‘His (Jove’s) blind nevew Cupido.”’ House of Fame, 67.
Jeremy Taylor: “Nephews are very often liker to their grandfathers than to their fathers.”
Let them learn. The subject is the children and grand- children. Holtzmann thinks the subject is any widow, used collectively. But the writer is treating of what should be done to the widow, not of what she isto do. The admoni- tion is connected with widows indeed. They, as being utterly bereft, and without natural supporters, are to be cared for by the church ; but if they have children or grandchildren, these should assume their maintenance.
First (7p@rov). In the first place: as their first and nat- ural obligation.
Cu. V.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 259
To show piety at home (roy idiov olxov edoeBeiv). More correctly, to show piety toward their own family. Piety in the sense of filial respect, though not to the exclusion of the religious sense. The Lat. pietas includes alike love and duty to the gods and to parents. Thus Virgil’s familiar designa- tion of Aeneas, “ piws Aeneas,” as describing at once his rev- erence for the gods and his filial devotion. The verb etceBeiv (only here and Acts xvii. 23) represents filial respect as an element of godliness (evcdBea). For rov idvov their own, see on Actsi. 7. It emphasises their private, personal belonging, and contrasts the assistance given by them with that furn- ished by the church. It has been suggested that ofcov house- hold or family may mark the duty as an act of family feeling and honour.
To requite (auoBas amodiddvar). An entirely unique expression. “Apov87 requital, recompense is a familiar classical word, used with d:ddvaz to give, arrotiWévar to lay down, tive to pay, troteicBat to make. N.T.°. Paul uses instead davr- puc8ia (Rom. i. 27; 2 Cor. vi. 13), or avramddoua (Rom. xi. 9), or avtamddoots (Col. iii. 24). The last two are LXX words.
Their parents (rois wpoydvors). N. T.°. Parents is too limited. The word comprehends mothers and grandmothers and living ancestors generally. The word for parents is yoveis, see 2 Tim. iii. 2; Rom. i. 80; 2 Cor. xii. 14; Eph. vi. 1; Col. iii. 20. Tpoyovor for living ancestors is contrary to usage. One instance is cited from Plato, Laws, xi. 982. The word is probably selected to correspond in form with éxyova children.
Good and acceptable (xandov kal arodextov). Omit karov kat good and. ’Arddexros acceptable only here and 1 Tim. ii. 3. See note.
Before (évémiov). Frequent in N. T., especially Luke and Apocalypse. It occurs 31 times in the phrases évwzvov tot
260 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. ([Cu.V.
bcod in the sight of God, and évemtov xupiov in the sight of the Lord. °LXX. Comp. éumpocbev rod Geod before God, Acts x. 4; 1Th.i. 8; ii. 19; iii. 9,18. Not in Pastorals, and by Paul only 1 Th. The difference is trifling. Comp. 1 J. ii. 19 and 22.
5. And desolate (xal pepovopdvn). N.T.°. From pdvos alone. Explanatory of a widow indeed. One entirely bereaved.
Trusteth in God (aAmxev él rov Oedv). Strictly, hath directed her hope at God. Rev. hath her hope set on God implies él with the dative, as 1 J. iii. 3.
6. Liveth in pleasure (ovatad@oa). Only here and Jas. v.5. See note. Twice in LXX, Sir. xxi.15; Ezek. xvi. 49.
Is dead while she liveth (f@ca ré0vnxev). Comp. Apoc. ili. 1; Eph. iv. 18. “Life in worldly pleasure is only life in appearance” (Holtzmann).
8. Provide (srpovoe). See on Rom. xii. 17.
His own— those of his own house (rap idiov — olxeiwv). His own relations, see on J. i. 11. Those who form part of his family, see on Gal. vi. 10.
He hath denied the faith (rv wiotw jpyntac). The verb not in Paul, but quite often in Pastorals. The phrase only here and Apoc. ii. 13. Faith demands works and fruits. By refusing the natural duties which Christian faith implies, one practically denies his possession of faith. ‘ Faith does not abolish natural duties, but perfects and strengthens them” (Bengel). Comp. Jas. ii. 14-17.