2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 1 Timothy 5:9-10 1 Timothy 5:9-The First Two Qualifications That Widows Must Meet In Order To Receive Financial Support From The Church Review of 1 Timothy 5:3-8 In 1 Timothy 5:3-16, the apostle Paul instructs Timothy with regards to handling the problems with widows. This discussion is the most extensive of any group in the entire epistle. This indicates that this was a significant problem in the Ephesian Christian community and expresses urgency for this situation to be dealt with promptly and correctly. In this pericope, Paul identifies four different types of widows: (1) Real widows who are in need and have no relatives to support them financially and are at least sixty years of age and have lived a godly life (verses 3, 5, 9-10, 16b). (2) Widows who have relatives who can support them financially (verses 4, 8, 16a). (3) Widows who have a self-indulgent lifestyle (verses 6-7). (4) Young widows (verses 11-15). Paul teaches that only the first group is to be supported financially by the Ephesian Christian community. The relatives and the children of the second group were responsible to financially support this category of widows. The third group was not worthy of financial support. The fourth group was to remarry, not only so as to be supported by their husbands but to keep them occupied so that they do not become busybodies and gossips. The apostle did not want the church to waste its financial resources on people who were really not in need. Therefore, in 1 Timothy 5:3-16, the apostle Paul instructs Timothy as to which widows should be enrolled to receive benefits from the church and who should not. This is not an official order of widows because since this passage does address the duties of widows but rather simply the qualifications that must be met by widows in order for them to be supported by the church. This compassionate concern for widows is rooted in the teaching of the Old Testament, which of course reflects the Lord’s concern for them (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 10:18; 14:29; 24:17; Psalm 94:6; Isaiah 1:17; Malachi 3:5) and was adopted by the first century apostolic church (Acts 6:1; James 1:27). In fact, the office of deacon in the first century apostolic church came into existence to deal with the problem of the caring of widows in the Christian community (Acts 6:1- 10). 1 Timothy 5:3-16, Paul is emphasizing the need for discernment in the sense that the church was not responsible to care for every widow but rather only those who had no family or relatives to support them and were thus truly alone.
Transcript
2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries
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1 Timothy 5:9-10
1 Timothy 5:9-The First Two Qualifications That Widows Must Meet In
Order To Receive Financial Support From The Church
Review of 1 Timothy 5:3-8
In 1 Timothy 5:3-16, the apostle Paul instructs Timothy with regards to
handling the problems with widows. This discussion is the most extensive of any
group in the entire epistle. This indicates that this was a significant problem in the
Ephesian Christian community and expresses urgency for this situation to be dealt
with promptly and correctly.
In this pericope, Paul identifies four different types of widows: (1) Real widows
who are in need and have no relatives to support them financially and are at least
sixty years of age and have lived a godly life (verses 3, 5, 9-10, 16b). (2) Widows
who have relatives who can support them financially (verses 4, 8, 16a). (3)
Widows who have a self-indulgent lifestyle (verses 6-7). (4) Young widows
(verses 11-15).
Paul teaches that only the first group is to be supported financially by the
Ephesian Christian community. The relatives and the children of the second group
were responsible to financially support this category of widows. The third group
was not worthy of financial support. The fourth group was to remarry, not only so
as to be supported by their husbands but to keep them occupied so that they do not
become busybodies and gossips. The apostle did not want the church to waste its
financial resources on people who were really not in need.
Therefore, in 1 Timothy 5:3-16, the apostle Paul instructs Timothy as to which
widows should be enrolled to receive benefits from the church and who should not.
This is not an official order of widows because since this passage does address the
duties of widows but rather simply the qualifications that must be met by widows
in order for them to be supported by the church.
This compassionate concern for widows is rooted in the teaching of the Old
Testament, which of course reflects the Lord’s concern for them (Exodus 22:22;
Deuteronomy 10:18; 14:29; 24:17; Psalm 94:6; Isaiah 1:17; Malachi 3:5) and was
adopted by the first century apostolic church (Acts 6:1; James 1:27). In fact, the
office of deacon in the first century apostolic church came into existence to deal
with the problem of the caring of widows in the Christian community (Acts 6:1-
10).
1 Timothy 5:3-16, Paul is emphasizing the need for discernment in the sense
that the church was not responsible to care for every widow but rather only those
who had no family or relatives to support them and were thus truly alone.
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1 Timothy 5:3 Continue making it your habit of honoring widows who are
truly widows. (My translation)
This verse begins a pericope that ends in 1 Timothy 5:16 and addresses the
issue of which widows in the Ephesian Christian community who were eligible to
receive financial as well as material aid from the church. It contains the figure of
“asyndeton” in order to emphasize the prohibition in 1 Timothy 5:3 in the sense
that he wants Timothy to dwell upon it and obey it. This figure emphasizes the
importance of this command for the Christian community in Ephesus.
“Widows” refers to a woman whose husband has died. Specifically, it refers to
a special category of widows, namely those who are not receiving financial and
material support from their children or relatives. It refers to those who are in need
financially because they have no children or relatives to support them financially
and are at least sixty years of age and have lived a godly life (verses 3, 5, 9-10,
16b).
“Continue making it your habit of honoring” refers to providing for widows
financially who have no children or relatives to support them as an expression of
honoring them. Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 1:3 implies that Timothy was
carrying out everything he wrote in this epistle including this command. Thus, this
command here in 1 Timothy 5:3 is simply a reminder to Timothy to continue doing
what they talked about before Paul left for Macedonia. It is simply a reminder to
Timothy to continue doing what Paul told him to do before he left for Macedonia.
“Who are truly widows” refers to those widows who meet the qualifications
presented by Paul in this pericope making them eligible for financial aid from the
church but does not deny that other widows are not in the normal sense of the
word.
The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:4 teaches that a spiritual principle that the
children and grandchildren of a widow must first learn to fulfill their financial
obligations to her, which is pleasing in the sight of God.
1 Timothy 5:4 However, if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that some widow does possess children or grandchildren and we are
agree that there those who do, then they must first discipline themselves in
making it their habit of receiving instruction in order to exercise godliness
with their own family. Specifically, in order to fulfill obligations for the
benefit of their parents/grandparents because this is, as an eternal spiritual
truth pleasingly acceptable in the judgment of God the Father. (My
translation)
1 Timothy 5:4 is an adversative clause that contrasts the Christian community
in Ephesus providing for widows who do not have children or relatives to support
them and not having to do so for those who do possess children or grandchildren.
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This verse is divided into four parts. The first is the protasis of a first class
condition.
The protasis is: “if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument
that some widow does possess children or grandchildren and we are agree
that there those who do.”
The second is the apodasis.
The apodasis: “then they must first discipline themselves in making it their
habit of receiving instruction in order to exercise godliness with their own
family.”
The third is connected to the second and is an epexegetical clause that explains
in greater detail the second part.
The epexegetical clause: “Specifically, in order to fulfill obligations for the
benefit of their parents/grandparents.”
The fourth is connected to the epexegetical clause and presents the reason for
the epexegetical clause and thus the apodasis of the first class condition.
The causal clause: “because this is, as an eternal spiritual truth pleasingly
acceptable in the judgment of God the Father.”
The first class conditional statement contains a spiritual principle that teaches
that Christian children and grandchildren must discipline themselves in making it
their habit of receiving instruction in order to exercise godliness with their own
family.
The protasis refers to no particular Christian widow. She is hypothetical. It is
speaking of those widows who have children or grandchildren who can support
them in contrast to those mentioned in verse 3 who do not have children or
relatives to support them. Therefore, it refers to a Christian widow who does not
qualify to receive financial aid from the Christian community in Ephesus. It is
referring to a hypothetical Christian widow in order to teach a spiritual principle
that is always applicable for Christians.
“Children” is the noun teknon, which speaks of the offspring or children of no
particular Christian widow or a hypothetical Christian widow. “Grandchildren”
refers to the “grandchildren” of Christian widows.
The apodasis indicates that Paul is commanding that the children and
grandchildren of widows must be taught as to their responsibilities with respect to
their mothers and grandmothers. It refers to the act of carefully communicating and
instructing the children and grandchildren of widows in face to face manner with
regard to their responsibilities to their mothers and grandmothers. This would
involve teaching the implications of the commandment in Exodus 20:12 to honor
one’s father and mother. It is communicating the authoritative proclamation of
God’s will to Christian children and grandchildren with respect to their
responsibilities to their mothers and grandmothers.
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The apodasis teaches that children and grandchildren of Christian widows are to
acquire information regarding their responsibilities to their mother and
grandmother. It means that they are to receive instruction regarding the teaching of
the Lord Jesus Christ. It means that they are to be furnished with knowledge of
Christ through a systematic method of teaching. They were to be furnished with
knowledge of the doctrines of Christ through the systematic method of teaching the
Word of God. They were to be educated in the teachings of Christ with regards to a
Christian’s responsibilities to their mother and grandmother. They were to be
trained in the doctrines of Christ through the systematic method of teaching of the
Word of God. It indicates that they were to receive authoritative instructions from
their pastor-teachers regarding their conduct as Christians.
The apodasis indicates that as a general precept, Christian children and
grandchildren must receive biblical instruction with regards to their responsibility
to support financially their mother and grandmother. It denotes that they are to be
characterized as receiving biblical instruction from their pastor-teachers with
regards to their responsibility to financially aid their mother and grandmother. It
does not say either that Christian children were receiving this instruction or not but
simply is used to teach a spiritual principle.
“First” is the adjective protos, which emphasizes that the importance that
children and grandchildren of widows learn through instruction their duties
financially to their mothers and grandmothers. It emphasizes that this instruction
must first take place before they can exercise godliness in their own family or in
other words, it must first take place before they can repay their mother and
grandmother and thus please God.
“In order to exercise godliness with their own family” is a purpose clause
that teaches that the purpose of Christian children and grandchildren exercising
godliness in their own families by providing for their financial needs of one’s
mother or grandmother is the purpose of their receiving instruction to do so.
It refers to children and grandchildren of widows living the Christian way of
life, which is experiencing eternal life by appropriating by faith the Spirit’s
teaching in the Word of God that the Christian is crucified, died, buried, raised and
seated with Christ. By providing financially for their widowed mothers or
grandmothers, they would be living the Christian way of life. It refers to conduct
that honors God because it is based upon an accurate knowledge of His character,
ways and will. Thus, by providing for their widowed mothers and grandmothers,
Christian children would be honoring God because doing so is according to His
will and is in obedience to His command to honor one’s mother. This conduct
expresses not only one’s reverence for one’s mother or grandmother but also
expresses one’s reverence for God and is thus an act of worshipping Him.
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This purpose clause refers to the act of worshipping God by obeying His
command to honor one’s mother and is produced by the power of the Holy Spirit
and is based upon an accurate knowledge of His character, will, and ways. It is
based upon faith in His Word resulting in obedience to His commands and
prohibitions by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the act of worshipping God
through one’s conduct that is based upon knowledge of and faith in the Word of
God resulting in obedience to God’s Word, which reveals His character, ways and
will. It refers to the act of worshipping God by obeying His command to honor
one’s mother, which is direct result of being instructed to do so.
The attitude of the Christian must be based upon knowledge of and faith in
God’s Word. Thus, Paul emphasizes that Christian children and grandchildren
must first learn about their responsibilities towards their widowed mothers and
grandmothers before they can conduct themselves in a godly manner. This will
result in conduct that is in obedience to God whose will is for them to provide for
their widowed mothers and grandmothers. This conduct honors God and is an act
of worshipping Him.
This purpose clause refers to proper Christian conduct that is produced by the
Holy Spirit as a result of exercising faith in the Word of God resulting in obedience
to the Word of God. Therefore, it speaks of the Christian experiencing their
sanctification and their deliverance from the sin nature, Satan and his cosmic
system. It is conducting one’s life according to God’s Word, which reveals God’s
will, character and nature and ways.
This clause indicates that by the power of the Holy Spirit the children and
grandchildren of Christian widows are conducting themselves according to the
Father’s will by providing financially for them. This is the direct result of
conforming their attitude to the will of the Father as a result of faith in the Spirit’s
teaching in the Word of God. The Christian’s faith in the Word of God
appropriates the power of the Holy Spirit resulting in conformity of their attitude
and conduct to the will of the Father, which is revealed by the Spirit in the Word of
God. This constitutes worshipping God.
This purpose clause refers to appropriating by faith the Spirit’s teaching in the
Word of God that the Christian children and grandchildren are to provide for the
financial needs of their mothers and grandmothers. This results in obedience to the
command to honor one’s mother. It also results in godly conduct that honors the
Father and reflects His perfect norms and standards. Also, it manifests the
character of Christ in the life of the believer as well as the omnipotence of God in
that exercising faith in the Spirit’s teaching that a Christian must provide
financially for their mothers and grandmothers appropriates the omnipotence of
God.
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The epexegetical clause “specifically, in order to fulfill obligations for the
benefit of their parents/grandparents” explains in greater detail what Paul
means by his previous statement that children and grandchildren of widows are to
exercise godliness with their own families.
This clause refers to the children and grandchildren of widows fulfilling their
financial obligations to their parents and grandparents. This would be an exercise
of godliness towards one’s own family. It refers to repaying one’s widowed parents
and grandparents in the sense of returning of the care and financial support
received from them when they were children and young adults. It indicates that
Christian children and grandchildren exercising godliness in their own families by
fulfilling their financial obligations to their parents and grandparents is the purpose
of Christian children and grandchildren receiving instruction to do so.
The causal clause “because this is, as an eternal spiritual truth pleasingly
acceptable in the judgment of God the Father” presents the reason why Paul
wants the children and grandchildren of widows to fulfill their financial obligations
to them. It indicates that fulfilling one’s financial obligations to one’s parents and
grandparents is pleasing in view of its being acceptable to the Father since this is
according to His will and an exercise of godliness and honors Him and expresses
one’s reverence for not only one’s parents and grandparents but God the Father
Himself.
This clause is making the assertion that it is acceptable in the judgment of the
Father for Christians to fulfill their financial obligations to their parents and
grandparents. It is according to the will of the Father.
The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:5 presents three qualifications that identify a
widow who is to be supported by the church financially.
1 Timothy 5:5 However, she who is truly a widow, specifically, she who is
left alone possesses a confident expectation of blessing because of God the
Father’s promises. Also, she makes it her habit of persevering by means of
specific detailed requests (for herself and others) as well as by means of
reverential prayers during the night as well as during the day. (My
translation)
The apostle Paul in this verse presents three qualifications that identify a widow
who is to be supported by the church financially. This verse stands in contrast with
his statement in verse 4, which taught that the children and grandchildren of a
Christian widow must learn through instruction their responsibilities to support
financially their parents and grandparents. This would constitute exercising
godliness with their own family and is pleasingly acceptable to the Father. Here in
verse 5, Paul returns the subject of widows who truly are in need of financial
support and presents three qualifications that identify to the church in Ephesus
which type of widow is to be supported by the church financially. Therefore, the
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contrast is between those widows who have family members who can support them
and those who do not and are thus qualified to receive financial aid from the
church.
“She who is truly a widow” refers to a widow who does not have children or
relatives to support them financially and materially. She is a widow in the truest
sense meaning that they meet the qualifications presented by Paul in this verse
making them eligible for financial aid from the church. It does not however deny
that others are widows in the normal sense of the word but rather it is used to
signify those who qualify for the church’s care.
“Specifically, she who is left alone” presents the first qualification and is
epexegetical meaning that it defines in detail a widow who is one in the truest
sense in that she is qualified for financial support from the church. It is not
describing a woman whose husband has died, though this is clearly implied but
rather it is describing a widow who has no children or grandchildren or family
members to support her financially.
“Possesses a confident expectation of blessing” presents the second
qualification and describes a true widow as one who confidently expects to receive
Logistical grace blessing from God, i.e. His provision to meet one’s daily needs
(Matthew 6:25-34; Hebrews 13:5; cf. Deuteronomy 10:18; Proverbs 15:25; Luke
7:11-15; 8:1-8) and rewards for faithful service (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2
Corinthians 5:10; James 1:12; Revelation 2:7, 10, 17).
It refers to her confident expectation of receiving God’s daily provision and
rewards for faithful service as a result of the past action of accepting by faith the
Spirit’s revelation from the Father that appears in the Word of God that the Father
would provide for her daily needs and reward her for faithful service. In other
words, she possesses a confident expectation that the Father would provide her
daily needs and reward her for faithful service because she has accepted by faith
the Spirit’s revelation from the Father in the Word of God that would provide for
her daily needs and reward her for faithful service. This revelation declared that
they would be provided by God on a daily basis and would reward her for faithful
service.
“Because of God the Father’s promises” indicates that a widow in the truest
sense possesses a confident expectation of blessing because of the Father’s
promises.
“Also, she makes it her habit of persevering by means of specific detailed
requests (for herself and others) as well as by means of reverential prayers
during the night as well as during the day” reveals the third and final
qualification and expresses the fact that a true widow is one who perseveres in
prayer for others despite of difficulties and hardships related to being a Christian
widow.
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“By means of specific detailed requests” refers to two essential elements of a
productive prayer life, namely, petition and intercessory prayer. It refers to specific
detailed requests offered up to the Father by a widow on behalf of herself. Thus, it
speaks of petitions for one’s own needs. It also refers to intercessory prayer on
behalf of other Christians and non-believers. This prepositional phrase indicates
that specific detailed requests, in the form of petitions and intercessory prayers, are
the means by which a true widow perseveres.
“By means of reverential prayers” refers to petitions offered up to the Father
on behalf of one’s self but from the perspective that it is an expression of
worshipping God and dependence upon Him. Therefore, Paul is saying that one of
the marks of a widow who is qualified to receive financial support from the church
is a woman who preserves by means of worshipful prayers or reverential prayers.
When the widow offers up petitions for herself, she is acknowledging to the
Father her total and absolute dependence upon Him to meet her daily needs and is
thus worshipping Him. Proseuche emphasizes her worshipful attitude toward the
Father and expresses her dependence upon Him to meet her daily needs. This
prepositional phrase indicates that reverential prayers offered up to the Father by a
widow is the means by which she perseveres.
“During the night as well as during the day” emphasizes the dedication and
devotion of a true widow to praying for her own needs as well as others.
Next, the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:6 teaches that in contrast to the godly
widow who is qualified to receive financial support from the church, the widow
who possesses a self-indulgent lifestyle is spiritually dead even while she is
physically alive.
1 Timothy 5:6 However, she who possesses a self-indulgent lifestyle is
experiencing temporal spiritual death even though she is physically alive. (My
translation)
1 Timothy 5:6 is an adversative clause that presents a contrast to the previous
statement in verse 5, which lists three qualifications that identify not only a godly
widow but one who is qualified to receive financial support from the Ephesian
Christian community. In this verse Paul teaches that a widow in the truest sense
who is qualified to receive financial support is one who has no children or
grandchildren of family members to help her. The second qualification is that she
possesses a confident expectation of blessing because of God the Father’s promises
to provide for her and reward her for faithful service to the body of Christ. The
third is that she makes it her habit of persevering by means of specific detailed
requests for herself and others as well as reverential prayers to the Father during
the night and day.
Verse 6 identifies a second type of widow who is not qualified to receive
financial support from the church. If you recall, in verse 4, the first type of widow
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that is not qualified to receive financial aid from the church is the widow who has
children and grandchildren who can help her. Paul taught that the children and
grandchildren of a widow must first learn to discipline themselves in making it
their habit of receiving instruction in the Word of God in order to exercise
godliness with their own family. Specifically, they are to do this by fulfilling their
financial obligations to their parents and grandparents because this is pleasing to
the Father since it is according to His will as revealed in Exodus 20:12 and
Ephesians 6:2.
In verse 6, we have the second type of widow who is not to receive financial
aid, namely, one who possesses a self-indulgent lifestyle as a result of habitually
living according to the desires of her sin nature, which results in her habitually
experiencing temporal spiritual death, i.e. loss of fellowship with God. Paul
teaches that she might be physically alive but in reality she is experiencing
temporal spiritual death and is out of fellowship with God. Therefore, the contrast
in verses 5-6 is between the godly widow and the ungodly widow. The contrast is
between a widow who is exercising faith in God’s promises with the widow who is
not. Or we can view this as a contrast between a widow who is exercising
godliness with one who is not. Or, a contrast between who is obedient to God and
one who is not, one who is in fellowship and one who is not.
“She who possesses a self-indulgent lifestyle” is the verb spatalao, which
speaks of a widow who is wealthy and lives an extravagant lifestyle with no
concern for those in need in the church. Thus, the fact that she possesses wealth
disqualifies her from receiving financial support from the church. It is pointing
back to the type of woman mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:9, which the women in the
Ephesian Christian community were not to imitate. Therefore, this verb refers to
the wealthy Christian woman who uses her wealthy self-indulgently without any
concern for those in need and less fortunate. She uses her money to dress
ostentatiously spending her money on extravagant hairstyles and expensive
clothing. This reflects her inward condition as one who is out of fellowship with
God and living according to the lusts of her indwelling sin nature. It also reflects in
inward condition of rejecting the Word of God because of unbelief since
disobedience to God is the result of unbelief in His promises. She stands in direct
contrast to the widow who possesses a confident expectation of blessing because of
God’s promises to provide for her and reward her for faithful service to the body of
Christ. It speaks of a Christian widow who does not serve the body of Christ
because of her self-indulgent lifestyle that is the result of living according to the
lusts of her sin nature. This type of Christian widow is described in greater detail in
1 Timothy 5:11-15.
“Is experiencing temporal spiritual death” is the verb thnesko, which refers
to temporal spiritual death or in other words, being out of fellowship with God. It
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is used of a Christian widow who is out of fellowship with God as a result of
indulging the desires of her sin nature. This results in her living a self-indulgent
lifestyle with no regard for the needs of others less fortunate.
“Even though she is physically alive” is used of the ungodly Christian
widow’s existence on planet earth in the temporal human body contaminated by
the sin nature. This existence would involve the believer’s thoughts, words, actions
and decisions. It implies that the ungodly widow is experiencing temporal spiritual
death in spite of the fact that she is physically alive.
The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:7 commands Timothy to continue making it his
habit of commanding the things he related to him in 1 Timothy 5:3-6 in order that
the widows in Ephesus may be irreproachable.
1 Timothy 5:7 Continue making it your habit of commanding these things
as well in order that they will be irreproachable in character. (My translation)
The command “continue making it your habit of commanding these things”
is used with reference to Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 5:3-6. Specifically, it refers
to Paul’s commands in verse 3 and in verse 4. Therefore, Paul wants Timothy to
“command” the Ephesians to comply with his command in verse 3 to honor
widows by supporting them financially who are qualified to receive financial
support. It also means that Timothy is to “command” the Ephesians in verse 4 to
instruct their children and grandchildren with regards to their responsibility to
support their parents and grandparents (Exodus 20:12). In verse 5, he identifies a
widow who is qualified to receive support and in verse 6, he identifies one who is
not qualified. The former is godly and the latter is not. Therefore, these two verses
are related to the first command in verse 3 since they help them to identify what
widows the Ephesians should honor. Thus, these two verses aid the Ephesians in
how they are to apply this command.
This command implies that Paul has delegated authority to Timothy. It
expresses the idea that Timothy is to stand before the Ephesian Christian
community and officially and authoritatively communicate to them all that Paul
taught in 1 Timothy 5:3-6. It used elsewhere by the apostle with respect to
Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 1:3 implies that Timothy was carrying out
everything he wrote in this epistle. In this passage, Paul urgently requested upon
his departure for Macedonia that Timothy instruct certain men to stop teaching
false doctrine. This indicates that the contents of this epistle are a reminder to
Timothy of a conversation that he and Paul had before the latter left for
Macedonia. Thus, this command here in 1 Timothy 5:7 is simply a reminder to
Timothy to continue doing what they talked about before Paul left for Macedonia.
Furthermore, Paul would not have delegated Timothy such a difficult task as the
one in Ephesus unless he felt confident that his young delegate could carry out
everything he required of him. Therefore, the present imperative is simply a
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reminder to Timothy to continue doing what Paul told him to do before he left for
Macedonia.
“As well” indicates that this command is in addition to the previous commands
in this epistle that Timothy is to communicate to the Ephesian Christian
community.
The purpose clause “in order that they will be irreproachable in character”
emphasizes the intention of the preceding command. It presents Paul’s purpose for
Timothy obeying his previous command to continue making it his habit of
commanding the Ephesians to obey his commands in verses 3 and verse 4. It
answers the question as to “why?” Paul wants Timothy to continue making it his
habit of commanding the Ephesians to comply with his command in 1 Timothy 5:3
and 4.
This purpose clause is referring to the entire Ephesian Christian community,
which is indicated by the fact that the command that it is subordinated to is
referring to Timothy passing along to the Ephesians his commands in verses 3 and
4. The first requires that the Ephesian Christian community honor widows who
truly are qualified to receive financial support from them. Verses 5 and 6 help the
Ephesians to identify which widows they were to honor and the ones they were not
to support. The command in verse 4 is for the Ephesian Christian community to
instruct their children and grandchildren with regards to their financial
responsibility to their parents and grandparents, which would enable these children
and grandchildren to exercise godliness with their own families, i.e. support their
parents and grandparents. Therefore, based upon this, it is clear that this purpose
clause is referring to the entire Christian community in Ephesus since the two
commands in verses 3 and 4 are addressed to the entire community. The entire
community is required to honor widows who are truly in need and to instruct their
children and grandchildren with regards to their responsibility to support their
parents and grandparents financially.
“Irreproachable in character” indicates that obedience to Paul’s two
commands in verses 3 and 4 that Timothy is to continue commanding the
Ephesians will result in the Ephesians affording nothing that the unsaved could use
as a basis for accusation against them and thus Christianity itself. It would
impossible for the unsaved to bring any charge of wrongdoing against them and
Christianity such as could stand impartial examination if they obey Paul’s
commands in verses 3 and 4.
1 Timothy 5:8 However, if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that someone absolutely does not provide for his own and especially
the immediate family and we are agree that there are some who don’t, then he
himself is rejecting the Christian faith. Also, he, as an eternal spiritual truth
does exist in the state of being worse than an unbeliever. (My translation)
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1 Timothy 5:8 is an adversative clause that contains a first class conditional
statement. This verse stands in contrast with verse 7 and the goal of the Ephesian
Christian community being irreproachable in character before the unsaved. In this
verse, Paul uses a first class conditional statement in order to teach a spiritual
principle that a Christian must provide financially for his own family and to not do
so is to reject the Christian faith and is worse than an unbeliever. This would bring
reproach on them before the unbeliever and discredit the cause of Christ in
Ephesus. Therefore, the contrast between verses 7 and 8 is that of the Ephesian
Christian community being irreproachable as a result of obeying his commands in
verses 3 and 4 with that of their bringing reproach upon themselves and the cause
of Christ as a result of disobeying these commands and instructions which identify
a widow who is to be supported and one that is not to be.
1 Timothy 5:8 is divided into two sections: (1) protasis: “if and let us assume
that it is true for the sake of argument that someone absolutely does not
provide for his own and especially the immediate family and we are agree that
there are some who don’t.” (2) apodasis: “then he himself is rejecting the
Christian faith. Also, he, as an eternal spiritual truth does exist in the state of
being worse than an unbeliever.”
The audience would respond to the protasis that there were Christians who were
not taking care of their parents and grandparents who were in financial need. That
this was going on is indicated by the fact that the church in Ephesus was suffering
from poor leadership from many of their pastors who were in apostasy as noted in
chapter one. They were seduced by the Judaizers false doctrine, which was
described in 1 Timothy 4:1-5. This poor leadership not only resulted in ungodly
conduct among these apostate pastors but also among those who obeyed their false
doctrine. Furthermore, the Pharisees, from whom the Judaizers originate, were
condemned by the Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 7 for rejecting the commandment to
honor their father and mother so as to obey the commandments of men.
Paul wrote Timothy to stop certain unidentified pastors in Ephesus from
teaching false doctrine, which was the result of these apostate pastors being
seduced away from the gospel by the false doctrine of the Judaizers. Consequently,
this led astray many Christians resulting in ungodly conduct. Thus, the occasion of
the epistle suggests strongly that many Christians in Ephesus were guilty of not
taking care of their parents or grandparents financially and as a result were
burdening the church. This was the result of being exposed to false doctrine that
was being taught by certain unidentified pastors in Ephesus who were seduced by
the false doctrine of the Judaizers and thus had rejected the Christian faith.
“Someone” is the indefinite pronoun tis, which refers to a member of the body
of Christ without further identification.
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“Absolutely does not provide” emphatically negates any idea of a Christian
providing for financially those who are widows in one’s own extended family
(grandparents) and immediate family (parents). It indicates that a hypothetical
Christian absolutely does not provide financially for those who are widows in his
immediate and extended family. It indicates that Paul is referring to a hypothetical
Christian in order to teach a spiritual principle that is always applicable for all
Christians.
“His own” refers to a Christian’s extended family and corresponds to ekgonos,
“grandchildren” in 1 Timothy 5:4.
“Especially the immediate family” is used to single out those who are
members of a Christian’s immediate family, i.e. parents. It is emphasizing the
Christian’s responsibility to care for his own mother who is a widow.
“He himself is rejecting the Christian faith” refers to the Christian refusing to
obey the teaching of the Lord and the apostles, which constitutes the New
Testament. It speaks of the Christian refusing to obey Christian doctrine, which
requires honoring one’s own parents, by not supporting them financially when they
are in need.
“He, as an eternal spiritual truth does exist in the state of being worse than
an unbeliever” expresses a spiritual axiom. It is used to describe the severity of
the Christian’s rejection of the Word of God and in particular their rejection of the
command to honor one’s father and mother by not providing for those widows in
his immediate and extended family that are in need of financial aid. It implies that
the unbeliever is characterized as taking care of the widows in their families when
they are in need.
The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:9-10 presents three qualifications that widows
must meet in order to receive financial support from the church at Ephesus. In
verse 9, he lists two and the third and final qualification is presented by Paul in
verse 10, which he then elaborates further on, defining what he means by this
qualification.
1 Timothy 5:9 A widow must continue to be put on the list if she can be
demonstrated as not being less than sixty years of age, a one-man woman. (My
translation)
“A widow” refers to a woman whose husband has died. However, this time the
context does not indicate whether the word refers to a widow who is qualified to
receive financial aid or not. Rather, the word is used in a generic sense and speaks
of any widow without further identification as to whether or not she is qualified to
receive aid from the church. This is indicated by the fact that the word is used in
relation to a list of three qualifications that serve as conditions that must be met in
order for a widow to receive support.
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The command “a widow must continue to be put on the list” refers to
“enrolling” or “putting on a list” those widows who meet the three qualifications
here in verses 9-10. It does not imply or indicate that the church in Ephesus in the
first century under Paul’s authority had an “order of widows.” This formal
relationship was found in later centuries in the church. However, the word simply
means that the widow was to enter into a much less formal relationship with the
church. The context indicates that this relationship involved the church supporting
her financially because she had no children or grandchildren to support them.
“If she can be demonstrated as not being less than sixty years of age, a one-
man woman” is a conditional clause that teaches that a widow can only be put on
the list to receive financial support if she meets these two qualifications listed in
verse 9 and the one listed in verse 10. In the ancient world, in the first century, the
age of sixty was the recognized age of someone who was considered “old” whether
a woman or a man. In Paul’s day, sixty would be the age at which remarriage
becomes less likely as a general rule (Knight, page 223; cf. 1 Timothy 5:11-12).
Paul stipulates this age for two reasons. The first would eliminate those widows
who were of a marriageable age and childbearing age, and severely diminishes the
number of those for whom the church is financially responsible and the years they
would be responsible for these women.
“A one-man woman” emphasizes the character of the widow rather than her
marital status. This expression speaks of marital fidelity and the absence of sexual
immorality because of living a godly life.
Third Qualification
In 1 Timothy 5:10, Paul presents the third and final qualification that a widow
must meet in order to receive financial support from the church and which
qualification he then elaborates further on, defining what he means by this
qualification by presenting five examples of the third qualification.
1 Timothy 5:3 Honor widows who are widows indeed; 4 but if any widow
has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard
to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is
acceptable in the sight of God. 5 Now she who is a widow indeed and who has
been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and
prayers night and day. 6 But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead
even while she lives. 7 Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be
above reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially
for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever. 9 A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty
years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 having a reputation for good
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works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to
strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in
distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. (NASU)
“Having a reputation for good works” is composed of the preposition en (ἐν),
“for” and its object is the dative neuter plural form of the noun ergon (ἒργον) (air-
gone), “works” and the dative neuter plural form of the adjective kalos (καλός) (kah-loce), “good” and the nominative feminine singular present passive participle
form of the verb martureo (µαρτυρέω) (mahtear-eh-owe), “having a reputation.”
Classical Usage of Martureo
The verb martureo means, “to testify, give evidence, give testimony, bear
record, affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something or provide
information about a person or an event concerning which the speaker has direct
knowledge.”
Liddell and Scott: (1) Bear witness, give evidence (2) Bear witness to or in
favor of another, confirm what he says (3) Bears witness to my opinion; bear
favorable witness to, give a good report of a person (4) Testify to a thing (5)
Testify that a thing is (6) Testify to, acknowledge the value of his alliance (7) Give
hearsay evidence (8) Testimony is borne by, testimony has been give before you
(9) Ascribed to (10) Bear a character (11) Whose character is approved by
testimony (12) Astrologically, to be in aspect with (Greek-English Lexicon, New
Edition, page 1082).
The verb martureo appears from the fifth century B.C. onwards. It is primarily
a legal term meaning “to bear witness, to give testimony, to testify, or to confirm
something to someone’s advantage by giving evidence” (Herodotus, 8, 95). The
word’s cognate noun martus comes from a common Indo-European root smer, “to
be mindful of, to bear in mind, to remember, to be careful.” It is the Aeolic form of
martur, which is not found in the Greek New Testament.
Martus denoted a “witness,” especially a legal witness. The function of the
witness is normally denoted by the verb martureo. This can be used in the abstract
“to come forward as a witness,” but also commonly with the dative to denote the
one for whom one testifies or the agreement to which one is a witness, then the
accusative or peri and the genitive or a hoti clause for the content of the statement
in so far as the witness is testifying to anything specific.
The Greeks believed that hearing was less reliable testimony than seeing, even
in the religious context of the word. Martus was “one who remembers, who has
knowledge of something by recollection, and who can thus tell about.”
In the legal sphere where the word is primarily used, martus denoted one who
can and does speak from personal experience about actions in which he took part
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and which happened to him, or about persons and relations known to him. A
martus may be a witness at a trial, or, in legal transactions of different kinds, a
solemn witness in the most varied connections. The witness at a trial and his
marturia, “testimony” is dealt with fully by Aristotle in his work Rhetorica.
The inscriptions and especially the papyri offer an almost inexhaustible number
of examples of the solemn witness in every possible kind of written agreement and
record, including official records. The word also has a use outside of the legal
sphere where it is used of a person who is a witness to facts and also to truths or
views.
Martus along with martureo, marturia and marturion have a general use
outside the legal sphere. This group refers not merely to the establishment of
events or actual relations or facts of experience on the basis of direct personal
knowledge, but it also signifies the proclamation of views or truths of which the
speaker is convinced. It thus relates to things, which by their very nature cannot be
submitted to empirical investigation.
The Greeks would appeal to the gods as witnesses in treaties, solemn
agreements or declarations, assurances and oaths. Even if no other witness was
present, they, the so-called “omniscient” gods, could confirm the truth of a
statement or the fact of an agreement. Those who appealed to them as witnesses
did so in the belief that they should be lying, or should they break the agreement,
they would fall victim to divine punishment.
Martus has an additional usage that is outside of its legal sense. It is used of
declaring a particular viewpoint, attitude or conviction. The philosophers adopted
martureo in this manner to speak of their “giving evidence” for their “truths,
doctrines and principles.”
Septuagint Usage of Martureo
Martureo appears infrequently in the Septuagint where there are only 13
instances of the word. It is used to translate the following Hebrew terms in the
doctrine, Acts 26:22 (in some texts, so KJV; see No. 2); to the Word of God, Rev
1:2; (f) of others, concerning Christ, Luke 4:22; John 4:39; 12:17; (g) of believers
to one another, John 3:28; 2 Cor 8:3; Gal 4:15; Col 4:13; 1 Thess 2:11 (in some
texts: see No. 2); 3 John 3,6,12 (2nd part); (h) of the apostle Paul concerning Israel,
Rom 10:2; (i) of an angel, to the churches, Rev 22:16; (j) of unbelievers,
concerning themselves, Matt 23:31; concerning Christ, John 18:23; concerning
others, John 2:25; Acts 22:5; 26:5; (II), ‘to give a good report, to approve of,’ Acts
6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12; 1 Tim 5:10; 3 John 12 (1st part); some would put Luke
4:22 here.”
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature-Third Edition: (1) to confirm or attest someth. on the basis of personal
knowledge or belief, bear witness, be a witness. (a) to offer testimony α. act. ὑµεῖς µαρτυρεῖτε you are witnesses J 15:27. ἐὰν θέλωσιν µαρτυρεῖν if they are willing to
appear as witnesses Ac 26:5.—J 12:17; 1J 5:6f. Parenthetically, emphasizing the
correctness of a statement, µαρτυρῶ I can testify (POxy 105, 13 Σαραπίων
µαρτυρῶ=‘I, S., am witness’; PLond III, 1164 [f], 35 al. p. 162.—B-D-F §465, 2;
Rob. 434) 2 Cor 8:3. περί τινος bear witness, testify concerning someone or
someth. (PGrenf II, 73, 16 ὅταν ἔλθῃ σὺν θεῷ, µαρτυρήσει σοι περὶ p 618 ὧν
αὐτὴν πεποιήκασιν; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 217, Vi. 259) J 1:7f, 15 (in the very likely case
that µαρτυρεῖ refers to the past, cp. Caecil. Calact., Fgm. 75 p. 58, 2ff, where
examples are given of the interchange of tenses: Demosth. 59, 34 τοὺς ὁρῶντας for
µαρτυροῦµεν J 3:11; cp. vs. 32. τὸν λόγον τ. θεοῦ Rv 1:2. ταῦτα 22:20. τινί τὶ someth. to or for someone (Dionys. Hal. 3, 67, 1; Jos., Ant. 6, 355) vs. 16. ὑµῖν τ. ζωήν 1J 1:2. The acc. is to be supplied fr. the context J 19:35; Ac 23:11. W. ptc.
ἀκούσαντες µαρτυρήσωσιν they must admit that they have heard PtK 3 p. 15,
32) περί τινος concerning someone J 5:32b; 1J 5:10 (POxy 3313, 25f µαρτυρήσει σοι Σαραπᾶς περὶ τῶν ῥόδων S. will confirm to you about the roses). (c) to support
one’s testimony with total selfgiving, eccl. usage w. regard to martyrdom bear
witness, testify, be a witness (unto death), be martyred, act. (TestAbr B 11 p. 115,
16 [Stone p. 787] Ἄβελ ὁ ἐν πρώτοις µαρτυρήσας; Mel., HE 4, 26, 3; τοῖς µαρτυρούσι τῷ χριστιανισµῷ µέχρι θανάτου Orig., C. Cels. 1, 8, 2): of Paul
4; MPol 1:1; 19:1; 21f (Iren. 3, 3, 4 [Harv. II 12, 8]); EpilMosq 4. Prob. 1 Ti 6:13
also belongs here: Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ µαρτυρήσαντος ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου τ. καλὴν ὁµολογίαν Christ Jesus, who made the good confession before Pontius
Pilate (s. GBaldensperger, RHPR 2, 1922, 1–25; 95–117); otherwise the passage
may be classed under a above. (2) to affirm in a supportive manner, testify
favorably, speak well (of), approve (a) act. (Dio Chrys. 23 [40], 19; SIG 374, 37
[III b.c.]; POxy 930, 16) w. dat. of the pers. (Appian, Samn. 11, §2 τοῖς ὑπάτοις,
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Liby. 105 §495, Bell. Civ. 4, 92 §387; Aelian, VH 1, 30; Jos., Ant. 12, 134) or of
the thing approved Lk 4:22 (OFearghus, ZNW 75, ’84, 60–72 [pap and ins];
JNolland, JBL 98, ’79, 219–29); J 3:26. Of God toward David Ac 13:22. µὴ ἑαυτῷ
µαρτυρείτω he must not testify (favorably) concerning himself 1 Cl 38:2. W. dat.
to be supplied 3J 12b. µαρτυρίᾳ, ᾗ ἐµαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ δεσπότης Hs 5, 2, 6. Of
the flesh ἵνα τὸ πνεῦµα … µαρτυρήσῃ αὐτῇ Hs 5, 7, 1.—ὁ κύριος ὁ µαρτυρῶν ἐπὶ (which a v.l. omits; µ. ἐπί τινι as Jos., Ant. 3, 189) τῷ λόγῳ τ. χάριτος αὐτοῦ the
Lord, who attested the word of his grace Ac 14:3. With συνευδοκέω Lk 11:48 v.l.
(b) pass., be well spoken of, be approved (Ep. 12 of Apollonius of Tyana:
Philostrat. I 348, 26; Just., D. 29, 1. Exx. fr. ins in Dssm., NB 93 [BS 265], LO 69,
2 [LAE 84, 5]) ἀνὴρ µαρτυρούµενος or µεµαρτυρηµένος a man of good reputation
Ac 6:3; IPhld 11:1. Of OT worthies people of attested merit 1 Cl 17:1; 19:1. Of
David 18:1. Of Abraham µεγάλως ἐµαρτυρήθη his merit was gloriously attested
17:2 (cp. Just., D. 11, 5 ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει µαρτυηθέντος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ). Of the apostles
47:4. Of Paul IEph 12:2. Of church leaders 1 Cl 44:3.—Foll. by nom. and inf. Hb
11:4a; cp. vs. 5. διά τινος be praised for someth. 11:4a, 39. ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς µαρτυρούµενος well attested in good deeds 1 Ti 5:10; cp. Hb 11:2. ὑπό τινος be
well spoken of by someone (M. Ant. 7, 62; SIG 799, 28; Jos., Ant. 3, 59; Just., D.
29, 3; 92, 4; New Docs 7, 233, no. 10, 10 of a benefactor) Ac 10:22; 16:2; 22:12;
IPhld 5:2.—Impersonally µαρτυρεῖταί τινι ὑπό τινος a good testimony is given by
distinguished; good; possessing, moral excellence, worthy, upright, virtuous; what
is good and right, a good deed, rectitude, virtue; right, duty; propriety; benefit,
favor” page 211).
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Vine commenting on the word, writes, “Kalos denotes that which is intrinsically
‘good,’ and so, ‘goodly, fair, beautiful,’ as (a) of that which is well adapted to its
circumstances or ends, e. g., fruit, Matt 3:10; a tree, 12:33; ground, 13:8,23; fish,
13:48; the Law, Rom 7:16; 1 Tim 1:8; every creature of God, 1 Tim 4:4; a faithful
minister of Christ and the doctrine he teaches, 4:6; (b) of that which is ethically
good, right, noble, honorable e. g., Gal 4:18; 1 Tim 5:10,25; 6:18; Titus 2:7,14;
3:8,14. The word does not occur in the Apocalypse, nor indeed after 1 Peter.
Christians are to ‘take thought for things honorable’ (kalos), 2 Cor 8:21, RV; to do
that which is honorable, 13:7; not to be weary in well doing, Gal 6:9; to hold fast
‘that which is good,’ 1 Thess 5:21; to be zealous of good works, Titus 2:14; to
maintain them, 3:8; to provoke to them, Heb 10:24; to bear testimony by them, 1
Peter 2:12. Kalos and agathos occur together in Luke 8:15, an ‘honest’ (kalos)
heart, i. e., the attitude of which is right towards God; a ‘good’ (agathos) heart, i.
e., one that, instead of working ill to a neighbor, acts beneficially towards him. In
Rom 7:18, ‘in me... dwelleth no good thing’ (agathos) signifies that in him is
nothing capable of doing ‘good,’ and hence he lacks the power ‘to do that which is
good’ (kalos). In 1 Thess 5:15, ‘follow after that which is good’ (agathos), the
‘good’ is that which is beneficial; in v. 21, ‘hold fast that which is good (kalos),’
the ‘good’ describes the intrinsic value of the teaching. (Vine’s Expository
Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature-Third Edition list the following New Testament usages: (1) pertaining to
being attractive in outward appearance, beautiful, handsome, fine in outward
appearance (2) pertaining to being in accordance at a high level with the purpose of
something or someone, good, useful (a) of thing (b) moral quality (c) in any
respect unobjectionable, blameless, excellent (d) in the general sense it is good
qualifies items that fit under one of the preceding classifications (Pages 504-505).
Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament writes, “Good, beautiful, with
a basic meaning healthy, sound, fit, opposite kakos (bad, evil) and asichros (ugly,
deformed) (1) of outward appearance handsome, beautiful, lovely (2) as a quality
of freedom from defects good, useful, fine (3) of a sound moral disposition good,
noble, praiseworthy, synonymous with agathos; of things excellent (4) socially, of
a mode of life and behavior (5) impersonally kalon (estin) it is good, expedient, or
advantageous (6) comparative kallion, kallion better, more beautiful (7)
superlative, very beautiful (Page 214).
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains list
the following: (1) pertaining to a positive moral quality, with the implication of
being favorably valued – ‘good, fine, praiseworthy’ (88.4). (2) pertaining to having
acceptable characteristics or functioning in an agreeable manner, often with the
focus on outward form or appearance – ‘good, fine’ (65.22). (3) pertaining to
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providing some special or superior benefit – ‘advantageous, better’ (65.43). (4)
pertaining to being fitting and at the same time probably good – fitting, good’
(66.2). (5) pertaining to being beautiful or attractive in terms of outward form or
shape, often implying a corresponding fine value – ‘beautiful, fine’ (79.9). (6)
pertaining to having high status, with the possible implication of its attractiveness –
‘high, important, fine’ (87.25).
Kalos in 1 Timothy 5:10
In 1 Timothy 5:10, the adjective kalos means “excellent” and is modifying the
noun ergon, “works” which is used of the works performed by a widow during life
which are the basis for her having a reputation in the Christian community. Kalos
describes these works being of the highest moral quality or character because they
were done by the power of the Spirit as a result of obedience to the Lord Jesus
Christ’s command to love one another as He loved. The implication is that these
works were useful and a great benefit to the Christian community in Ephesus and
to the Lord Himself.
The First Example as an Illustration of the Third Qualification
The apostle Paul now explains the third qualification in greater detail by using
five first class conditional statements, which present five examples that serve as
illustrations of the third qualification.
1 Timothy 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought
up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the
saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself
to every good work. (NASU)
“If she has brought up children” is composed of the conditional particle ei
(εἰ) (ee), “if” and the third person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb
teknotropheo (τεκνοτροφέω) (tekno-throw-fehowe), “she has brought up
children.”
First Class Condition
The conditional particle ei introduces a protasis of a first class condition that
indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. It is employed with the
indicative mood of the verb teknotropheo, “she has brought up children” to
explicitly convey a protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption
of truth for the sake of argument. The apodasis is actually the command in verse 9
that a widow must be continue to be put on the list to receive financial support
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from the Ephesian Christian community. If you recall, this command served as the
apodasis for the protasis µὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή,
“if she can be demonstrated as not being less than sixty years of age, a one-
man woman.” Thus, the five first class conditions in verse 10 that serve to explain
in greater detail the third qualification continue the thought in verse 9 and serve as
the protasis for this command in verse 9.
The idea behind the first class condition is not “since” but rather, “if-and let us
assume that it is true for the sake of argument that, then...” This would encourage
Paul’s audience to respond and come to the conclusion of the apodosis since they
already agreed with him on the protasis. Therefore, Paul is employing the first
class condition as a tool of persuasion with his audience. Paul’s audience would
respond to his protasis.
Here the protasis is “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument that
she has brought up children.” The audience would respond that there were
Christian widows who did raise children. The apodasis is “(then) this widow must
continue to be put on the list (to receive financial support).”
The basic relation that the protasis has to the apodasis is “evidence-inference”
since in context Paul is instructing the Ephesian church and Timothy as to what
qualifications a widow must have in order to be put on the list to receive financial
support from the church. In other words, there must be some evidence that a
widow is qualified to receive such support. The evidence is a widow raising
children and the inference is that this type of widow must continue to be put on the
list to receive support.
Therefore, we will translate or paraphrase the conditional particle ei, “if, and let
us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that…and we agree that
there are some who have…then…”
Teknotropheo
The verb teknotropheo is a compound word composed of the noun teknon,
“child” and tropheo, “to serve as a wet nurse.” This verb means “to raise a child to
maturity by providing for physical and psychological needs.” (Louw and Nida,
35.51)
It is not found in the Septuagint and only once in the New Testament, here in 1
Timothy 5:10 where it means “to bring up or raise children” and does not denote
childbirth. It could refer to raising one’s own children or being entrusted by parents
to raise children like a nanny. It can include an expressed virtue that goes beyond
one’s own home. This would be especially true of church widows who later were
given the responsibility of raising orphans under the church’s care (Lock,
International Critical Commentary, 1 Timothy, page 60). However, even though
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the care of orphans was entrusted to widows in later centuries in the church, it is
unlikely Paul is thinking of this here. It refers to simply raising a child whether
one’s own or another family’s. Implicit of course is the idea that this raising of
children was done in a godly manner. This word demonstrates how important Paul
thought of raising children probably according to principles found in the Word of
God.
This requirement of raising children does not disqualify childless women in the
church or women who have raised their own children since the latter might have
children who had died or were not available for whatever reason or were perhaps
unwilling to help her.
Mounce writes, “Paul’s requirement that the widows have raised children is not
a proscription of childless women. Dibelius-Conzelmann point out that a widow
who had children who could attest to their upbringing would be automatically
disqualified because if she had children she would not be alone. But this misses the
practical point that the children of some widows may not have been available or
willing to help their mothers.” (Mounce, William D., The Word Biblical
Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles, page 288; Thomas Nelson, 2000)
The aorist tense of the verb teknotropheo is a constative aorist is describing in
summary fashion a widow raising children whether her or own or somebody else’s
during the course of her lifetime. The active voice means that the widow as the
subject is performing the action of the verb. The indicative mood of the verb is
“conditional” meaning that it is employed with the conditional particle ei, “if, in
fact and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument” in order to form
the protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption of truth for the
sake of argument. We will translate this compound verb “she has raised
children.”
Ephesians 6:1-4
In Ephesians 6:1-4, the apostle Paul teaches Christian parents their
responsibilities towards their children and the responsibility of the children
towards their parents.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
(NASU)
“In the Lord” is incorrectly translated since the preposition en is a marker of
“cause” and the noun kurios, “Lord” is an instrumental of “cause” indicating that
the children were to obey their parents “because of” the Lord.
The term “Lord” denotes the sovereign authority of Jesus Christ over the church
and therefore over Christian marriages and families. It is “right” for children to
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obey their parents because the Lord Jesus Christ who is sovereign has commanded
it and everything He commands is just!
Psalm 119:75, “I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous.”
The Lord Jesus Christ has delegated authority to Christian parents exercise over
their children and has given them a stewardship for which they will be held
accountable. The fact that Paul addresses the children directly and does not pass
along this command to the parents to give to the children indicates that they
attended public worship services with the adults. Paul issued a similar same
command to the Colossian children.
Colossians 3:20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this
is well-pleasing to the Lord. (NASU)
Obedience to parents fosters self-discipline in a child, which in turn produces
stability and longevity in the child’s life. Disobedience to parents is rebellion
against God and rejection of His Word since God commanded that children are to
obey their parents.
Although, Jesus Christ was the incarnate Son of God, in His perfect human
nature He obeyed Mary and Joseph.
Luke 2:51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He
continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in
her heart. 52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor
with God and men. (NASU)
If the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ obeyed Mary and Joseph as a child,
how much more should Christian children who have a sin nature obey their
parents!
God has ordained parents with authority over their children in order to protect
and care for the children and to teach the children spiritual principles and to raise
them to be responsible citizens in society who will be responsible for their actions
and show respect to authority in all aspects of society.
It was a capital offense in Old Testament Israel to either verbally or physically
abuse one’s parents.
Exodus 21:15 He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to
death. (NASU)
Ephesians 6:2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the
first commandment with a promise). (NASU)
Paul is quoting Exodus 20:12. Honoring your father and mother involves not
only financial support if necessary but also care and concern and personal
involvement with them. Honor of parents involves providing for parents when they
can no longer provide for themselves.
Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise
your mother when she is old. (NASU)
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Just as parents spend twenty or so years taking care of and providing for their
children, so their children are to spend whatever time and money necessary to care
and provide for their parents should the parents be no longer able to do so for
themselves.
The phrase “the first commandment with a promise” does not mean first in
the sense of the order in which it was given but rather it means “first in importance
for children.”
Ephesians 6:3 “SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT
YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.” (NASU)
Ephesians 6:3 teaches children that to honor their parents produces a two-fold
blessing for them: (1) “It may be well with you” means that they will escape a
good deal of sin and danger and thus avoid the things that could threaten or shorten
their lives. (2) “You may live long on the earth” means that you will have a
fulfilling rich life. This does not mean that people who have died young
dishonored their parents.
The phrase “that you may live on long on the earth” means that God enriches
the life of the obedient child no matter how long he may live on the earth. Sin
always robs us and obedience always enriches us.
To honor and obey one’s parents is to honor and obey God who commanded
obey and honor your father and mother.
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring
them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (NASU)
Paul issues a similar prohibition to the Colossians.
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will
not lose heart. (NASU)
To provoke to anger suggests a repeated, ongoing pattern of treatment that
gradually builds up a deep-seated anger and resentment that boils over in outward
hostility.
Provoking your children to anger can involve the following: (1) Over protecting
or “smothering” the child and not letting them make decisions and mistakes on
their own commensurate with their age and maturity. (2) Living out one’s own
ambitions through their children. (3) Always finding fault with your child and
never acknowledging and praising them when they have done well or achieved
some great accomplishment in sports, academics, etc. (4) Failing to sacrifice for
them and making them feel unwanted and always an intrusion in your life. (5)
Failing to let children grow up at a normal pace by always chiding their children
for always acting childish, even when what they do is perfectly normal and
harmless for their age. (6) Using love as a tool of reward or punishment meaning
granting a reward to a child when they are good and withdrawing it when they are
bad, which is not God’s way of treating us since God loves us when we misbehave
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and when we behave and disciplines His children just as much out of love and
affection as when He blesses them. (7) Physical and verbal abuse.
“Discipline” is the noun paideia, which refers to systematic training and
educating the child in the Lord’s ways.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old
he will not depart from it. (NASU)
Fathers are to train their children by means of the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (NASU)
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring
them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (NASU)
“Instruction” is the noun nouthesia, which is used here in contrast to
provoking children and means, “to encourage” your children. God designed
Christian fathers to be the vehicles or the channels of His discipline and
instruction.
The phrase “of the Lord” is a “subjective” genitive meaning it is the Lord
Himself who produces the discipline and instruction. In other words, the authority
of the discipline and instruction is the Lord’s and not the fathers. Therefore,
Christian parents are to be the Bible teachers in the home especially the men.
Parents must stop passing the buck to Sunday school teachers and Christian day
school teachers and start fulfilling their responsibility before the Lord to train them
and educate them in the Word of God. Your child’s knowledge of the Lord should
be received primarily in the home from the parents and not in public school or even
Sunday school.
Deuteronomy 6:1 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the
judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that
you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it 2 so that
you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep
all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of
your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 O Israel, you should listen
and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply
greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a
land flowing with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God,
the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am
commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them
diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and
when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
(NASU)
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The Second Example as an Illustration of the Third Qualification
1 Timothy 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought
up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the
saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself
to every good work. (NASU)
“If she has shown hospitality to strangers” is composed of the conditional
particle ei (εἰ) (ee), “if” and the third person singular aorist active indicative form
of the verb xenodocheo (ξενοδοχέω) (kzena-thoe-hearowe), “she has shown
hospitality.”
First Class Condition
The conditional particle ei introduces a protasis of a first class condition that
indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. It is employed with the
indicative mood of the verb xenodocheo, “she has shown hospitality” to explicitly
convey a protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption of truth for
the sake of argument. As we noted in the first conditional statement, the apodasis is
actually the command in verse 9 that a widow must be continue to be put on the list
to receive financial support from the Ephesian Christian community. If you recall,
this command served as the apodasis for the protasis µὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα
γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, “if she can be demonstrated as not being less than
sixty years of age, a one-man woman.” Thus, the five first class conditions in
verse 10 that serve to explain in greater detail the third qualification continue the
thought in verse 9 and serve as the protasis for this command in verse 9.
The idea behind the first class condition is not “since” but rather, “if-and let us
assume that it is true for the sake of argument that, then...” This would encourage
Paul’s audience to respond and come to the conclusion of the apodosis since they
already agreed with him on the protasis. Therefore, Paul is employing the first
class condition as a tool of persuasion with his audience. Paul’s audience would
respond to his protasis.
Here the protasis is “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument that
she has show hospitality.” The audience would respond that there were Christian
widows who had done so throughout their lives. The apodasis is “(then) this widow
must continue to be put on the list (to receive financial support).”
The basic relation that the protasis has to the apodasis is “evidence-inference”
since in context Paul is instructing the Ephesian church and Timothy as to what
qualifications a widow must have in order to be put on the list to receive financial
support from the church. In other words, there must be some evidence that a
widow is qualified to receive such support. The evidence is a widow demonstrating
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hospitality throughout her lifetime and the inference is that this type of widow
must continue to be put on the list to receive support.
Therefore, we will translate or paraphrase the conditional particle ei, “if, and let
us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that…and we agree that
there are some who have…then…”
Xenodocheo
This verb describes a host who entertains guests or strangers. It does not appear
in the Septuagint and only once in the New Testament, here in 1 Timothy 5:10
where it refers to demonstrating hospitality to guests or strangers. Xenodocheo
speaks of the act of demonstrating hospitality to foreigners, strangers and all
members of the body of Christ without expectation of reward. It speaks of being
willing to open one’s home to strangers and foreigners and other displaced
members of the body of Christ.
In 1 Timothy 5:10, the aorist tense of the verb xenodocheo is a constative aorist
is describing in summary fashion a widow demonstrating hospitality to guests and
strangers and displaced members of the body of Christ during the course of her
lifetime. The active voice means that the widow as the subject is performing the
action of the verb. The indicative mood of the verb is “conditional” meaning that it
is employed with the conditional particle ei, “if, in fact and let us assume that it
is true for the sake of argument” in order to form the protasis of a first class
condition that indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. We will
translate this verb “she has demonstrated hospitality.”
Hospitality
During the first and second centuries, many members of the royal family of
God were displaced from their homes because of various persecutions in the
Roman Empire. Hospitality was to be shown to these individuals. Our Lord spoke
of hospitality towards strangers and in particular toward Jewish believers during
the Tribulation in Matthew 25:35. The apostle Paul mentions it in Romans 12:13 as
a function of the royal family honor code.
The writer of Hebrews 13:2 commands members of the royal family of God to
be philoxenia, “hospitable.” By doing so, some believers such as Lot and
Abraham entertained the angels. Abraham entertained the pre-incarnate Christ in
Genesis 18:1-22 and Lot entertained only the two angels in Genesis 19:1.
Philoxenos in 1 Timothy 3:2 expresses the fact that the man who aspires to the
office of pastor-teacher must be an individual who tries to meet the needs of
displaced members of the royal family of God through his own financial means or
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even opening his home to them. It describes the man who has the gift of pastor-
teacher who is willing to open his home to other members of the Royal Family of
God in order to teach them. This term is used of course with respect to the
relationship between the pastor and others.
In the first century, born-again believers met in homes and not in large
buildings as they do today, therefore, the pastor-teacher had to be willing to open
his home to strangers, who were unbelievers and needed the gospel, and to
believers who needed the Word of God taught to them.
In the first century, there was a great need in the church to provide shelter and
food to visitors who had been uprooted from their homes because of persecution.
Furthermore, in the ancient world there were few motels or hotels, most of which
were very undesirable. In the Roman Empire, inns were many times places of ill
repute and travelers, whenever possible, stayed with friends, thus, the New
Testament emphasizes hospitality to strangers.
Romans 12:13 All of you continue to make it your habit to contribute to the
saints’ needs. All of you continue to make it your habit to eagerly seek out
opportunities to practice hospitality. (My translation)
1 Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. (NASB95)
Since believers are members of the body of Christ according to 1 Corinthians
12:12-27, Ephesians 3:6 and Colossians 3:15 of which body, Christ is the head
according to Ephesians 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, then when believers practice
hospitality towards one another, they are in fact doing it to Christ.
Matthew 25:40 The King will answer and say to them (those Gentile
believers who identified with Jewish believers during the Tribulation period),
“Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of
Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (NASB95)
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary has the following article regarding
hospitality, they write, “The practice of entertaining strangers graciously.
Hospitality was a very important trait in Bible times. In the New Testament, the
Greek word translated as hospitality literally means ‘love of strangers.’ In the Old
Testament, Abraham was the host to angels unaware; he invited strangers into his
house, washed their feet, prepared fresh meat, had Sarah bake bread, and later
accompanied them as they left (Gen 18:1-15). Even today a traditional greeting to
the guests among the Bedouin people of the Middle East is ‘You are among your
family.’ Hospitality was specifically commanded by God (Lev. 19:33-34; Luke
14:13-14; Rom. 12:13). It was to be characteristic of all believers (1 Peter 4:9),
especially bishops (Titus 1:7-8; 1 Tim. 3:2). Jesus emphasized the importance of
hospitality by answering the question of who should inherit the kingdom: ‘I was a
stranger and you took Me in’ (Matt. 25:35). Several Old Testament personalities
set a good example for all believers in the practice of hospitality. These included
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Abraham (Gen 18:1-8); David (2 Sam 6:19); the Shunammite woman (2 Kings
4:8-10); Nehemiah (Neh. 5:17-18); and Job (Job 31:17-20). Ps 23 concludes with a
portrait of a host who prepares a table for the weary, anoints the head of the guest
with oil, and shows every kindness so that the guest's cup runs over. The psalmist
sees the Lord Himself as Host; His hospitality exceeds all others. The New
Testament also gives examples of gracious hospitality: Mary (Matt. 26:6-13);
Martha (Luke 10:38); the early Christians (Acts 2:45-46); Lydia (Acts 16:14-15);
and Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:26). (Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary,
Copyright (c) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia has the following article with
regards to the subject of hospitality, they write, “When the civilization of a people
has advanced so far that some traveling has become necessary, but not yet so far
that traveling by individuals is a usual thing, then hospitality is a virtue
indispensable to the life of the people. (1) Among Nomads: This stage of culture
was that represented in ancient Palestine and the stage whose customs are still
preserved among the present-day Arabs of the desert. Hospitality is regarded as a
right by the traveler, to whom it never occurs to thank his host as if for a favor.
And hospitality is granted as a duty by the host, who himself may very soon be
dependent on some one else's hospitality. But none the less, both in Old Testament
times and today, the granting of that right is surrounded by an etiquette that has
made Arabian hospitality so justly celebrated. The traveler is made the literal
master of the house during his stay; his host will perform for him the most servile
offices, and will not even sit in his presence without express request. To the use of
the guest is given over all that his host possesses, stopping not even short of the
honor of wife or daughter. ‘Be we not all,’ say the poor nomads, ‘guests of Ullah?
Has God given unto them, God's guest shall partake with them thereof: if they will
not for God render his own, it should not go well with them’ (Doughty, Arabia
Deserta, I, 228). The host is in duty bound to defend his guest against all comers
and to lay aside any personal hatred-the murderer of father is safe as the guest of
the son. (2) In the Old Testament: An exquisite example of the etiquette of
hospitality is found in Gen 18:1-8. The very fact that the three strangers have
passed by Abraham's door gives him the privilege of entertaining them. When he
sees them approaching he runs to beg the honor of their turning in to him, with
oriental courtesy depreciates the feast that he is about to lay before them as ‘a
morsel of bread,’ and stands by them while they eat. Manoah (Judg 13:15) is
equally pressing although more matter-of-fact, while Jethro (Ex 2:20) sends out
that the stranger may be brought in. And Job (Job 31:32) repels the very thought
that he could let the sojourner be unprovided for. The one case where a breach of
hospitality receives praise is that of Jael (Judg 4-5), perhaps to be referred to
degeneration of customs in the conflicts with the Canaanites or (perhaps more
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plausibly) to literary-critical considerations, according to which in Judg 5 Sisera is
not represented as entering Jael's tent or possibly not as actually tasting the food, a
state of affairs misunderstood in Judg 4, written under later circumstances of city
life. (For contrasting opinions see ‘Jael’ in Encyclopaedia Biblica and Hastings,
Dictionary of the Bible (five volumes). (3) The Table-Bond: It is well to
understand that to secure the right to hospitality it is not necessary, even in modern
times, for the guest to eat with his host, still less to eat salt specifically. Indeed,
guests arriving after sunset and departing the next morning do not, as a rule, eat at
all in the tent of the host. It is sufficient to enter the tent, to grasp a tent-pin, or
even, under certain circumstances, to invoke the name of a man as host. On the
other hand, the bond of hospitality is certainly strengthened by eating with one's
host, or the bond may actually be created by eating food belonging to him, even by
stealth or in an act of theft. Here a quite different set of motives is at work. The
idea here is that of kinship arising from participation in a common sacrificial meal,
and the modern Arab still terms the animal killed for his guest the dhabichah or
‘sacrifice’ (compare Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (five volumes), II, 428).
This concept finds its rather materialistic expression in the theory that after the
processes of digestion are completed (a time estimated as two nights and the
included day), the bond lapses if it is not renewed. There seem to be various
references in the Bible to some such idea of a ‘table-bond’ (Ps 41:9, e.g.), but
hardly in connection directly with hospitality. (4) In the City: In the city, naturally,
the exercise of hospitality was more restricted. Where travel was great, doubtless
commercial provision for the travelers was made from a very early day (compare
Luke 10:34 and see INN), and at all events free hospitality to all comers would
have been unbearably abused. Lot in Sodom (Gen 19) is the nomad who has
preserved his old ideas, although settled in the city, and who thinks of the ‘shadow
of his roof’ (verse 8) as his tent. The same is true of the old man in Gibeah of Judg
19:16 ff. And the sin of Sodom and of Gibeah is not that wanderers cannot find
hospitality so much as it is that they are unsafe in the streets at night. Both Lot and
‘the old man,’ however, are firm in their duty and willing to sacrifice their
daughters for the safety of their guests. (Later ideas as to the position of woman
should not be read back into these narratives.) However, when the city-dweller
Rahab refuses to surrender her guests (Josh 2), her reason is not the breach of
hospitality involved but her fear of Yahweh (verse 9). When Abraham's old slave
is in Nahor, and begs a night's lodging for himself and his camels, he accompanies
the request with a substantial present, evidently conceived of as pay for the same
(Gen 24:22 f). Such also are the modern conditions; compare Benzinger-Socin in
Baedeker's Palestine (3), xxxv, who observe that ‘inmates’ of private houses ‘are
aware that Franks always pay, and therefore receive them gladly.’ None the less, in
New Testament times, if not earlier, and even at present, a room was set apart in
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each village for the use of strangers, whose expenses were borne by the entire
community. Most interpreters consider that the kataluma of Luke 2:7 was a room
of this sort, but this opinion cannot be regarded as quite certain. But many of the
wealthier city-dwellers still strive to attain a reputation for hospitality, a zeal that
naturally was found in the ancient world as well. (5) Christ and Hospitality:
Christ's directions to the apostles to ‘take nothing for their journey’ (Mark 6:8, etc.)
presupposes that they were sure of always finding hospitality. Indeed, it is assumed
that they may even make their own choice of hosts (Matt 10:11) and may stay as
long as they choose (Luke 10:7). In this case, however, the claims of the travelers
to hospitality are accentuated by the fact that they are bearers of good tidings for
the people, and it is in view of this latter fact that hospitality to them becomes so
great a virtue-the ‘cup of cold water’ becomes so highly meritorious because it is
given ‘in the name of a disciple’ (Matt 10:42; compare verse 41, and Mark 9:41).
Rejection of hospitality to one of Christ's ‘least brethren’ (almost certainly to be
understood as disciples) is equivalent to the rejection of Christ Himself (Matt
25:43; compare verse 35). It is not quite clear whether in Matt 10:14 and parallels,
simple refusal of hospitality is the sin in point or refusal to hear the message or
both. (6) First Missionaries: In the Dispersion, the Jew who was traveling seemed
always to be sure of finding entertainment from the Jews resident in whatever city
he might happen to be passing through. The importance of this fact for the spread
of early Christianity is incalculable. To be sure, some of the first missionaries may
have been men who were able to bear their own traveling expenses or who were
merchants that taught the new religion when on business tours. In the case of
soldiers or slaves their opportunity to carry the gospel into new fields came often
through the movements of the army or of their masters. And it was by an
‘infiltration’ of this sort, probably, rather than by any specific missionary effort
that the church of Rome, at least, was rounded. But the ordinary missionary,
whether apostle (in any sense of the word) or evangelist, would have been helpless
if it had not been that he could count so confidently on the hospitality everywhere.
From this fact comes one reason why Paul, for instance, could plan tours of such
magnitude with such assurance: he knew that he would not have to face any
problem of sustenance in a strange city (Rom 16:23). (7) In the Churches: As the
first Christian churches were founded, the exercise of hospitality took on a new
aspect, especially after the breach with the Jews had begun. Not only did the
traveling Christian look naturally to his brethren for hospitality, but the individual
churches looked to the traveler for fostering the sense of the unity of the church
throughout the world. Hospitality became a virtue indispensable to the well-being
of the church-one reason for the emphasis laid on it (Rom 12:13; 16:1 f; Heb 13:2).
As the organization of the churches became more perfected, the exercise of
hospitality grew to be an official duty of the ministry and a reputation for
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hospitality was a prerequisite in some cases (1 Tim 3:2; 5:10; Titus 1:8). The
exercise of such hospitality must have become burdensome at times (1 Peter 4:9),
and as false teachers began to appear in the church a new set of problems was
created in discriminating among applicants for hospitality. 2 and 3 Jn reflect some
of the difficulties. For the later history of hospitality in the church interesting
matter will be found in the Didache, chapters xi, xii, Apology of Aristides, chapter
xv, and Lucian's Death of Peregrinus, chapter xvi. The church certainly preferred
to err by excess of the virtue. An evaluation of the Biblical directions regarding
hospitality for modern times is extremely difficult on account of the utterly
changed conditions. Be it said at once, esp., that certain well-meant criticism of
modern missionary methods, with their boards, organized finance, etc., on the basis
of Christ's directions to the Twelve, is a woeful misapplication of Biblical
teaching. The hospitality that an apostle could count on in his own day is
something that the modern missionary simply cannot expect and something that it
would be arrant folly for him to expect (Weinel, Die urchristliche und die heutige
Mission, should be read by everyone desiring to compare modern missions with
the apostolic). In general, the basis for hospitality has become so altered that the
special virtue has become merged in the larger field of charitable enterprise of
various sorts. The modern problem nearest related to the old virtue is the question
of providing for the necessities of the indigent traveler, a distinctly minor problem,
although a very real one, in the general field of social problems that the modern
church has to study. In so far as the New Testament exhortations are based on
missionary motives there has been again a merging into general appeals for
missions, perhaps specialized occasionally as appeals for traveling expense. The
‘hospitality’ of today, by which is meant the entertainment of friends or relatives,
hardly comes within the Biblical use of the term as denoting a special virtue.”
(Burton Scott Easton; International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic
Database Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft)
The Third Example as an Illustration of the Third Qualification
1 Timothy 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought
up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the
saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself
to every good work. (NASU)
“If she has washed the saints’ feet” is composed of the conditional particle ei
(εἰ) (ee), “if” and the genitive masculine plural form of the adjective hagios (ἅγιος) (eye-yoce), “the saints’” which is modifying the accusative masculine plural form
of the noun pous (πούς) (pooce), “feet” and the third person singular aorist active
indicative form of the verb nipto (νίπτω) (neeptowe), “she has washed.”
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First Class Condition
The conditional particle ei introduces a protasis of a first class condition that
indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. It is employed with the
indicative mood of the verb nipto, “she has washed” to explicitly convey a
protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption of truth for the sake
of argument. As we noted in the first conditional statement, the apodasis is actually
the command in verse 9 that a widow must be continue to be put on the list to
receive financial support from the Ephesian Christian community. If you recall,
this command served as the apodasis for the protasis µὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα
γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, “if she can be demonstrated as not being less than
sixty years of age, a one-man woman.” Thus, the five first class conditions in
verse 10 that serve to explain in greater detail the third qualification continue the
thought in verse 9 and serve as the protasis for this command in verse 9.
The idea behind the first class condition is not “since” but rather, “if-and let us
assume that it is true for the sake of argument that, then...” This would encourage
Paul’s audience to respond and come to the conclusion of the apodosis since they
already agreed with him on the protasis. Therefore, Paul is employing the first
class condition as a tool of persuasion with his audience. Paul’s audience would
respond to his protasis.
Here the protasis is “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument that
she has washed the feet of the saints.” The audience would respond that there were
Christian widows who had done so throughout their lives. The apodasis is “(then)
this widow must continue to be put on the list (to receive financial support).”
The basic relation that the protasis has to the apodasis is “evidence-inference”
since in context Paul is instructing the Ephesian church and Timothy as to what
qualifications a widow must have in order to be put on the list to receive financial
support from the church. In other words, there must be some evidence that a
widow is qualified to receive such support. The evidence is a widow washing the
feet of the saints throughout her lifetime and the inference is that this type of
widow must continue to be put on the list to receive support.
Therefore, we will translate or paraphrase the conditional particle ei, “if, and let
us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that…and we agree that
there are some who have…then…”
Nipto
This verb is a variation of the verb nizo, “to wash” and in classical Greek it was
commonly used of washing parts of the body such as hands and feet. It would
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occasionally describe purging or cleansing (Liddell-Scott, page 1177). The term
appears often in the Septuagint where it is frequently used of washing of hands,
feet or face and sometimes for rinsing. It often appears in the New Testament with
this usage.
In 1 Timothy 5:10, the verb nipto means “to wash” and is used of a widow
washing the feet of those who she demonstrated hospitality to whether her guests
or strangers who were displaced members of the body of Christ. Thus, the word
implies accommodating travelers. Foot washing in the ancient world was a mark
of servanthood and humility (John 13:1-14).
Nola J. Opperwall writes, “In the ancient Orient the wearing of open sandals on
dusty roads made it necessary to wash the feet frequently; therefore a host would
customarily provide water for his guests upon their arrival, so that they might wash
their feet (cf. Gen. 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; Jgs. 19:21). Sometimes a servant
performed this service for the guests (1 S. 25:41). It was considered the most
menial task a servant could perform (cf. Mk. 1:7 par.).” (Bromiley, G.W., The
International Standard Bible Encylopedia, volume 2; page 333; William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1979)
Here in 1 Timothy 5:10 the verb nipto is used for the literal act of washing the
feet of members of the body of Christ. However, Paul is speaking of this act as an
outward symbol of humble service to the body of Christ. The fact that he associates
this act to the member of the body of Christ exclusively indicates that he has this
idea in mind since washing feet was not done exclusively for believers only. Thus,
as Towner writes, “there is metaphorical extension being suggested by the general
application here to the ‘the saints.’” ((Towner, Philip H., The Letters to Timothy
and Titus; page 348; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids,
MI, 2006)
The aorist tense of the verb nipto is a constative aorist is describing in summary
fashion a widow washing the feet of believers during the course of her lifetime as a
mark servanthood to the body of Christ. The active voice means that the widow as
the subject is performing the action of the verb. The indicative mood of the verb is
“conditional” meaning that it is employed with the conditional particle ei, “if, in
fact and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument” in order to form
the protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption of truth for the
sake of argument. We will translate this verb “she has washed.”
Pous
The noun pous is in the plural form and means “feet” referring to that part of
the human anatomy which is used for standing or walking. It is an accusative direct
object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb nipto.
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Classical Usage of Hagios
There is no certain etymology for hagios. Hagios refers to “a person or thing
that has been set apart as sacred or consecrated to God.” It is not found in Homer
or in the writers of the Greek tragedies. The word appears predominately among
the Hellenistic writers. It is first found in Herodotus where uses it to describe the
temple of Venus in the district Prosopitis (The History 2.41).
Hagios is used of sanctuaries (Dem. 59, 77). The Hellenistic inscriptions
confirm this usage, particularly for oriental sanctuaries. Aristotle employs the word
to describe an oath (Mirabilia 834b 11). Aristophanes calls people hagios (Birds
522). The word was used as epithet describing oriental gods such as Isis, Serapis,
and Baal and was transferred over to the Greek gods as well. Originally a cultic
concept connected with the mystery religions of ancient Greece.
Hagios was used by Aristophanes and Demosthones with reference to the
customs connected with the mystery religions in Greece. Demosthones used it to
describe the most beautiful and sacred things that are not accessible to the general
public.
The Greeks used three different word groups to denote what is holy: (1) heiros,
“what is set apart for the deity (2) hosios, “the obligation of service to a deity (3)
hagios, “a person or thing set apart as consecrated to the deity.”
Both, hagios and hasios emphasized the duty in worshipping the holy. Hagios
was used by the Greeks to denote the quality possessed by things and persons that
could approach a divinity. It was one of five words used by the Greeks to describe
their concept of holiness and is the only word used in the Bible to describe the
biblical concept of holiness.
The basic idea of hagios among the Greeks was separation and consecration
and devotion to the service of a deity. The Greeks used the word to describe things
which have been “devoted to the gods, set apart for the gods for religious purposes
only, consecrated to the gods.” It was used to describe people who are “devoted to
the service of a god, separated to the service of the god.”
Liddell and Scott: (1) in good sense, sacred, holy; of things, sacred holy; of
persons, holy, pure (2) in bad sense, accursed, execrable (Greek-English Lexicon,
New Edition, page 9).
Septuagint Usage of Hagios
In the Septuagint, hagios appears 791 times and is the equivalent for the
different forms of the Hebrew term qadhosh (vd^q*), “holy.” The word was used
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in conjunction with Person of God (Lev. 20:3; 22:2; Ps. 33:21). It was used to
describe Yahweh’s integrity or holiness. The word described His character and
nature as well as His name and His people, Israel. It was used to describe the
various articles of the Tabernacle and Temple along with the various offerings
which spoke of Christ and His sacrifice. Anything that was set apart for God was
considered hagios whether animals, people or things.
It inherited the background of deep reverence and awe associated with the Holy
God of Israel, and it retained all its cultic as well as ethical implications. The
starting point for any understanding of holiness is the holiness of the Lord Himself.
His perfect character and nature stands in contrast to sinfulness of His creatures.
The spiritual life and conduct of regenerate Israel demanded conformity to the
will of God since God is perfection. The holiness or in other words, the perfect
character and integrity of God are manifested in His plan of salvation and
judgment. His perfect character and integrity is manifested by His faithfulness to
the Covenants He has made with His people throughout the Old Testament
dispensations.
The people of God through regeneration at the moment of conversion are made
holy positionally by the omnipotence of God. The people are to walk in accordance
with the fact that God has made them holy. They are to walk as those set apart to
serve the Lord God exclusively.
Also, in a very unique way the Word of the Lord is holy since it reveals His
perfect character and integrity that is hidden in the essence of God. This thought
pervades Judaism which readily holds the Scripture to be holy (1 Macc. 12:9).
The Spirit is described as holy (Ps. 51:11) since He is a member of the Trinity.
The Messiah is called “the Holy One of God” (Ps. 16:10 [LXX 15:10] ).
The following were described as set apart or holy to the Lord in the OT: (1) all
firstborn of people as well as animals (Nm. 3:13). (2) individuals (Jer. 1:5). (3)
offerings (Ex. 29:33). (4) tabernacle and temple (Ex. 28:29; 1 K. 9:3; 2 Ch. 35:5).
(5) articles and utensils used by the priests (Ex. 30:25-29; 1K. 8:4 [LXX 3 K. 8:4] )
(6) high priest’s garments (Ex. 28:2).
New Testament Usage of Hagios
The adjective hagios is employed extensively in the Greek New Testament
appearing 233 times. The same concepts expressed by hagios in classical Greek
and the LXX are expressed in the Greek New Testament. In the New Testament, it
is used to describe God’s holiness or in other words His perfect character and
integrity. Therefore, it is used to describe the individual members of the Trinity.
God the Father is hagios (John 17:11; 1 Pet. 1; 15). Lord Jesus Christ is hagios
(John 6:69; Luke 4:34). The Spirit is hagios (Matt. 1:18; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; Titus
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3:5). The believers are described as hagios in numerous passages in the NT where
the word is usually translated, “saints” (Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 5:27; 1 Pet. 2:9; Heb.
3:1, etc.). The Scriptures are described as hagios (Rom. 1:2), and the apostles (Eph.
3:5; Rev. 18:20). Bible Doctrine is described as hagios (Jude 1:20).
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “Hagios is from the same root
as hagnos (found in hazo, ‘to venerate’), fundamentally signifies ‘separated’
(among the Greeks, dedicated to the gods), and hence, in Scripture in its moral and
spiritual significance, separated from sin and therefore consecrated to God, sacred.
(a) It is predicated of God (as the absolutely ‘Holy’ One, in His purity, majesty and
glory): of the Father, e. g., Luke 1:49; John 17:11; 1 Peter 1:15,16; Rev 4:8; 6:10;
of the Son, e. g., Luke 1:35; Acts 3:14; 4:27,30; 1 John 2:20; of the Spirit, e. g.,
Matt 1:18 and frequently in all the Gospels, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians,
Ephesians, 1 Thes.; also in 2 Tim 1:14; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:12; 2 Peter 1:21; Jude
20. (b) It is used of men and things (see below) in so far as they are devoted to
God. Indeed the quality, as attributed to God, is often presented in a way which
involves divine demands upon the conduct of believers. These are called hagioi,
‘saints,’ i. e., ‘sanctified’ or ‘holy’ ones. This sainthood is not an attainment, it is a
state into which God in grace calls men; yet believers are called to sanctify
themselves (consistently with their calling, 2 Tim 1:9), cleansing themselves from
all defilement, forsaking sin, living a ‘holy’ manner of life, 1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter
3:11, and experiencing fellowship with God in His holiness. The saints are thus
figuratively spoken of as ‘a holy temple’, 1 Cor 3:17 (a local church); Eph 2:21
(the whole Church), cp. 5:27; ‘a holy priesthood,’ 1 Peter 2:5; ‘a holy nation,’ 2:9.
‘It is evident that hagios and its kindred words... express something more and
higher than hieros, sacred, outwardly associated with God;... something more than
semnos, worthy, honorable; something more than hagnos, pure, free from
defilement. Hagios is... more comprehensive.... It is characteristically godlikeness’
(G. B. Stevens, in Hastings' Bib. Dic.). The adjective is also used of the outer part
of the tabernacle, Heb 9:2 (RV, ‘the holy place’); of the inner sanctuary, 9:3, RV,
‘the Holy of Holies’; 9:4, ‘a holy place,’ RV; v. 25 (plural), of the presence of God
in heaven, where there are not two compartments as in the tabernacle, all being
to cause someth. to be constricted or narrow, press together, compress, make
narrow (Dionys. Hal. 8, 73 βίοι τεθλιµµένοι, provisions that have become scarce; ὁ
θεὸς ἔθλιψεν τὴν σελήνην GrBar 9:7); pass. of space that is limited (of small living
quarters Theocr. 21, 18 θλιβοµένα καλύβα= tight quarters; Lucian, Alex. 49 τ. πόλεως θλιβοµένης ὑπὸ τ. πλήθους =the city jammed full w. a multitude) ἔν τινι τόπῳ τεθλιµµένῳ καὶ πεπληρωµένῳ ἑρπετῶν πονηρῶν a tight place and full of bad
snakes = a place jammed full with bad snakes ApcPt 10:25 (the misery is twofold:
tight quarters to begin with and being totally surrounded by snakes). Of a road (w.
a corresp. στενὴ πύλη) ὁδὸς τεθλιµµένη a narrow, confined road and therefore a
source of trouble or difficulty to those using it Mt 7:14 (TestAbr A 11 p. 88, 30
[Stone p. 24]; s. KBornhäuser, Die Bergpredigt 1923, 177ff); on the imagery s.
AMattill, JBL 98, ’79, 531–46; Betz, SM 527: “The chances of failure are greater
than the chances of success, a sobering message.” (3) to cause to be troubled,
Hs 1:8 (PGM 1, 213 θλίβεταί[?] µου ἡ ψυχή; TestSol 1:4 θλιβοµένης µου τῆς ψυχῆς; Mel., P. 80, 587; Proclus on Pla., Crat., 72, 3 Pasqu. δαίµονες θλίβουσι τ. ψυχάς; Nicetas Eugen. 2, 27 H. ψυχὴ τεθλιµµένη; cp. Philo, De Ios. 179). On Hs 8,
10, 4 s. Bonner 113 note.—Subst. ὁ θλιβόµενος the oppressed (one) (TestSol D 4,
11 παραµυθία των θ.; JosAs 12:11 τῶν θλιβοµένων βοηθός; Diod S 13, 109, 5 οἱ θλιβόµενοι=those who were hard pressed) 1 Ti 5:10; ISm 6:2; B 20:2; D 5:2. Esp.,
as in some of the aforementioned pass., of the persecution of Christians 1 Th 3:4; 2
Th 1:7. θλιβῆναι πάσῃ θλίψει suffer every kind of affliction Hs 6, 3, 6; cp. 7:1ff; 8,
10, 4. ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόµου θλιβέντες persecuted for the law (i.e., for the way of life that
is in accordance with the instructions of Jesus) 8, 3, 7.—DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW.
Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament “strictly press, rub together;
hence compress, make narrow; (1) metaphorically and passive τεθλιµµένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ
ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν literally restricted is the road that leads to life, i.e. in order
to receive eternal life, one must live as God requires (MT 7.14); (2) press or crowd
against, throng (MK 3.9); (3) figuratively afflict, oppress, cause trouble to (2TH
1.6); passive experience hardship, be afflicted (2C 1.6).”
In 1 Timothy 5:10, the verb thlibo is in the passive voice and means “to be
afflicted, to be distressed.” It speaks of those individuals whether belonging to the
Christian community or not who are afflicted or distressed in some way whether by
poverty or persecution. Some have argued that poverty seems to fit the context
best. However, persecution cannot be ruled out and in fact is likely because we are
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talking about a widow who has helped those afflicted over the course of her
lifetime. Undoubtedly, she encountered those who were persecuted.
The present tense of the verb is a customary present or stative present used to
indicate an ongoing state. Here it denotes a human being existing in the state of
being afflicted or distressed whether by persecution or poverty or both. The passive
voice means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an
expressed or unexpressed agency. Here the subject are those who are afflicted or
distress in some way. The agency is unexpressed but could be either human beings
persecuted others or adverse circumstances that bring about poverty or it could
refer to both idea as the agency. The participle form of the word is a substantive
participle speaking of those who are afflicted or distressed in some way. We will
translate the verb “those in distress.”
The Fifth Example as an Illustration of the Third Qualification
1 Timothy 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought
up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the
saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself
to every good work. (NASU)
“If she has devoted herself to every good work” is composed of the
conditional particle ei (εἰ) (ee), “if” and this is followed by the dative neuter
singular form of the adjective pas (πᾶς), “every” and it is modifying the dative
neuter singular form of the noun ergon (ἒργον) (air-gone), “work” and it is being
modified by the dative neuter singular form of the adjective agathos (ἀγαθός) (ah-
ga-thoce), “good” and this is followed by the third person singular aorist active
indicative form of the verb epakoloutheo (ἐπακολουθέω) (epah-koeloo-theh-owe),
“she has devoted herself to.”
First Class Condition
The conditional particle ei introduces a protasis of a first class condition that
indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. It is employed with the
indicative mood of the verb epakoloutheo, “she has devoted herself to” to
explicitly convey a protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption
of truth for the sake of argument. As we noted in the first conditional statement, the
apodasis is actually the command in verse 9 that a widow must be continue to be
put on the list to receive financial support from the Ephesian Christian community.
If you recall, this command served as the apodasis for the protasis µὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν
ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, “if she can be demonstrated as not being
less than sixty years of age, a one-man woman.” Thus, the five first class
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conditions in verse 10 that serve to explain in greater detail the third qualification
continue the thought in verse 9 and serve as the protasis for this command in verse
9.
The idea behind the first class condition is not “since” but rather, “if-and let us
assume that it is true for the sake of argument that, then...” This would encourage
Paul’s audience to respond and come to the conclusion of the apodosis since they
already agreed with him on the protasis. Therefore, Paul is employing the first
class condition as a tool of persuasion with his audience. Paul’s audience would
respond to his protasis.
Here the protasis is “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument that
she has devoted herself to every good work.” The audience would respond that
there were Christian widows who had done so throughout their lives. The apodasis
is “(then) this widow must continue to be put on the list (to receive financial
support).”
The basic relation that the protasis has to the apodasis is “evidence-inference”
since in context Paul is instructing the Ephesian church and Timothy as to what
qualifications a widow must have in order to be put on the list to receive financial
support from the church. In other words, there must be some evidence that a
widow is qualified to receive such support. The evidence is a widow being devoted
to every good work throughout her lifetime and the inference is that this type of
widow must continue to be put on the list to receive support.
Therefore, we will translate or paraphrase the conditional particle ei, “if, and let
us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that…and we agree that
there are some who have…then…”
Epakoloutheo
This verb is also a compound word composed of the preposition epi, “after,
close upon” and the verb akoloutheo, “to follow.” In classical Greek, it is used in a
number of ways such as to follow after someone, to pursue an enemy, to follow
mentally what is said or to follow in the sense of complying with instructions
(Liddell-Scott, page 605).
The term occurs 16 times in the Septuagint where it is used in the sense of
following after idols (Leviticus 19:4, 31) and for following the ways of the Lord
(Isaiah 55:3). It appears only 3 times in the New Testament (1 Timothy 5:10, 24; 1
Peter 2:21).
In 1 Timothy 5:10, the verb epakoloutheo means “to give or commit oneself
wholeheartedly to something-‘to devote oneself to, to give oneself to.’” (Louw and
Nida 25.79). It is used here in a figurative sense of a widow devoting or dedicating
herself to performing good works that are divine in quality and character.
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Knight writes that this concluding condition “indicates in general terms what
must characterize the widow to be placed on the list and in effect indicates that the
preceding were examples of those good works.” (Page 225)
Mounce commenting on this last conditional statement writes that the
“generality of this phrase confirms that these good deeds are not given as specific
prerequisites to enrollment but are typical examples.” (Page 289)
Towner writes that “the function of the list is to provide a way of measuring the
reputation of the widow on the basis of visible acts understood to be the
outworking of faith (‘the Spirit’).” (Page 349)
In 1 Timothy 5:10, the aorist tense of the verb epakoloutheo is a constative
aorist is describing in summary fashion a widow devoting herself to every good
work during the course of her lifetime. The active voice means that the widow as
the subject is performing the action of the verb. The indicative mood of the verb is
“conditional” meaning that it is employed with the conditional particle ei, “if, in
fact and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument” in order to form
the protasis of a first class condition that indicates the assumption of truth for the
sake of argument. We will translate this verb “she has devoted herself to.”
Ergon
The noun ergon means “works, actions” referring to actions performed by a
widow who is to be put on the list to receive financial support from the church.
These actions or works were performed by the widow while she was in fellowship
with God and were produced by the Holy Spirit when she exercised faith in the
Word of God, which results in obedience to the will of the Father, which is
revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God. It speaks of the works or actions that the
Holy Spirit performed through a widow as a result of her obedience to the Lord
Jesus Christ command to love one another as He loved.
The word is a dative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the
epakoloutheo. Paul puts the word in the dative rather than accusative case since he
is emphasizing that these good works are personal in nature meaning that they are
on behalf of others.
Agathos
The adjective agathos appears throughout Greek literature, both classical and
Hellenistic. It came to be associated with that which was perfect or excellent and
with that which distinguished itself by its value or worth.
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The Attic authors and philosophers commonly used kalos or agathos to explain
the total summary of the qualities, which an Attic man of honor displayed. It was
used in a substantive sense meaning to do what is “good.”
Although there is at times some semantic overlap with kalos, there are some
different nuances between the two. First of all, kalos suggests aesthetic beauty,
usefulness, fitness while agathos acquires philosophical and ethical connotations.
The word assumes a predominately religious meaning in the Septuagint where it
denotes the “goodness” of God as demonstrated by His deliverance of Israel from
the Egyptians (Exodus 18:9; Numbers 10:32; Hosea 8:3).
Agathos was used to identify God and to describe His creation and works in the
Septuagint and Greek New Testament and expresses the significance or excellence
of a person or thing. In the Greek New Testament, the adjective means, “what is
intrinsically valuable, what is intrinsically good, inherently good in quality but
with the idea of good which is also profitable, useful, benefiting others,
benevolent.”
Agathos is used in the New Testament primarily of that which is divine in
quality and character and is beneficial to others.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature-Third Edition lists the following definitions: (1) pertaining to meeting a
relatively high standard of quality of things (2) pertaining to meeting a high
standard of worth and merit (Pages 3-4).
The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following meanings, “good,
