“Honor widows who are really widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God” (1 Timothy 5:3-4).
1 Timothy 5:3-4 begins a lengthy portion of this letter that involves a subsection of the local church community: “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need” (NIV).
Unlike contemporary forms of retirement planning, government programs, pension plans, or life insurance, there were no similar means of assistance available to help the aged in the New Testament era. If an elderly widow had no family to assist her, the loss of a husband often resulted in a complete loss of income and meant that she was destined to live in poverty for the rest of her life.
In such instances, it was appropriate for the church to honor such widows and offer assistance. As one scholar explains, “The word ‘honor’ (timao) means ‘to estimate, fix the value, to honor, revere, venerate.’ It has in it the idea of properly appreciating the value of someone or something and of paying that person or thing the respect, reverence, deference, and honor due him or it by reason of its value or position.” (1)
This approach served to restore a sense of dignity for those who could no longer support themselves. It also aligned with several Old Testament passages on this subject, including one that is rather shocking in its defense of those who fell into this category…
“You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge. But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing” (Deuteronomy 24:17-18).
“Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!'” (Deuteronomy 27:19).
“You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless” (Exodus 22:22-24).
Nevertheless, this passage (and those that follow) provide us with several important qualifications that should govern this kind of assistance. We’ll begin our look at those qualifications next.
(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [1 Timothy 5:3] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.