“Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work” (1 Timothy 5:9-10).
Many churches maintain benevolence funds to assist those who may be in need. Such funds exist to help those who are not in a position to provide for themselves. Judging from the passage quoted above, it seems that the first century church also maintained a similar type of benevolence fund. That fund seems to have incorporated a roster of widows who were eligible for support and is variously identified as “the roll” (AMPC), “the number” (KJV), or “the official support list” (HCSB) depending on the Biblical translation of this passage.
What follows here in 1 Timothy 5:9-10 is a list of distinguishing characteristics and qualifications for use in identifying those who were eligible for support. One source explains why such qualifications were necessary…
“A widow who was ‘taken into the number’ incurred certain responsibilities in order to maintain her eligibility for the church’s charity. For example, she needed to be frugal lest someone reproach her for living an extravagant lifestyle and the fellowship for supporting it (5:6–7). Likewise, she needed to meet certain criteria related to her earlier life and character (5:9–10). The point was not to keep a widow out of the program, but to ensure that she served her fellow believers in every way she could if she was going to receive support.” (1)
While we may be far removed from the cultural and economic conditions that framed these first-century eligibility requirements, one Pastoral commentator illustrates the timeless quality of God’s Word by explaining how these general principals might be implemented today…
“…several years ago I called a widow in my church and asked her to visit a lady whose husband’s funeral service I had just conducted. The death had left the lady without family or friends, and I asked the widow to visit her because she would understand the woman’s need—she had been through it herself. They became warm friends and grew in their relationship to God because of it. A widow can and should serve in some way in the church.” (2)
We’ll take a closer look at these qualifications and also consider some disqualifying factors beginning next.
(1) Word in life study Bible. (1996). (electronic ed., 1 Ti 5:3). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
(2) J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee, 1 Timothy 5:1-25 Relationship Of Ministers To Different Groups In The Local Church, Copyright 1981 by J. Vernon McGee