1 TIMOTHY 5
CAC It is important to keep in mind what we have been looking at, that it is a question of things being manifested in flesh. These things are in an actual company of men and women in this world, that all that is suited to God may come out. It is really a condition of things that has been perfectly expressed in Christ, and all those instructions and exhortations are not just points of church order, but they show us in a most interesting way how the life of God expresses itself in flesh.
Rem The word is, “Rebuke not an elder sharply” — it does not say he was not to be rebuked at all.
CAC There is that which is comely about it all. If Timothy had occasion to rebuke an elder, he was to remember that it would not be suitable to address him sharply; he was to exhort him as a father: there was to be grace about it all, and affection. It is so beautiful. That all did not rule well is very evident, because those who did were worthy of double honour; but there were some who did not and they might need to be rebuked, but not sharply. Timothy had to remember his relative place.
Rem The elders had a great place in the early days.
CAC They still have; the order of God’s house does not change. It is how piety comes out. It would be very unbecoming to speak sharply to a man old enough to be one’s father. If one has to exhort him it must be as a father.
Rem Paul had to rebuke Peter.
CAC Yes, but that was of a very exceptional character, and I have often said it cost Paul more to do it than it did Peter to receive it.
Ques Titus is exhorted to rebuke the Cretans sharply, is he not?
CAC Yes, “the Cretans are always liars”. They were a people just come out of idolatry and they carried the savour of it with them. Dr. Glenny told me that, in the case of a certain race, they would be converted and come into fellowship, but nothing would stop their stealing and lying; the only thing was to rebuke them sharply. They had become so accustomed to that manner of life that it had become natural to them, like their very breath; they had no idea of wrong-doing, and it was necessary to bring it home to them by a sharp rebuke.
Ques What is the bearing of verse 4?
CAC The care of one’s kindred is very acceptable in God’s sight. It is a mark of piety. Piety has practically disappeared in the religious world, and it is very important that it should have its place with us. There is a danger that what obtains in the world creeps in amongst us in a subtle way.
Rem Children are to honour their parents.
CAC Yes, it is equally true for today. What can be worse than for a christian not to care for his own family?
Rem Some allow their relatives to accept the old age pension and think they have no further claim on them.
CAC I do not envy the state of mind of any saint who thinks that an old age pension relieves him of responsibility. In the Lord’s time people invented religious excuses, but the Lord did not commend it. The children are to remember how much they owe to their parents, and to be looking out to see how they can render a return on their side; it is all very beautiful. It is touching to see the Lord’s own care for His mother; almost at His last moments He thought of her and committed her into the hands of the disciple whom He loved. It is all exemplified in Him. In seeing all these things it is really studying Christ.
Ques What is your thought of being “a widow indeed”?
CAC I think “a widow indeed” was one who had no means of supply at all, no human support, no one but God. She is described in verse 5, “left alone”, that is “a widow indeed”. The widow indeed is the one to whom God has pledged Himself in a particular way. He is the judge of the widows.
Ques What is to be the character of the visit to the widow?
CAC I think it is the effect of the visit, not so much what you say or do. You do not go when things are happy; you look out for those who have need; you do not go to have a [p. 368] good time. This is piety. The widow’s side is that she trusts in God. One or two widows like that amongst us would be a great power. Any help that the saints could render in temporal things would be as nothing compared to the help she rendered to the saints — “she continueth in supplications night and day”.
Rem It does not say that she prays only about herself.
CAC I hope not. As to herself, she has put her trust in God. She does not continue day and night in prayer and supplications for herself when her hope is in God, her supplications are for others. Anna is a very good example “she departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day”. What a lovely exhibition of piety can come out in a widow! A widow might say, All my life has gone, but it is the very best time of her life — life here with no support but with her hope and trust in God. What an honour! What a dignity! She adorns the doctrine of God in such a way that the elect angels like to see it. It is a true picture of the assembly, a widow indeed, one bereaved of Christ.
Rem What a contrast to what is spoken of in Revelation concerning Babylon — “she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow”!
Ques In verse 9 a widow is not to be put on the list under sixty years. Would there be no case in which a younger widow would be accepted?
CAC I think a younger widow is supposed to do something for herself. A young sister left with a family of children is a different thing. There is great wisdom in all this, that a widow should not receive regular administration from saints until she is sixty. Clearly there was a list of persons regularly cared for. If a widow was not on the list, surely no one else ought to be. If there are those who have to be cared for, it should be done systematically; it is God’s way. Order is much better than indiscriminate charity.
Rem Some say a stated sum has a danger of causing a saint to lose dependence on God.
CAC The exercise on the part of those who receive would be as to whether they were worthy to receive it. Verse 10 is a challenge. Everything was to be taken into account. The saints would not be very happy to care for people where moral qualifications were lacking. If we came across such a widow [p. 369] as verse 10 describes, we should be very happy to put her on the list when she was sixty years old. She is one who has put her trust in God, not in brethren; she has given her confidence to God and has shown what she has thought of her brethren. There should be exercise with us; the way things are put in Scripture should produce exercise. We cannot improve on the way the Spirit puts things. An idle person, or one who has children or relatives, is not contemplated as to being supported in this way. It is a person who has been diligent in every good work. With young widows there is a danger of their becoming idle, and it suggests that they should work to support themselves. We must have regard to the past manner of life, and it should exercise the person helped and be a great exercise to us also to see that the person is worthy.
Ques What does verse 12 mean?
CAC It supposes that Christ has been sufficient for them; they had lost the one they had leaned on and found Christ sufficient, but turned away from Him to nature. That is what the Spirit of God has in view clearly. It is a serious thing to come down spiritually; that is what should exercise one in a verse like this — to have found Christ sufficient and to turn from Him to what is the best thing in nature. It is not the point that they are not to marry — they are told to do so — but it is the state of mind and heart that the apostle is concerned about. There is never to be any allowance of that which would take one off the line of faith and dependence on God. It supposes that they had found in Christ an object for their hearts when they had lost all earthly support. “Cast off” is a strong word, but they were in danger of it as the result of a bad state of soul. One has to consider only the will of God. There was great danger in departing from ground already taken. Verse 15 is strong language but there was need for it and there is. We ought to consider these things very gravely. If we give up confidence in God and give up Christ as an object for the heart it is very serious. What may be very bad under the eye of God may not appear so with man.
If saints come under reproach from the world rightly it is uncomely and out of place, and no kind of excuse can be made for it. All is going to be made manifest; we get that at the end of the chapter. Some things come out beforehand and some after. Everything will be uncovered sooner or later. We ought to remember the angels; that would test us, it [p. 370] would help us, to think that the angels are looking on. It would check a lot of gossip. We should be exercised about these things. Soon after I was converted, an evangelist came to the town and I asked a servant of the Lord to come and hear him. He replied, ‘I should not like to stumble anyone, and particularly not the angels’. It was a very wise remark. We ought to bear in mind that the elect angels are looking on. It would at times alter our behaviour if we remembered that they see when no one else does.
Ques The woman is to be covered? (1 Corinthians 11).
CAC The woman is always to be covered when praying. She would be so even if quite alone; it is the divine order. In the same way a man would not pray, even if alone, with his hat on.