1 Timothy 5:7

And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) And these things give in charge.—That is to say, the duties of widows, as set forth in 1Timothy 5:5, together with his (St. Paul’s) estimate of the gay and frivolous character painted in 1Timothy 5:6.

That they may be blameless.—That, whether seeking support from the public alms of the Christian community or not, the widows of the congregation should struggle after an irreproachable self-denying life, and show before men publicly whose servants they indeed were. In these words there seems a hint that the former life of many of these women-converts to Christianity had been very different to the life loved of Christ, and that in their new profession as Christians there was urgent need of watchfulness on their part not to give any occasion to slanderous tongues.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:3-8 Honour widows that are widows indeed, relieve them, and maintain them. It is the duty of children, if their parents are in need, and they are able to relieve them, to do it to the utmost of their power. Widowhood is a desolate state; but let widows trust in the Lord, and continue in prayer. All who live in pleasure, are dead while they live, spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins. Alas, what numbers there are of this description among nominal Christians, even to the latest period of life! If any men or women do not maintain their poor relations, they in effect deny the faith. If they spend upon their lusts and pleasures, what should maintain their families, they have denied the faith, and are worse than infidels. If professors of the gospel give way to any corrupt principle or conduct, they are worse than those who do not profess to believe the doctrines of grace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And these things give in charge - Announce, or declare these things, to wit, particularly respecting the duty of children to their widowed mothers, and the proper duty of those who are widows.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. these things—just now spoken (1Ti 5:5, 6).

that they may be blameless—namely, the widows supported by the Church.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

In the discharge of thy ministry declare these things, that all Christians, women especially, may be blameless.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And these things give in charge,.... Concerning rebuking persons of a different age and sex, and concerning the maintenance of widows; and particularly that children provide for their parents when helpless; and that widows trust in God, and give themselves to prayer and supplication, and not live in sin:

that they may be blameless; before men, and in the view of the world, and not be chargeable with any notorious crime; though none are without blame in themselves, and before God, but as considered in Christ Jesus.

Geneva Study Bible

And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Timothy 5:7. After describing briefly the conduct of the two classes of widows, the apostle continues: καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε] ταῦτα refers to what was said regarding widows. Timothy is, by way of exhortation, to announce to the church, therefore to the widows, what the apostle has written to him; παράγγελλε, comp. 1 Timothy 4:11.

ἵνα ἀνεπίληπτοι ὦσιν] ἵνα here gives the purpose (at 2 Thessalonians 3:12 it stands after παραγγέλλειν κ. παρακαλεῖν in a different sense). The subject of the clause is not the dependants (τέκνα καὶ ἔκγονα, 1 Timothy 5:4) of the widows, much less they along with the widows (Heydenreich), or men and women (Grotius), but the widows spoken of in the preceding verses.

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 Timothy 5:7. ταῦτα is best referred to 1 Timothy 5:4, with its implied injunctions to the younger generation to support their widows.

ἀνεπίλημπτοι: i.e., all Christians whom it concerns, not widows only.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. these things give in charge] As in 1 Timothy 4:11 and thrice in chap. 1; note on 1 Timothy 1:5. The conjunction is also rather than ‘and’. ‘Include the setting of the true life before the widows also in thy charge.’

blameless] One of the key-words of this epistle; of a presbyter 1 Timothy 3:2, of Timothy 1 Timothy 6:14. At the stage reached now by Christianity, the moral life of the believers before the world, ‘such as cannot be laid hold of by anyone,’ is of vital importance for all ranks equally—for the bishop-apostolic himself, for the clergy, for the poor widows. ‘Holiness becometh Thine house’ now most especially.

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Timothy 5:7. Ταῦτα, these things) which have been just now spoken.—ὧσιν, may be) viz. true widows.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - These things also command for and these things give in charge, A.V.; without reproach for blameless, A.V. These things, etc. The apostle had been giving Timothy his own instructions concerning widows and their maintenance by their own relations. He now adds the direction that he should give these things in charge to the Ephesian Church, lest they should be guilty and blameworthy by acting in a different spirit. He probably was aware of a disposition existing in some quarters to throw the burden of maintaining their widows upon the Church. Without reproach (ἀνεπίληπτοι); above, 1 Timothy 3:2, note. If they did not so they would be liable to the terrible reproach mentioned in ver. 8, that, Christians as they called themselves, they were in their conduct worse than unbelievers. 1 Timothy 5:7