Click here for 1 Timothy 5 audio:
Read it. Pray it. Share it. Live it.
Paul shows Timothy what “gospel-shaped” pastoral care looks like inside the family of God. Correction is sometimes necessary, but Timothy must do it with the tone of a son, not a bully—treating older men like fathers, younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, and younger women like sisters, with absolute purity (vv. 1–2). The church is not a club or a workplace; it is God’s household, and love and honor should mark how believers relate across age and gender (vv. 1–2; cf. 3:15).
Paul then applies that family ethic to widows, a group often overlooked and vulnerable. The church should “honor” (including real care and support) widows who are truly in need—especially those left alone with no family to provide (vv. 3, 5, 16). But Paul is equally clear that caring for widows begins at home: children and grandchildren should learn godliness by supporting their own family, and a believer who refuses to provide for relatives “has denied the faith” and behaves worse than many unbelievers (vv. 4, 8). The church’s help should be focused wisely, prioritizing those who are truly alone and known for godly character and a life of good works (vv. 9–10). Younger widows, however, should generally not be placed on ongoing church support, because the situation can become spiritually and socially complicated—leading to idleness, harmful talk, and vulnerability to temptation—so Paul urges them to pursue a faithful path forward (including remarriage and responsible household life) that gives the enemy no opportunity to slander the gospel (vv. 11–15). The goal is both compassion and wisdom: the church must be free to care for genuine hardship cases without neglecting family responsibility (v. 16).
Finally, Paul addresses the “honor” due to elders. Those who lead well—especially those who labor in preaching and teaching—should be treated with deep respect and supported generously, because Scripture teaches that workers should benefit from their labor (vv. 17–18; cf. Deuteronomy 25:4, Luke 10:7). At the same time, leaders must be protected from careless accusations and held accountable with sober fairness: charges require evidence, persistent sin must be rebuked publicly, and everything must be done without partiality (vv. 19–21). Timothy must also be careful in appointing leaders—not rushing the laying on of hands—because hidden sins can surface later, and faithful deeds will also eventually be revealed (vv. 22, 24–25). Even Paul’s brief personal counsel about Timothy’s health fits the larger point: integrity and wisdom, not ascetic showmanship, should guide how God’s servants live (v. 23).
🌀 Reflection:
Is there any place where you’re expecting “the church” to carry what God has first called your household to carry—especially in caring for family members who truly need help (vv. 4, 8, 16)?
💬 Mission Challenge:
Honor someone in God’s household today: encourage an older saint, care in a practical way for someone in need, or send a tangible note or other show of support to a faithful pastor/elder who labors in the Word (vv. 1–2, 3, 17).
Click here to return to the contents page for Phase 2.4 — The Savior, His Church, and the Mission.
Just Keith Harris 