The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Timothy — Section 114

serious dishonour to Christ and the gospel to neglect duties held in highest honour hy the heathen. The light of the gospel greatly aggravates the sin of such persons.-T. C. Vere. 9, 10.-Particular direction, a, to tM class of widows commendul, to tM Ohurch's sympathy and support. These persons are variously regarded by commentators as simply destitute widows, or as deaconesses, or as presbyteresses. The most simple and natural explanation is that they belonged to the first class, for the directions here given apply to what the Church is to do for such widows, not what duty is required of them In the Church administration. L 'fHE ENBOLlllENT OJ' WIDOWS IN THE ALMONER'S LIST OJ' THE CHURCH. "Let DOOP be enrolled as a widow under threescore years old." 1. TM t!fl:istena of such a list i.< implied in Acts vi. 1, where a murmuring is said to have arisen because "the widows were neglected in the daily ministration." There are also traces of such a list in the earlier Christian writers. 2. Such a claBs would be recruited from tM ordinary vicissi- t-udea of life, from the special persecutions that followed the gospel, and perhaps als,, from the separations from polygamous husbands brought about through the influence oi" Christianity. II. 'l'HE QUALIFIOATI058 OJ' WIDOWS POB A PLACE IN THE CH1IBCH's LIST. 1. As to age. "Not under threescore yea:s old." .As this age marks a relatively greater degree of senility in the East than in the West, the widows must be regarded as of the infirm class, and therefore as not in any degree able for the active duties of life. This one con- sideration inclines us to believe that they did not belong to the order of deaconesses or presbyteresscs. If widows had been enrolled at a much earlier age, they must have become a serious burden for a great length of time upon the Church's liberality. There- fore young widows were not to be enrolled at all. 2. As to her previous married life. "The wife of one man." (1) This does not mean that she should not have been twice married, because (a) the apostle counsels the younger women to marry a,,"loi.n (ver. 14), and sanctions second marriages (Rom. vii. 1); (b) because the ascetic idea of married life, which some would associate with widows holding a certain ecclesiastical rank, received no sanction from the apostle. (2) It does not mean that she should not have bad several husbands at one time, for polyandry was quite unusual. (3) It signifies that she should never have stood related but to one living husband ; not divorced from one husband and then married to another-a chaste _and faithful spouse, true to her marriage vow. 3. A.a to her reputation for good works. " Well reported of in respect to good works." There must not only be no evil spoken of her, but she must have a reputation for good works. This reputation covers live facts of goodness. (1) "If she bath brought up children." This would imply self-sacrifice, sympathy and zeal for youthful training. She would train her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, commanding them like .Abraham to keep the way of the Lord, from which they would not so easily depart in after-life. (2) "If she bath lodged strangers." She may have seen better days, and had frequent opportunities of showing hospitality to Christian travellers moving from place to place. 'l'he readiness to welcome strangers was most characteristic of the early Christians. (3) "If she bath washed the saints' feet," in token, not only of conventiono.l hospitality, but of deep humility after the highest of all examples. (4) "If she bath relieved the afflicted." Not by mere gifts, but by matronly sympathy and encouragement, implying the visitation of the distressed in their homes. (6) "If she bath diligently followed every good work." She must not have wearic,l in well-doing, but have followed that which was good with eagerness, constancy, auJ true fidelity to God and man.-T. C. Vere. 11-16.-Directiona with regard to young widows. I. THE T0UNGU WIDOW8 WERE NOT TO BE ENROLLED ON THE LIST OF TBE CHURCH'S PENSIONERS. "Younger widows decline." '!'bis did not imply that destitute widows, however young, would lie excluded from occasional help from the Church's funds, but they were not to be made a permanent cho.rge upon the resources of the Church. They were young enough tu labour for their own living, or, as the apostle advised, they might marry a second tim~ and thus obtain a provision for themselves. II. TBB BEABO!I FOB DBOLINING SUOH WIDOWS. "For when they shall WU: wanton agamat Obrist, they desire to marry." 1. Thia l,anguagti does nO, imply that they had, 13  106 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [oa. v. 1-26.