Providing for Family Members
May 23rd, 2009Today’s lesson scripture is from 1st Timothy, Chapter 5. After a brief admonishment about how we are to speak to one another, the chapter focuses on widows:
1 Do not speak harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers,
2 to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.
3 Honor widows who are really widows.
4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents; for this is pleasing in God’s sight.
5 The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;
6 but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
7 Give these commands as well, so that they may be above reproach.
8 And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Tim 5:1-8 (NRSV)
By “real” widow, the writer means someone without children or grand-children or other family members upon whom she could rely. Concerning verse 6 – living for pleasure – Wesley says:
Delicately, voluptuously, in elegant, regular sensuality, though not in the use of any such pleasures as are unlawful in themselves.—Wesley’s Commentary
In other words, if she is so focused on the passing pleasures of this world, she really is dead while living – for those things ultimately do not satisfy.
Okay – so what has this to do with the great mystery of our faith as discussed last week and as referenced in part of tomorrow’s lesson scripture for this week (Ephesians 5:32)?
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