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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1TIMOTHY 5:1-18
LESSON #13
THE CHURCH’S RESPONSIBILITIES TO CERTAIN PEOPLE

MEMORY VERSE: 1TIMOTHY 5:17

• THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT THE CHURCH BY USING SEVERAL DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATIONS. EACH ILLUSTRATION GIVES US AN EMPHASIS ON SOME ASPECT OF THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE.

THE ILLUSTRATION:	THE SIGNIFICANCE:	THE SCRIPTURE:
A HOLY NATION	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVER’S COMMON CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN	1PET 2:9
THE KINGDOM	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVERS COMMON SUBMISSION TO JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF KINGS	REV 5:10
THE PRIESTHOOD	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVER’S PRIVILEGE TO HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD	1PET 2:5,9
THE VINE	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVER’S COMMON CONNECTION TO CHRIST IN ORDER TO BEAR FRUIT	JOH 15:5
THE TEMPLE	IT EMPHASIZES BEING ESTABLISHED ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOSPEL WITH JESUS CHRIST AS THE CORNERSTONE.	EPH 2:10-22
A BODY	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVER’S COMMON LIFE AND DEPENDENCE ON THEIR HEAD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST	1COR 12:13-27
AN ASSEMBLY	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVER’S COMMON CALLING TO JOIN TOGETHER IN WORSHIP	HEB 12:23
A FLOCK	IT EMPHASIZES THE BELIEVER’S COMMON NEED TO BE FED AND AND LED BY THE GREAT SHEPHERD, JESUS CHRIST	1PET 5:2-3
A FAMILY	IT EMPHASIZES THE COMMON INTIMACY, CARE, AND LOVE AMONG BELIEVERS.	EPH 3:14-16

 

• ALL OF THESE SHOW US THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE TO OTHER BELIEVERS AND TO JESUS CHRIST. NOTICE THAT IN ALL OF THEM THERE IS A UNITY AND COOPERATION TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY.
• HOWEVER, SOMETIMES THINGS DON’T WORK PROPERLY. PAUL GIVES US SOME GUIDELINES IN CHAPTERS 5 AND 6 TO MAKE SURE THINGS WORK WELL SO THAT EVERYONE IS CARED FOR.
• FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE MANY PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS:
• SOME CHURCH MEMBERS WERE SINNING AND HAD ABANDONED TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. (1:5-6; 2:8)
• SOME MEMBERS HAD LEFT THE FAITH (1:9)
• SOME WOMEN WERE TRYING TO USURP AUTHORITY OVER MEN. (2:9-15)
• SOME MEN WERE TRYING TO BE CHURCH LEADERS WITHOUT ADEQUATE QUALIFICATIONS. (3:1-13; 5:19-22)
• SOME MEMBERS WERE TEACHING FALSE DOCTRINES. (4:1-5; 6:3-5)
• THERE WERE PROBLEMS ABOUT WIDOWS (5:1-18)

• READ 1TIM 5:1-16
• RESPECT FOR AGE AND POSITION (1)

• PRINCIPLE #36

IN THE CHURCH FAMILY, RESPECT FOR OLDER PEOPLE, AND RESPECT FOR THE ELDERS IN AUTHORITY IS NECESSARY.

• PAUL REFERS TO “ELDERS” IN VERSE 1. HE COULD MEAN BOTH THE POSITION OF ELDER AS A PERSON IN LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH, AND THOSE WHO ARE OLDER PEOPLE BY VIRTUE OF PHYSICAL AGE.
• IN THE CONTEXT AND SEQUENCE OF THE BOOK PREVIOUS TO THIS VERSE, HE MEANS THE LEADERSHIP POSITION OF AN ELDER.
• IN THE CONTEXT AND SEQUENCE OF THE BOOK FOLLOWING THIS VERSE, HE MEANS PEOPLE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY OLDER.
• REMEMBER THAT TIMOTHY WAS A YOUNG MAN. THERE WERE PROBABLY ELDERS IN THE CHURCH PHYSICALLY OLDER THAN TIMOTHY. TIMOTHY MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR THESE OLDER MEN IN THE CHURCH.
• TODAY IN SOME CHURCHES THERE IS A TENDENCY TO IGNORE OLDER PEOPLE. ALSO IN OUR PRESENT DAY, THERE IS A TENDENCY TO ABUSE OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. BOTH ARE WRONG AND NOT CHRISTIAN.
• PAUL TELLS US THAT THE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE CHURCH SHOULD BE LIKE A FAMILY. OLDER WOMEN ARE TO BE TREATED LIKE MOTHERS AND OLDER MEN LIKE FATHERS. YOUNGER MEN AND WOMEN ARE TO BE TREATED LIKE BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

• CARE FOR WIDOWS (5:3-16)
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
• IN THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW, THERE WERE VERY IMPORTANT PROVISIONS MADE FOR WIDOWS. (DEU 10:18; 24:17 ISA 1:17)
• PEOPLE MUST NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
• FAMILIES WERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
• A WIDOW COULD CLAIM HER FAMILY’S LAND AND A HUSBAND IF SHE HAD A CLOSE MALE RELATIVE TO PAY FOR HER. (THE BOOK OF RUTH)
• SOCIETY WAS TO PROVIDE FOR THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS. (DONE THROUGH THE TEMPLE)
• THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH HAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHRISTIAN WIDOWS. THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH ARE THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO SEE THAT THE CHURCH’S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE FULFILLED.
• DIFFERENT TYPES OF WIDOWS:
• PAUL DIVIDES WIDOWS INTO 3 GROUPS:
• WIDOWS WHO HAVE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
• OLDER WIDOWS (OVER AGE 60) WHO HAVE NO OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
• YOUNG WIDOWS STILL ABLE TO BEAR CHILDREN.
• THE CHURCH’S RESPONSIBILITY TO EACH OF THESE 3 GROUPS OF WIDOWS:
• 1.WIDOWS WHO HAVE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS:
• THE PRIMARY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE WOMEN IS THAT OF THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
• THE CHURCH MAY HAVE A LIMITED RESPONSIBILITY IF OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ALL NON-BELIEVERS AND REFUSE HELP.
• THIS WIDOW MUST FULFILL THE QUALIFICATIONS LISTED BELOW.
• NOTICE THAT CHRISTIAN FAMILY MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE CARE OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
• 2. OLDER WIDOWS (OVER AGE 60) WHO HAVE NO OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND NO VISIBLE MEANS OF SUPPORT. ANNA IN LUK 2:36-37 IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
• PAUL CALLS THESE WOMEN, “WIDOWS INDEED”. THE CHURCH IN PAUL’S DAY HAD A LIST OF WIDOWS TO WHOM THEY COMMITTED FINANCIAL CARE. THE CHURCH HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THIS WIDOW HAS ADEQUATE PROVISION. HOWEVER, SHE MUST FULFILL THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS: (5-10)
• SHE MUST BE A PRAYER WARRIOR FOR THE CHURCH.
• SHE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO THE LOCAL CHURCH.
• SHE MUST BE BLAMELESS. SHE MUST NOT BE LIVING A SINFUL LIFE (6)
• SHE MUST HAVE A HISTORY OF GOOD WORKS IN THE CHURCH. (DORCAS IN ACTS 9:36-43 IS THE EXAMPLE)
• 3. YOUNG WIDOWS STILL ABLE TO BEAR CHILDREN:
• THE CHURCH HAS NO FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THESE WOMEN. THEY SHOULD EITHER WORK FOR THEMSELVES, OR THEY SHOULD MARRY AGAIN.

 

• PRINCIPLE #37

THE CHURCH HAS A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ONLY TO THOSE WIDOWS WHO ARE GOOD, FAITHFUL WORKERS IN THE CHURCH AND HAVE NO OTHER MEANS OF SUPPORT

• READ 1TIM 5:17-18
• THOSE WORTHY OF DOUBLE HONOR:
• ELDERS WHO RULE WELL SHOULD BE HONORED DOUBLY.
• WHAT IS DOUBLE HONOR?
• PUBLIC THANKS AND A GENEROUS PAYMENT.
• THE 2 ILLUSTRATIONS IN VERSE 18:
• “THOU SHALT NOT MUZZLE THE OX THAT TREADETH OUT THE CORN”.
• A FARMER DOES NOT PREVENT AN OX FROM EATING WHEN HE HAS WORKED HARD TO BRING IN THE HARVEST.
• “THE LABORER IS WORTHY OF HIS REWARD”
• AN ELDER, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY THE PASTOR, WHO HAS BEEN HIRED TO DO A JOB SHOULD BE PAID FOR THE JOB HE HAS DONE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS.

• PRINCIPLE #38

ELDERS SHOULD BE GENEROUSLY HONORED FOR THE GOOD WORK THEY DO IN THE CHURCH, AND THE PASTOR SHOULD BE PAID FOR HIS WORK

• PAUL WAS A PREACHER AND TEACHER. HE TRAVELED AROUND TO MANY CHURCHES. HE WAS NEVER PAID FOR HIS WORK. INSTEAD HE EARNED HIS LIVING MAKING TENTS. (1COR 9:14-15, 18-19 1THE 2:9). HIS REASON FOR NOT TAKING MONEY WAS SO THAT BOTH JEWISH CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND GENTILE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES WOULD ACCEPT HIM.
• EVEN THOUGH PAUL NEVER TOOK MONEY FOR HIS MINISTRY, HE ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT A CHURCH SHOULD OFFER TO PAY THE PASTOR OR A VISITING SPEAKER.

HOMEWORK

1TIMOTHY 5:19-25

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION FOR 1TIM 5:1-18
• AS A BELIEVER, DO YOU HAVE OLDER MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY THAT NEED SOME FINANCIAL HELP?

• YOU NEED TO PRAY AND ASK GOD WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO?

• WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO TO FULFILL THIS OBLIGATION.

• PREPARATION FOR 1TIM 5:19-25
• READ 1TIM 5:19-25
• READ MAT 18:15-17
• WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR BRINGING AN ACCUSATION AGAINST AN ELDER?

• MEMORY VERSE: 1TIMOTHY 5:1