qualifications a widow needed in order to receive regular financial assistance. Do we conclude from this that widows should not be helped by Christians unless they meet all of the qualifications listed here? No, we know Paul cannot be arguing that, for the New Testament assumes that God’s people will help the destitute, especially believing orphans and widows, regardless their personal qualifications (James 1:27; 1 John 3:17-18). Paul is refers to something else.
Qualified Widows on the List: Women of Prayer
In this passage, Paul describes a special group of people, older widows whom the Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us is qualified to receive regular financial assistance. Those in this “number” or on this “list” are only those so qualified. These women are to dedicate their remaining years and energies to the ministry of prayer in their local church in keeping with “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”[2] Paul teaches us to give priority to such widows:
“She who is truly a widow and left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day…Let a (qualified) widow be enrolled” on this list for support (v.5, 9a).
Qualifications for regular financial support
She is at least 60 years of age (v.9).
This woman is at or approaching the age where she will be beyond the ability to be financially productive. Paul placed the age limit for being on the list at 60, the age when people were considered elderly in Jewish culture at that time. These women could no longer significantly contribute to their own needs.
Life expectancies in Paul’s day were much lower than in today’s developed modern cultures. Where life expectancies are higher today, people are able and even expected to work much longer. If we applied this qualification to a higher life-expectancy culture, maybe the age limit could be raised.
She must be beyond marriageable age and/or the desire to marry (v.11-15).
Most younger widows eventually desire to be remarried for personal and/or financial reasons. Roman culture apparently urged widows to remarry quickly. Like New Testament times, many cultures today expect women to take on the religion of her husband. In these contexts, there is great temptation for younger widows to marry an unbeliever and so submit to his religion, denying her own faith in Christ (v.11-12, 15). Paul exhorts young widows to remarry in the faith, not abandon it (v.14).[3]
Paul calls attention in this passage to temptations to sin that are particularly dangerous for younger widows without work or leadership (v.13-15). Paul describes those that follow after sin “straying after Satan.” The pursuit of pleasure as a means of dealing with grief, or materialism may be in view (v.6).[4] Believing widows must not abuse their widowhood but use it to glorify Christ.
A vow to permanent singleness (celibacy)
It seems that the flow of the argument and strong language that Paul uses here leads us to understand that women included on this list took a vow of celibacy in order to dedicate themselves permanently to this ministry of prayer and service. Those who took this vow and broke it by remarrying would sin against the Lord, so it would be better if they never entered the list. The passage seems to demand this interpretation.
Since destitution is the only qualification for financial assistance elsewhere in Scripture, it would be strange indeed for Paul to give specific spiritual qualifications here if there was no such group of women. His strong language excluding younger widows from the list would make no sense unless the widows had to make a permanent commitment to the Lord.
No, not an order of nuns
No doubt some interpreters avoid these conclusions out of fear. False teachers and religions have sprung up out of Christianity throughout the centuries promoting heretical hierarchies and encouraging asceticism, like the Catholic Church, with its priests and orders for nuns and monks. We certainly do not want to go down those paths.
The New Testament nowhere teaches that singleness or celibacy are somehow more pious than the marriage vow, though there are circumstances where believers might choose singleness, even for greater ministry purposes.[5] If a person wants to be married, they should be allowed to marry. This is another reason why the age limit given for those who are “on the list” is necessary—there is far less natural desire to remarry when older.
The Jewish ideal
Keener explains the Jewish ideal for older widows: “The Jewish ideal for older widows, who received support from family or distributors of charity but whose only contribution to society was prayer (no small contribution), was that they be women of prayer.”[6]
Anna the prophetess was such a widow.[7] Righteous widows who were dependents were expected to at least consider devoting themselves to the ministry of prayer and service in the temple in Jewish society. Paul tells us here in 1Timothy 5 that true widows who meet the qualifications are to be given priority in the distribution because they are women given wholly to prayer and service ministries of the church.
Back to our qualifications:
She must be spiritually qualified (v.9-10).
Financial destitution and meeting the age requirement are not enough to be considered for this special list of widows. There are moral qualifications based on the widow’s faith and testimony as well.
She must have been faithful to her late husband (v.9). If she is divorced, then it must not be because of her own sin or choice.[8]
She must have the reputation of a godly/righteous woman (v.10). She faithfully raised her children, gave herself to hospitality and serving others, was merciful, and known generally for her good works.
She must be willing to give herself to the ministry of prayer in return for her support (v.5). Those on this list qualify for financial aid and commit to a special long-term ministry of prayer. Ministries of service and hospitality might be included here as well (v.10), but prayer is central. She is able in her older years and unmarried state to devote the rest of her life to this ministry. Women like this are worthy of much respect from God’s people: “Honor widows who are truly widows” (v.3).
Widows not qualified to be on the list are still worthy of financial assistance by God’s people, but they are not given the option of being placed on this special list for prayer ministry and priority for support.
Where are such widows devoted to prayer in our churches today, whether financially supported or no?
Read about the implications of all of this for older saints in our churches today in the next article in the series: living retirement.
[1] All Scripture references are from the ESV unless otherwise noted.
[2] 1 Thessalonians 3:10
[3] 1 Corinthians 7:39
[4] 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
[5] 1 Corinthians 7:25-40
[6] Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (1 Ti 5:5). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[7] Luke 2:36-38
[8] 1 Corinthians 7:1-16
