1 Timothy 5:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Apostle said: "Let them learn to honor their own family and repay their parents." He said that "she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives." He said: "If anyone does not care for his household, he is worse than an unbeliever." He said that the woman who lacks this is unworthy to hold a place among widows.

Now he says what she must have. What then? Shall we judge her by years? What merit is there in that? It did not depend on her to live sixty years.

He says that one must not judge by age alone. Even if she had passed beyond this age, but had no merits, she still should not be numbered among the widows. Why he defines the age with such exactness, he shows afterward. He bases this not only on his own reasoning, but on the condition of the widows themselves.

Since above the Apostle said that a pleasure-loving woman, and one who does not care for her own household, is unworthy to be numbered among the widows, he now teaches what she must possess. In the first place, the Apostle definitely sets her age, and afterward gives the reason for this. Yet he does not approve a sixty-year-old simply because of age, for even such a woman may prove unworthy. Then the Apostle requires of her one marriage, as a sign of her dignified honesty and love of chastity.

Moreover, choose for the office of deaconess a widow who is not less than sixty years old, who has been the wife of one husband. For if her love for her first husband was so constant that after his death she did not marry another, how much more constant and firm will she be in love for God?

Old age alone does not make a widow, but the merits of widowhood are also the rewards of old age. For she becomes more excellent who restrains the heat of youth and the burning ardor of young age, desiring neither a husband’s favor nor the fruitful delights of childbearing. With a withered body, cold old age, and mature years, she can neither burn with lust nor hope for childbearing.

“Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years old.” He did not say, “let her be,” but “let her be enrolled,” because those who are in flourishing age and have strength to work and gain sustenance ought to humble the impulses of youth by labors.

“Having been the wife of one husband.” From this it is also clear that the Apostle does not reject second marriage, but has established chaste life in marriage. For, having given above the law concerning second marriage, he did not forbid those who entered it to use bodily services, since he clearly commands all to do good.

“Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years old.”

The reason why he defines the age of widows exactly is indicated later. Yet he does not determine the worthiness of widows by age alone, but also requires works from her. Age alone, without works, is insufficient.

“Having been the wife of one husband.”

He applies to widows, as also to deaconesses, the rule of one marriage established for deacons.

The age of a widow capable of stillness is fixed at sixty years. Spiritually, this signifies the middle measure of progress depicted in the Gospel by the numbers thirty, sixty, and one hundred. In this middle measure are those who, though still soulish, have received the power of prayer for victory during battles. The mystery of the cross has been opened to them. During sorrows inflicted from without, they feel the action of grace in their souls, which serves as both light and consolation for the heart.

"Let a widow be enrolled who is not less than sixty years old." From widows in general the Apostle passes to widows who served at the Church, or deaconesses, upon whom was laid the duty of caring for the poor and the sick.

The very title of widows was honorary, and was often given even to persons who had never been married. Thus holy Ignatius the God-bearer greets virgins who are called widows.

That the Apostle means precisely such deaconesses here is clear from the appointed time of selection, at sixty years.

Which widows are to be chosen for Church service and for full maintenance by the Church?

"Let a widow be enrolled," that is, she must be chosen. Καταλεγέσϑω means let her be entered into the catalogue of widows, or "let her be placed in the widows' order, εἰς τὸ χηρικόν" (Oecumenius). She must be not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one husband, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has received strangers, and so forth (1 Tim 5:9-10).

It is evident that here is meant the choice or enrollment of widows not merely for aid from the Church. For the Church did not deprive, and could not deprive, of its mercies those widows who had not reached sixty years, yet were fully worthy of them by good conduct and bitter family circumstances.

The Apostle first defines by age, sixty years, election into the number of true widows cared for by the Church, that is, deaconesses. Then he points to their having had one husband, comparing them in this respect with deacons and presbyters.

He acknowledges family and public merits. Especially noteworthy among them is the washing of the feet of the saints, that is, Christian travelers, with special reference to heralds of the faith and the holy Apostles.

"One must not judge widows by age alone," says Chrysostom. "If she had passed beyond this age, but had no merits, she still should not be numbered among the widows."

"Let her be enrolled," καταλεγεσθω, means let her be entered in the catalogue of widows, or "let her be placed in the widows' order, εις το χηρικον" (Oecumenius).

"It is right that one be entered in the Church memorials who has shown herself worthy of this by her former life. Worthily is she received into the bosom of the Church, into its care, who formerly devoted her labors to it" (Ambrosiaster).

"Not less than sixty years old." "When indicating what a widow worthy of the widows' catalogue must have, the Apostle first sets down her age definitely, namely sixty. Yet, as is clear from the following words, he does not approve a woman of sixty simply because of her age. For even such a woman may prove unworthy" (blessed Theophylact).

Oh, how we must love continence! Let us use the occasion set before us to preserve it, and let us seek in widowhood that purity which we could not attain during marriage. Let us hasten to use for good the fortunate event that frees us from the sorrowful obligations that necessity imposed upon us.

One may judge what harm second marriage brings to holiness when we turn our attention to the rule of the Church and to the decrees of the Apostles. They chose as bishops only a man of one wife (1 Tim 3:2), and admitted into the number of ministers only a widow who had been the wife of one husband.