1 TIMOTHY LESSON 6


     We will begin this lesson in I Timothy 5:1 "Rebuke not an elder,
but intreat [him] as a father; [and] the younger men as brethren;"

     Paul spoke of Timothy's youth in the last chapter. This is saying
since Timothy is young, he must have respect for those older than
himself. It is saying, also, not to come against this older person in
a sharp manner. We are taught throughout the Bible, to honor our
father and mother. In saying to treat him like a father, he is saying,
honor his old age. Timothy is to look on others as his equal and not
look down on them. All believers are brothers in Christ.

     I Timothy 5:2 "The elder women as mothers; the younger as
sisters, with all purity."

     This is just explaining the role Timothy is to take with all of
the congregation. He should not be looking on the young women to lust
after them, but should think of them as his sisters. The older women
are to be held in respect, as if they were his mother.

     I Timothy 5:3 "Honour widows that are widows indeed."

     God has always provided for the widows and orphans. If we are to
be like Christ, then we must help them, too. Paul is saying, not all
women who have lost their husbands are truly widows. Honor those who
are really widows.

     I Timothy 5:4 "But if any widow have children or nephews, let
them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents:
for that is good and acceptable before God."

     This is far from what is going on in our society today. Children
are neglecting their parents. We see so many young people who do not
want the bother, or the expense, of caring for their elderly parents.
Children should honor their parents and show love and charity toward
them. Parents should not be the responsibility of the outside world or
the church, to care for. This should be thought of as an honor to do
for your parent. The church should help, when they are without
children to help.

     I Timothy 5:5 "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate,
trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and
day."

     This is speaking of a widow, such as Anna, who was in the temple
in Jerusalem when Jesus was carried there for dedication.  True widows
are not interested in dating or getting married again. They will
probably remain single. In this case they are a great help to the
church, because they pray for the church. I have said before, the
church is just as strong as the prayers that go up for it. These
widows are ministers in the church and the church should support them.

     I Timothy 5:6 "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she
liveth."

     This is speaking of a widow who is a widow in name only. She
would be sleeping with some man who is not her husband.

     I Timothy 5:7 "And these things give in charge, that they may be
blameless."

     As we have said so many times before, this was the beginning of
the church, and they had to deal with each problem that arose without
too much guideline. This is something Paul wants Timothy to teach in
the church as a doctrine.

     I Timothy 5:8 "But if any provide not for his own, and specially
for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse
than an infidel."

     By not caring for your mother or father who was elderly and could
not help himself, you would actually be going against the teachings of
the Bible. This is a strong statement about denying the faith, but we
can not take part of God's teachings and leave the others behind.
God teaches to honor our parents. This would include caring for their
needs that they could not provide for themselves. An infidel is
someone who does not believe. If we do not heed God's Word, we really
do not believe.

     I Timothy 5:9 "Let not a widow be taken into the number under
threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,"

     It appears that Paul is saying, the widow must be 60 years old,
before she would classify as a widow. I believe he is saying, they
would probably still be interested in marrying again before that age.
It does not mean that a woman has to be over 60 years old before she
can join the church. It means for the church to take over her support
as a widow, she must be over 60. The wife of one man, means that she
has not been jumping from one marriage to the other. She has been a
faithful wife.

     I Timothy 5:10 "Well reported of for good works; if she have
brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed
the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have
diligently followed every good work."

     Let your light so shine before men that they can see your good
works and glorify the Father. We see in all of Paul's teachings, and
in fact, throughout the Bible, that if a person is a Christian, it
will be obvious to the world by the good works they do. All of these
restrictions, again, are for being taken care of as a widow by the
church. All of the things mentioned above make up the personality of
an humble servant of God. You may tell me that you are a Christian,
but if I do not see some of these things in your life, I would doubt
that you are truly a Christian.

     I Timothy 5:11 "But the younger widows refuse: for when they have
begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;"

     This is speaking of the younger woman desiring to be married
again. There is nothing wrong in wanting to be married again. There is
something wrong with putting your hand to the plough and turning back.
This is speaking of someone, who in their grief, had dedicated
themselves to the work of God in the church. When their grief for
their loved one is over, they start yearning to be married again. It
is not wrong to want to be married. It is wrong to proclaim yourself
as a widow who will never marry, and then want to turn back into a
worldly life.

     I Timothy 5:12 "Having damnation, because they have cast off
their first faith."

     This is speaking of someone who has vowed to live single and work
for God, and have gone back on that promise. They have turned away
from their faith in God to go back into a world of sin and lust.

     I Timothy 5:13 "And withal they learn [to be] idle, wandering
about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and
busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."

     Anyone who does not stay busy doing constructive things has too
much time to get into trouble. Those who gossip, whether married or
unmarried, need to get busy doing something constructive, and they
will not have time to gossip. If you are idle, you are wasting your
time. You can never get those moments back. Be sure to use every
moment of your time constructively. Tattlers and busybodies are not
busy at doing anything, but wagging their tongue.

     I Timothy 5:14 "I will therefore that the younger women marry,
bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to
speak reproachfully."

     This is speaking of young widows, not women in general. These
young women have experienced family life, and will probably not be
happy single. The devil is the adversary spoken of here. He goes about
seeking every Christian he can to accuse of anything. He accuses us
before the Father, but we have a High Priest {Jesus Christ} who
represents us before the Father. It is best to stay as far away from
sin as possible. Paul says then, it would be better to marry again
than to burn with desire for a man.

     I Timothy 5:15 "For some are already turned aside after Satan."

     The battle has always been between the desires of the flesh, and
the spirit. Those who do not get their flesh under obedience to the
spirit, will finally listen to the flesh and sin. When you obey the
flesh and not the spirit, you have turned aside after Satan. The very
best thing to do is to make Jesus not only your Saviour, but your
Lord.  Then the spirit will rule over the flesh. Let Christ live in
you.
     I Timothy 5:16 "If any man or woman that believeth have widows,
let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may
relieve them that are widows indeed."

     This is just saying, if you can help your relative who is a
widow, do not put this burden off on the church. There will be enough
widows who have no one to help them for the church to take care of.

     I Timothy 5:17 "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy
of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and
doctrine."

     This is speaking of the respect that should be shown to those who
have spent their time serving others in the church. It seems Paul is
saying, that teachers of the Word of God and the doctrine of the
church should be held in very high esteem. We have mentioned before
the self sacrifice that is necessary to do these things. That should
not go unnoticed by the members. Elders in a church watch over the
spiritual health of the church. They must be very familiar with the
Word of God to do this.

     I Timothy 5:18 "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle
the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of
his reward."

     Those that serve of the temple should of the temple receive their
living. This past statement was true in the Old Testament. It should
be the rule for the church, as well. A minister of the Word of God
needs to spend his time in prayer and study of the Word of God. He
would have to take time away from the things of God to make a living
if he did not live of the church. The minister, laboring for the
church should be paid by the church. It is not a sin to take a salary
from the church. It would be a sin to take an extravagant amount that
the church could not afford. We should be good stewards of God's
money. Pay your preacher well, but not so much as to cause him or her
to sin.

     I Timothy 5:19 "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but
before two or three witnesses."

     First of all, an elder is someone who is very familiar with the
Word of God and would know the consequences of sin. It would be highly
unlikely this person would be involved in sin. Secondly, someone might
have a personality conflict with someone and use accusations against
that person to get back at them. Thirdly, what someone sees or thinks
he sees or hears, may not be what it appears. This, then, is saying,
to be sure of the error, before you accept the accusation. Two or
three different people are more apt to be accurate in their
accusations.

     I Timothy 5:20 "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also
may fear."

     Public reprimand would be the thing to do, because it would keep
someone else from doing the same thing. It is worse for an officer of
the church to be caught up in sin. The elders should know better. One
important reason for the public rebuke is that others would not think
the elder was getting away with the sin. It would show that they are
subject to God, as well as the member of the church. To be chosen out
for special greatness brings great obligation with it.

     I Timothy 5:21 "I charge [thee] before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without
preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality."

     Just because someone is a good friend, or because they are in
high position in the church, does not excuse sin. The punishment must
be totally impartial for it to be just. We must remember the fact that
Timothy is very young. He would probably hesitate to reprove someone
who was his elder in the service of the church. Paul makes it very
clear that this can not be the reason for not reproving them. Paul
mentions God, The Lord Jesus, and the elect angels to show the
seriousness of not letting someone off because of position of
importance. They must be judged fairly, but justly.

     I Timothy 5:22 "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker
of other men's sins: keep thyself pure."

     "Laying on of hands" has to do with the baptism of the Holy
Spirit, and the ordaining of someone to an office in the church. Quick
decisions are sometimes repented in leisure. You must know a person
for a good while, before you can understand what type of a person they
really are. Sometimes a person's true character takes a little time to
surface. Another way to look at this would be, if this person were
giving Timothy trouble over the reprimand and wanted to fight. Paul
could be saying, Timothy, don't let your temper get out of control and
hit someone, you would be guilty of sin along with them in that case.
Perhaps, his advice is for Timothy to stay above sin of this nature.
Timothy would, also, have to try to stay neutral so he could give an
unbiased judgement.

     I Timothy 5:23 "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for
thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities."

     This is like many of the things Paul said in his writings. This
drinking of wine was not for all ministers of the Word of God to do,
but was for Timothy. Timothy was to stay away from the foul water that
was in the area. Bad water brings stomach problems. Paul is advising
Timothy not to drink the water to keep from getting the virus. In an
area where the water was good, this would certainly not be good
advice. It appears that Timothy had been sick quite a bit. This stops
all this present day talk of those who are right with God never being
sick. The sickness was not because of sin Timothy had committed, but
because the water was bad. Notice, also, the word "little".

     I Timothy 5:24 "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before
to judgment; and some [men] they follow after."

     We see that some people who sin do a pretty good job of covering
up their sin for awhile. Their sin will be found out, but it may be
found out long after the sin was committed. On the other hand, some
sins are obvious to everyone even as they are being committed. It is
best not to make quick judgements. Wait until all the facts are in,
then judge. All sins will be revealed when we stand before the Lord in
judgement.

     I Timothy 5:25 "Likewise also the good works [of some] are
manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid."

     This is just saying that some deeds are obviously good as they
are being done, and they are no secret. Other good deeds may never be
recognized until we stand before the Lord Jesus and hear Him say, well
done, thy good and faithful servant. This type of good deeds, are
laying up treasures in heaven where they will be waiting for us.






































                        1 Timothy 6 Questions


1.  Rebuke not an _______, but entreat him as a _________.
2.  What was he honoring when he honored him as a father?
3.  The elder women as __________.
4.  Why did he use the term "widows indeed"?
5.  Who should take care of the elderly?
6.  Why do people today not care for their parents generally?
7.  Those who are widows indeed, trusts in ____.
8.  Who was a widow like the one in verse 5?
9.  The church is as strong as what?
10. What kind of woman is verse 6 describing?
11. Why was Paul sending all of these details of controlling a church
    to Timothy?
12. Those who will not provide for their own, are worse than an
    ______.
13. How old must a widow be for the church to take over her support?
14. Describe the character of the woman that the church would provide
    for?
15. Why did they not take in younger women who had lost their
    husbands?
16. What do the idle do in verse 13?
17. Paul suggested that the younger women _________.
18. Who is the adversary spoken of in verse 14?
19. Who accuses us before the Father?
20. Who is our High Priest?
21. What has the battle been between?
22. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of ________ honor.
23. Who were those who were especially mentioned in verse 17?
24. Thou shalt not ________ the ox that treadeth out the corn.
25. Where should the minister earn his living?
26. How many witnesses must you have against an elder?
27. What should be done to elders who sin?
28. Why should it be public?
29. Do nothing by _______________.
30. Why is partiality wrong?
31. What two things could "lay hands suddenly on no man" mean?
32. What did Paul tell Timothy to do for his infirmities?
33. Is this Scripture instruction for all ministers?
34. Why did Paul tell Timothy to do this?
35. Quote 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 24.