John Calvin Commentary 1 Timothy 5

Do not harshly rebuke an elder. He now recommends to Timothy gentleness and moderation in correcting faults. Correction is a medicine, which has always some bitterness, and consequently is disagreeable. Besides, Timothy being a young man, his severity would have been less tolerable if it had not been somewhat moderated.

But exhort him as a father. The Apostle enjoins him to reprove elder persons as parents; and he even employs the milder term, exhort. It is impossible not to be moved with reverence when we place before our eyes our father or our mother. Consequently, instead of harsher vehemence, we are immediately influenced by modesty. Yet it should be observed that he does not wish old men to be spared or indulged in such a way that they sin with impunity and without correction; he only wishes that some respect should be paid to their age, so that they may more patiently bear to be admonished.

The younger as brethren. Even towards younger persons he wishes moderation to be used, though not in an equal degree; for the vinegar must always be mingled with oil, but with this difference: reverence should always be shown to older persons, and equals should be treated with brotherly gentleness. Hence, pastors are taught that they must not only take into account their office but must also see particularly what is due to the age of individuals; for the same things are not applicable to all. Let it therefore be remembered that if dramatic performers attend to decorum on the stage, it ought not to be neglected by pastors, who occupy so lofty a station.

The younger as sisters, with all chastity. The phrase, "with all chastity," relates to younger women, for at that age they ought always to dread every kind of suspicion. Yet Paul does not forbid Timothy to have any criminal or immodest conduct towards young women (for there was no need of such a prohibition), but only enjoins him to beware of giving wicked men any grounds for mockery. For this purpose, he demands a chaste gravity, which shall shine throughout all their interactions and conversation, so that he may more freely converse with young persons without any unfavorable reports.

Honor widows that are really widows. By the word honor he does not mean any expression of respect, but that special care of them which bishops took in the ancient Church; for widows were taken under the protection of the Church, so that they might be supported out of the common funds.

The meaning of this mode of expression is as if he had said, “For selecting widows that are to be taken under your care and that of the deacons, you ought to consider who they are that are really widows. We will explain their condition more fully later.”

But we must consider here the reason why Paul admits only those who are absolutely widows and, at the same time, widows without children; for, in that condition, they dedicated themselves to the Church, so that they might withdraw from all the private concerns of a family and might lay aside every hindrance.

Therefore, Paul justly forbids receiving mothers of families, who are already bound by a charge of a different kind. When he calls them really widows, he alludes to the Greek word χήρα, which is derived ἀπὸ τοῦ χηροῦσθαι, from a verb which signifies being “deprived” or “destitute.”

If any widow: There are various ways of explaining this passage. The ambiguity arises because the latter clause may refer either to widows or to their children. Nor does the plural form of the verb (let them learn), while Paul spoke of a widow in the singular, conflict with this, for a change of number is very common in general discourse—that is, when the writer speaks of a whole class and not of an individual.

Those who think that it relates to widows hold the opinion that the meaning is, “let them learn, by the pious governance of their family, to repay to their successors the education that they received from their ancestors.” This is the explanation given by Chrysostom and some others. However, others think it is more natural to interpret it as relating to children and grandchildren.

Accordingly, in their opinion, the Apostle teaches that the mother or grandmother is the person towards whom they should exercise their piety. For nothing is more natural than (ἀντιπελαργία) the return of filial for parental affection, and it is very unreasonable that this should be excluded from the Church. Before the Church is burdened with them, let them do their duty.

Thus far, I have related the opinions of others. But I wish my readers to consider if it would not agree better with the context in this manner: “Let them learn to conduct themselves in a godly manner at home.”

It is as if he had said that it would be valuable as preparatory instruction for them to train themselves in the worship of God by performing godly duties at home towards their relatives. For nature commands us to love our parents next to God, and this secondary piety leads to the highest piety.

And as Paul saw that the very rights of nature were violated under the pretense of religion, he commanded, in order to correct this fault, that widows should be trained by domestic apprenticeship to the worship of God.

Regarding the phrase To shew piety towards their own house: almost all commentators take the verb εὐσεβεῖν in an active sense because it is followed by an accusative. However, that is not a conclusive argument, for it is common for Greek authors to have a preposition understood.

This interpretation agrees well with the context: that by cultivating human piety, they should train themselves in the worship of God, so that a foolish and silly devotion does not divest them of human feelings. Again, let widows learn to repay what they owe to their ancestors by educating their own offspring.

For this is good and acceptable before God. Not to show gratitude to our ancestors is universally acknowledged to be monstrous, for that is a lesson taught to us by natural reason.

And not only is this conviction natural to all—that affection towards parents is the second degree of piety—but the very storks teach us gratitude by their example; and this is the etymology of the word ἀντιπελαργία.

But Paul, not satisfied with this, declares that God has sanctioned it, as if he had said, “There is no reason for anyone to think that it has its origin in human opinion, but God has so ordained.”

She who is really a widow. He expresses his meaning more clearly than before, for he shows that they are really widows who are solitary and have no children. He says that such persons hope in God. Not that this is done by all, or by them alone; for we may see many widows who are childless and have no relatives whatever, who nevertheless are haughty and insolent, and altogether ungodly both in heart and in life.

On the other hand, then, are those who have many children and who are not prevented from having their hope placed in God, such as Job, Jacob, and David. But for this, (πολυτεκνία) a multitude of children would be a curse, whereas Scripture always reckons it among the remarkable blessings of God.

But Paul says here that widows hope in God, in the same manner as he elsewhere writes that the unmarried study only to please God because their affections are not divided like those of married persons (1 Corinthians 7:32).

The meaning, therefore, is that they have nothing to disturb their thoughts from looking to God alone, because they find nothing in the world on which they can rely. By this argument he commends them; for when human aid and every refuge fails them, it is the duty of the Church to extend her hand to render assistance. Thus, the condition of the widow who is childless and desolate implores the aid of the pastor.

Continues in prayers. This is the second ground of commendation: that they continually devote themselves to prayer. Hence it follows that they ought to be relieved and supported at the expense of the Church.

At the same time, by these two marks, he distinguishes between the worthy and the unworthy. For these words have the same meaning as if he instructed that only those should be received who look for no aid from men but rely on God alone and, laying aside other cares and employments, are earnestly devoted to prayer; he implies that others are ill-qualified and of no advantage to the Church.

Again, this constancy in prayer demands freedom from other cares, for those who are occupied with the government of a family have less freedom and leisure. We are all, indeed, commanded to pray continually, but it ought to be considered what is demanded by every person’s condition when, in order to pray, retirement and exemption from all other cares are demanded.

What Paul praises in widows, Luke (Luke 2:36) asserts regarding Anna, the daughter of Phanuel; but the same thing would not apply to all, on account of the diversity in their manner of life. There will be foolish women — apes, and not imitators, of Anna — who will run from altar to altar and will do nothing but sigh and mutter until noon. On this pretext, they will rid themselves of all domestic affairs; and, having returned home, if they do not find everything arranged to their wish, they will disturb the whole family by outrageous cries and will sometimes proceed to blows. Let us therefore remember that there are good reasons why it is the peculiar privilege of those who are widows and childless to have leisure for praying by night and by day, because they are free from lawful hindrances, which would not permit those who govern a family to do the same.

And yet this passage lends no support to monks or nuns who sell their mutterings or their loud noises for the sake of leading an easy and idle life. Such were anciently the Euchites or Psallians; for monks and Popish priests differ in no respect, except that the former, by continually praying, thought that none but themselves were pious and holy, while the latter, with inferior industry, imagined that they sanctify both themselves and others. Paul had no thought of anything of this sort but only intended to show how much more freely those who have nothing else to disturb them may have leisure for prayer.