Conduct Within the Congregation
Comments for Study 4
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I. Elders (5:1-2)
>1. Why is rebuking an older man harshly unwise?
* 1 Timothy 5:1 "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,"
* "Do not rebuke an older man harshly"
* Respect is a good word for these two verses. Respect older men. Respect younger men. Respect older women. Respect younger women. Respect others. Paul puts respect for others in terms of how we treat family. However, these days families are so broken that we don't know how to treat a father, mother, brother, and sister.
I have heard others say (and thought myself too), "Respect is earned." Is it? If I believe it is then I need to answer some questions. Is respect a gift to give someone? Does someone need to act a certain way to get my respect? Isn't believing that respect is earned making me a judge on who is worthy of my respect? It is. Then isn't it a statement of pride?
Don't I believe that all those who encounter me owe me respect? And if someone does not "pay me respect" am I offended? I think that most people deep down desire and need others' respect.
What happens to me when someone treats me with proper respect? What happens to me when someone disrespects me?
Why do I punish someone for behavior or attitude that I disapprove of by showing them either disrespect or no respect at all? Isn't that what I am doing by not treating others with respect, punishing them?
I think my problem with answering some of these questions revolves around the fact that I don't understand the dynamics of respect. What really is respect? Is it a feeling or the way I interact with others? It is both. Respect is a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements, and respect is regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others. Sometimes I find that I have to practice one without truly having the other.
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>How should we respect elder men?
* "exhort him as if he were your father"
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>How should younger men be treated?
* Treat younger men as brothers
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>2. How should older women be treated? (2)
* 1 Timothy 5:2 "older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
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>How should younger women be treated?
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>Where does the idea of the spiritual family come from? (Matt. 12:46-50)
* Matthew 12:46-50 "While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
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II. Widows (5:3-16)
>3. What was the social position of most widows in those days?
* 1 Timothy 5:3 "Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need."
* Widows were especially vulnerable in ancient Mediterranean society. Many still are today. Back then as now most depended on their husband's income. Most families lived on a meager income if they were not slaves with no income. Most men were slaves or soldiers in Roman society. Retirement plans like pensions and 401ks did not exist. Only a few families could save up extra income for some help for the future. If the husband died the widow had nothing.
Jesus taught us to not only help others but become sacrificial in helping others. Children are to help their parents especially when they are unable to maintain a good income in later years (4). Sons are to especially care for their aged mothers.
Learning faith is only done when we can do nothing. When all choices vanish like steam leaving a boiling pot of water, so an elder with no income can only pray, desperately asking God for help (5,6). I don't like being in that situation. I have been more than once. I cannot say that I want to be in that place again.
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>Do all who ask for help really need it?
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>Why might widows not need help from the congregation? (4)
* 1 Timothy 5:4 "But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God."
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>What should descendants always remember about their parents?
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>4. How does a widow who is left alone learn faith? (5)
* 1 Timothy 5:5 "The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help."
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>What is the truth about those who do not have faith? (6)
* 1 Timothy 5:6 "But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives."
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>5. Who is open to blame and who blames in these verses? (7)
* 1 Timothy 5:7 "Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame."
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>What is the responsibility of the physical family?
* 1 Timothy 5:8 "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
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>6. On what basis should a congregation constitute a women as an elderly widow? (9-10)
* 1 Timothy 5:9-10 "No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds."
* A congregation as a whole should help those in need. There are always more people to help than there are volunteers to help. So guidelines need to be set so that those who really need can be helped.
Paul help Timothy set guidelines on helping widows in Ephesus where Timothy was pastor (9,10,16). The Ephesus congregation must have had many widows and not enough resources to help them all. When women who were eligible were apparently put on the list to get the assistance they made a pledge and were required to keep it (12).
Verses 11 thru 15 should be of help to women whose husband has died, especially younger women. Everyone has sensual desires, over 60 the sensual desires either fade or are better controlled.
Verses 11-15 make me think about what I do in my spare time. Some things can lead me to do things that are not what God wants for me. Others are as Jesus taught. Now that I am older and my children are adults I still can find God wants for me in new ways.
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>What should younger widows consider? (11)
* 1 Timothy 5:11 "As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry."
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>What is the "first pledge"?
* 1 Timothy 5:12 "Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge."
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>What trap could a young widow fall into? (13-15)
* 1 Timothy 5:13-15 "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan."
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>How can other women help this from happening?
* 1 Timothy 5:16 "If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need."
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III. Those Who Direct the Affairs of the Church (5:17-25)
>7. On what basis should older men be respected? (17)
* 1 Timothy 5:17 "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching."
* Moral and ethical conduct should always be considered when a congregation is considering someone for a particular position of authority (21,22,24,25). However, this does not mean that the reason I am to conduct my life in an honorable and respectable way is to impress people and aspire to places of leadership. I do what is best and righteous because it is best for others and me.
Concentrating efforts and working for the betterment of others, especially the body of Christ deserves recognition with pay and respect (17,18). Some of the tithings of the congregation should be used to support the pastor and staff. However, I believe that a pastor should be paid no more than the mean salary of those they serve.
During my life, I have heard of and seen some pastors and staff misuse church funds and people. This is more so true in businesses and government these days than in churches. However, more damage is done to people and society when someone in a church misuses the congregation.
I decided a long time ago to give the benefit of the doubt to a church leader when I see or hear that they became become selfish unless several confirm the sin (19). Then they should be rebuked publically (20) for the sin is against the public.
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>Why?
* 1 Timothy 5:18 "For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."
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>8. Why should accusations against an elder be backed up with fact? (19)
* 1 Timothy 5:19 "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses."
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>If the accusation is found true what must happen and why? (20; Rev. 2:14-16)
* 1 Timothy 5:20 "Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning."
* Revelation 2:14-16 "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."
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>Why might other elders be tempted not to make their fellow elder's sin public?
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>9. What is a constant temptation to ministers? (21)
* 1 Timothy 5:21 "I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism."
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>What does it mean to lay hands on someone? (22)
* 1 Timothy 5:22 "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure."
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>Why might a minister be tempted to be hasty to do this?
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>How does verses 24-25 make such decisions easier?
* 1 Timothy 5:24-25 "The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden."
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>10. What is Paul advising Timothy in verse 23?
* 1 Timothy 5:23 "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses."
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>How can this be applied to our lives today?
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