WEEK 7 HOOK 1 Timothy 5:1 6:2 Our World Today: Honor is not a character trait that is seen favorably by many. The idea of honor is taught in many families but in many cases, honor is only rewarded to special people. Honor is bequeathed to people who have done something of a heroic stature, and provided a feat that just not everyone is able to complete. Honor is indeed difficult to teach to children. It is hard to describe in words to someone wanting to better understand what this word means. Honor is best understood when modeled out in our everyday lives. To help put handles on this word, the dictionary defines it as: Honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a man of honor; a source of credit or distinction: to be an honor to one's family; high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in honor; such respect manifested: a memorial in honor of the dead; high public esteem; fame; glory. 1 How would you explain honor to a child? What illustrations would you use? Class Exercise: To have a better understanding of honor, have several members of your class share aloud what it means to show honor. Write these answers on the board so class members can see these descriptions as the class continues. Another idea is to have sheets available to the class members as they arrive and have each person describe the word honor on this sheet. Discuss as a class the differences and similarities in the descriptions of the word. 1 Honor, www.dictionary.com
WEEK 7 BOOK 1 Timothy 5:1 6:2 Background: Earlier, Paul had addressed specific groups in the church (2:1 3:13), and this section returns to doing so, though the groups are different. Honor (5:3, 17; 6:1) serves as the connecting point for the three groups mentioned (widows, elders, masters). There is a progression in the thought, with the call increasing from honor (5:3) to double honor (5:17) to all honor (6:1). Each paragraph explains what Gospel living looks like in relation to that group. 1 Timothy 5:1 8 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. 3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ESV Study Bible: The church is conceived of as family (see 3:4 5, 15). Though the term honor does not appear in 5:1 2, it applies here as surely as it does in vv. 3, 17; 6:1. What is the underlying command in how we are to treat others in the faith? Why is providing for the members of our household tied so closely to our faith? 1 Timothy 5:9 16 9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, 10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 For some have already strayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are
widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows. ESV Study Bible: The primary concern in this passage is to identify which widows should be provided for by the church. There are two key indicators: not having other family (1 Tim. 5:4 8, 16); and godliness (vv. 5, 9 15). What is the definition of a widow today? Does this include single moms? Why? How do we care for women who are not married? Who is responsible for their care? 1 Timothy 5:17 6:2 17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain, and, The laborer deserves his wages. 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. 1 Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. ESV Study Bible: The ones to be rebuked in the presence of all are elders who persist in sin, or who sin in a way that betrays the trust that the church has placed in them as spiritual leaders. Such public rebuke goes beyond the discipline procedures that apply to other church members (cf. Matt. 18:15 20), and it reassures the congregation that disqualifying sin on the part of an elder will not be covered up. How do we give an elder double honor? How are we to lead our elders? Why should we be slow to give power and quick to remove someone from leadership? Do we have masters over us today? How can we make sure to give them all honor?
Another Perspective: Bible Knowledge Commentary: Paul offered instruction on how Timothy must deal with the widows in the congregation. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, widows, along with aliens and orphans, are viewed as special objects of God s mercy. As such, they are to be taken under the wing of the congregation (cf. Deut. 10:18; 14:29; 24:17 21; Acts 6:1 7; James 1:27). Timothy was instructed to give proper recognition to (lit., honor ) those who were truly widows that is, widows who were really in need. These Paul contrasted with widows who had lost their husbands but who had children or grandchildren still living. Since in God s economy the first responsibility for caring for the needy falls on the family (not the church and surely not the state), these family members should learn, first of all, to put their religion into practice by caring for their own. In so doing, these family members would repay their forebears (progonois; cf. 2 Tim. 1:3) part of the debt owed them. Such reciprocity is pleasing to God. It is welfare as God intended it. 2 Class Discussion: Have your class discuss how the family should be the primary source of support and care. Ask how your class members have cared for their relatives. Guide the conversation away from criticizing government or the poor and to modeling what true welfare should be. Holman New Testament Commentary: The Jews developed a family structure quite distinctive from some of the pagan cultures that surrounded them. From this Hebraic tradition the New Testament emerged, advancing upon the ancient understanding of family and elevating it to greater beauty and dignity. The character of God is delivered to us through the tribe, the clan, the family. He is revealed in the folkish mingling of love, nurture, discipline, and provision; the blending of sacrifice, heartache, tenderness, companionship, and inheritance. Jesus brings to completeness what had been shadowed in God s interactions with Israel. He gives to those who believe in him the fullness of family, of community. As his sons and daughters, Christians participate in the love, sacrifice, companionship, and inheritance of God. As his children, we receive his discipline, tenderness, nurture, and provision. This same relational interplay is handed on to the church as the family of God. 3 Class Discussion: Have your class discuss how, as believers, we are a family. Share how you have developed relationships with other believers to the level of a brother, father or son. Have the class members discuss how they can become more of a family and less of a Bible study in the months to come. 2 A. Duane Litfin, "1 Timothy", in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1 Ti 5:3 4 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985). 3 Knute Larson, vol. 9, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Holman New Testament Commentary, 232 33 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000).
WEEK 7 TOOK 1 Timothy 5:1 6:2 In Today s World: Now is when we have to stretch ourselves and figure out how to show honor to those in leadership. This is not something where we, in the church, easily find success. In a recent publication of the Huffington Post, our military leaders are seeking to restore honor in their ranks as well: On this institutional level, it appears that the military has a lot of work to do as an organization. Part of that work is in professional military education how officers are trained to be aware of and prevent ethical failures. Part of that work is in a more rigorous application of core values in officer development and promotion. Part of that work is in policing its own profession and not making excuses when it should offer condemnation of wrongdoing. Part of that work is also developing clearer institutional codes and restrictions on the inevitable pressures of modern society when senior officers take on social and political roles. And part of that work is to showcase the military exemplars that should serve as beacons for the personal behavior of the officer corps. 4 While we all have leaders some of whom we voted for and others for whom we did not vote we have an obligation are to show honor to all. Challenge: Have your class break into small groups and brainstorm ideas on the following questions: 1. In what ways can I honor those who are widowed? 2. How can our class adopt widows and care for her? Create a plan where, over the course of the next year, your class or families of your class adopt a person in leadership and provide honor to him or her. Share these ideas aloud with the entire class. Have someone compile these ideas and then e-mail a complete list to each member of the class. 4 Terry Newell, Restoring Honor in Military Leadership, www.huffingtonpost.com