Rules to be observed in reproving. Of widows. Of elders. A precept for Timothy's health. Some men's sins go before unto judgment; and some men's follow after.
Anno Domini 58.
BECAUSE it is the duty of ministers to reprove such of their people as err, and because the success of reproof, in a great measure, depends on the manner in which it is given, the apostle, in this chapter, directed Timothy how to admonish the old and the young of both sexes, 1 Timothy 5:1-2.—Next, he ordered him to appoint a proper maintenance for those widows, who being poor, and having no relations able to maintain them, were employed by the church in the honourable office of teaching the younger women the holy principles of religion, and in forming their manners, 1 Timothy 5:3.—And to prevent the church from being burdened with too great a number of poor widows, the apostle ordered all to maintain their own poor relations who were able to do it; because so God hath commanded, 1 Timothy 5:4.—And, that Timothy might have a clear rule to walk by in this business, the apostle described the circumstances, character, age, qualifications, experience and virtues of those widows, who might fitly be maintained by the church, and employed in teaching the younger women, 1 Timothy 5:5-10.—as also the character and age of those who were to be rejected, if they offered themselves to be employed and maintained in that manner, 1 Timothy 5:11-15.—And that the church might be under no necessity of employing any widows as teachers, but such as were really desolate, the apostle, a second time, ordered the rich to take care of their own aged female relations who were poor, 1 Timothy 5:16.
With respect to those elders, who were employed as presidents in the church, and indeterminingcontroversiesaboutworldlymattersbetweenmanandman, the apostle ordered Timothy to allot to them a liberal maintenance out of the church's funds; especially if they were diligent and laborious in preaching and teaching, 1 Timothy 5:17-18.—And for guarding the character of those who bare sacred offices, against malicious attacks, he forbade Timothy to receive any accusation against an elder, unless it was of such a nature, that it could be proved, and was actually offered to be proved, by two or three credible witnesses, 1 Timothy 5:19.—But being so proved, he required him to rebuke the guilty person publicly, that others might fear, 1 Timothy 5:20.—without shewing in the affair, either prejudice against, or partiality for any person, 1 Timothy 5:21.—On the other hand, that those who held sacred offices might give as little occasion as possible for accusations, the apostle ordered Timothy to ordain no person a bishop or a deacon rashly: but previous to that step, to inquire into the character, experience, conduct, and zeal of the candidate, with the greatest strictness. And to excite him to the more care in this important part of his duty, he told him, that by ordaining unfit persons to sacred functions, he would make himself a partaker of all the sins which they might commit in executing such holyoffices, inconsiderately bestowed upon them, 1 Timothy 5:22.—Next, he directed him to take care of his health, which, considering the office he was appointed to, was of great consequence to the church, 1 Timothy 5:23.—then gave him a rule, by which he was to guide himself, in judging of the characters and qualifications of the persons whom he proposed to ordain as bishops and deacons, 1 Timothy 5:24-25.