1 Timothy 5:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see how again he calls true widows those who are completely alone and have no consolation from anywhere? This was indeed better.

From this arose two very great goods. Some found an occasion to do good, others were well nourished, and the Church was not burdened.

He fittingly added, "if any believer," because believers were not to receive sustenance from unbelievers, lest they seem to have need of them.

And see how consoling his speech is. He did not say that luxurious support should be supplied to them, but that they "should relieve them." The Church is to be relieved, "that it may relieve the true widows."

If a believing man or woman has widows, they must provide for them. For the widows of believers were not to receive sustenance from unbelievers, lest it seem that they had need of them. By the expression “let them provide for them,” the Apostle indicated sufficient satisfaction of need, not luxury.

“And let the Church not be burdened, that it may provide for true widows.” Thus believers who feed their own widows also help the Church’s widows. They do this precisely because the Church is not burdened, and therefore can better provide for those whom it feeds, namely true widows who are completely defenseless and alone.

But perhaps one of you will say that widowhood is indeed easy for a woman who is in favorable circumstances, while under adverse circumstances widows quickly become corrupt and easily perish. Indeed, this is so. Experience of life teaches us that the joys of life are more dangerous for widows than the sorrows of life.

Yet Scripture, through a whole series of examples (1 Tim 5:16), teaches us that help is usually not lacking for weak widows. It is given to them sooner than to others, both human and heavenly, if they raise their sons well and give instruction to their sons-in-law.

“If any believing man or woman has widows, let them provide for them, and let the Church not be burdened, that it may provide for those who are truly widows.” That is, widows who have no help from anywhere. The Apostle commands believers to do this. As for widows who live among unbelievers but are adorned with faith, the Apostle wishes them to enjoy the care of the Church.

“If any believing man or woman has widows, let them provide for them.”

If any of the faithful has widows among his neighbors or relatives who are not yet enrolled in the ecclesiastical order, let him support them, if he can.

“And let the Church not be burdened.”

So that the Church may not be constrained in its means by supporting these widows.

“That it may provide for those who are truly widows.”

That is, widows who are alone and deprived of consolation from anywhere.

“If any believing man or woman has widows, let them provide for them.” The Apostle obliges Christians themselves to care for widowed relatives, so as to remove this care from the Church.

"For when they grow wanton against Christ," that is, "when they fall into luxury in opposition to Christ," "they desire to marry, having condemnation, because they have rejected the first faith" (1 Tim 5:11-12).

Is it a sin for widows to marry? By no means. The Apostle himself says below, in verse 14: "I desire that younger widows marry and bear children."

The Apostle calls sin the widows' betrayal of their vow, the vow of unmarried widowhood. By faith he means this very vow of celibacy.

Concerning the support of good young widows, the Apostle commands that it should be domestic, not ecclesial. Thus the Church's scant sacred offerings will not be taken away from helpless widows honored by age and merit.

At the same time, young widows are assigned the labor necessary for their sustenance and for passing their time in honorable household occupations.

According to the explanation of John Chrysostom, "the Apostle fittingly added, 'if any believer.' For believers were not to receive sustenance from unbelievers, lest they seem to have need of them.

Then Timothy must use caution in choosing deaconesses. They had to assist presbyters at the baptism of women and perform various works of Christian love for women and children. This was not entirely suitable for deacons.

The widow chosen for this difficult office must be at least sixty years old. Only of such a woman can one be assured that she will not marry again, but will devote herself to her work with all her heart.

The reason why the Apostle requires that a deaconess be a woman married only once was certainly the same as the reason priests and deacons must be husbands of one wife.

Young widows seeking the office of deaconess should be refused. Under the influence of passions awakened again, they forget their promise to remain unmarried and to serve Christ.

In conclusion, the Apostle again returns to what he set down at the beginning of the discourse on widows. They should be supported by the family to which they belong. Only helpless widows should remain in the Church's care.

The difference, perhaps, is only this. There he has in view an older widow, and her supporters are younger, namely children and grandchildren. Here, by contrast, the supporters are older: father, mother, uncle, aunt, or someone else.

The widows are younger: widowed daughters, nieces, or others belonging to the kinship, whatever the degree may be.

"If any believing man or believing woman." "He addresses the law to the faithful, who, because they believe, are ready to obey the apostolic word" (Oecumenius).