“Paul’s First Letter to Timothy — On Establishing Order in the Churches, Practically Speaking!"

In our teaching today, the apostle continues his theme on order in the churches and particularly emphasizes the care of widows by the church.  He identifies some widows as “widows indeed” and lists their qualifications.  No younger widow is to be allowed into this privileged group, we writes, because they are so much more likely to ignore their ministerial duties as widows in this category, will marry after having been admitted, or will be caught up in worldly matters entirely.  This group of women are seen by Paul as a special (and permanent) missionary class, it seems.  Although proper respect is to be shown by Timothy for all, whether older or younger, women or men, here in this fifth  chapter he shows his special concern for widows, perhaps because of expected (and current) persecution and martyrdom for many.