Elder and Younger Women 1Timothy 5:2

As Paul the apostle continued to be more specific about whom Timothy should relate, he mentioned “elder and younger men”. Timothy was to “intreat” the “elder men as fathers” and associate with “younger men” as “brethren” or “brothers”. In chapter five and verse two of his letter to Timothy, Paul gives Timothy direction toward “elder” and “younger” women where we read:

The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

The verse begins, “The elder women as mothers;” Paul began with, “The elder women” which means the “advanced in age, senior or older women” “as mothers” or “even as his birth mother or mom”. When Timothy encountered women who were older than he in the church, he was to “address, admonish, exhort, encourage and strengthen” them as though they were his own mother.

The verse continues, “the younger as sisters, with all purity.” Paul went on to write, “the younger” which means “youthful and more recently born” “as sisters” or “as his own sister and female born to his mother”. Paul directed Timothy to relate to the women who were younger than he as though they were his sisters, and Paul added an extra qualifier to this relationship, “with all purity” which means “in and by, each, every, any, the whole and everyone with cleanness, sinlessness of life and chastity”. Timothy was to be certain that he was pure in heart, thought and will with the “younger” women in the church.

While we allow ourselves to think about these instructions from Paul, we can easily find the value in keeping all of these relationships in proper order. Should Timothy violate any of them or conduct himself inappropriately, not only would he bring reproach upon himself, but also upon the church. Paul's desire for Timothy was that he be an example for the believers, and if Timothy would be careful to relate to “elder women” as his mother and “younger” women as his sisters, the probability of disgracing either would be nil. Perhaps we should examine our relationships with others in the church and be certain our position with them is in accordance with Paul's directives. If they are, let us give God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ the glory, and should we have need of improvement in any of these relationships, let us call upon the Holy Spirit to help us relate to others in the manner He desires for our lives.

Next time Paul tells Timothy to “honor widows”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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