As Paul the
apostle concluded his directions to Timothy concerning widows who
were in the church in Ephesus, he told him that “younger widows”
should remarry, bear children and oversee their homes rather than be
tattlers and busybodies. Some of these “younger widows”
were already involved in these idle activities and in doing so had
“turned aside after Satan”. Paul finishes his comments
about widows as he instructs Timothy to have believers take care of
their own widows rather than the church where we read:
If any man
or woman that believes have widows, let them relieve them, and let
not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows
indeed.
The
verse begins, “If any man or woman
that believes have widows, let them relieve them,”
Paul began this verse with the phrase “if
any” which means “whoever and anyone”
and wrote, “man or woman that believes”
which is the Greek phrase “pistos
ē pistos” and
means “male or female who is believing, confiding, trusting, and
can be relied upon” “have
widows” or
“who hold, possess and are connected to women who were once married
whose husbands have died” “let
them relieve them”
or “avail themselves, aid, give assistance to and relieve them”.
In other words, Paul broadened his group of people who should assist
widows to anyone who “believes”,
and these “believers” should be ready and willing to “relieve”
widows.
The verse goes on to say, “and
let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are
widows indeed.” Paul went on to add, “and
let not” or “do not allow, permit or
concede” “the church be charged”
or “burdened, weighed down with and depressed”. The Greek phrase
used is “bareō mē
ekklēsia bareō”,
and we notice the double usage of the word “bareō”
to demonstrate Paul's emphasis on the church not being weighed down
with the care of widows for whom others should be caring. Paul went
on to add the reason for the church not being “charged”,
“that it may relieve”
or “avail, be strong enough, aid, and give assistance to” “them
that are widows”
or “who hold, possess and are connected to women who were once
married whose husbands have died”
“indeed”
which means “truly, in reality, in point of fact, and as opposed to
what is pretended, fictitious, false, conjectural”. Paul knew the
resources of the church were to be reserved for the “widows”
who were truly unsupported, incapable and needful women who devoted
themselves to spiritual things concerning the Lord Jesus and His
church.
As
we think about Paul's words concerning widows and who was responsible
for their care, it is interesting to note how Paul broadened the base
of supporters of them. He wrote, “any
man or woman that believes”
which includes all believers. We as believers should be looking for
opportunities to give assistance and aid to widows who are connected
to us. The church should be responsible to support and take care of
widows who are “widows
indeed”,
and the remainder of the widows are to be cared for by their families
and other believers. Let us allow the Lord Jesus to bring this truth
not only to our minds, but also to our lives, and as He does, may He
bring us into contact with the widows for whom He desires for us to
care.
Next
time Paul moves from the topic of “widows”
to “elders”, so
read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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