“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;”
An ancient man.[1] Here the word presbyter is not taken as in other places, for a bishop or priest, but for an elderly man, who is otherwise to be dealt with than young men. (Witham) — We cannot sufficiently admire the tenderness and prudence of all this saint’s counsels. Reproof, under any circumstances, is always sufficiently painful, without being accompanied by harsh and unfeeling words and manners. Age, though not exempt from fault, should always be treated with tenderness and respect.
“The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.”
A just medium must be observed in the guidance of the sex, avoiding equally an indiscreet severity or an affection too tender and bordering on sensuality. A just diffidence in self is the best security. — All chastity refers to the heart, eyes, ears, words, looks, with the precautions of times and places.
“Honour widows that are widows indeed.”
Honour widows. To honour, here means to relieve and maintain. (Witham)
“But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home , and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. piety: or, kindness”
Let her[2] learn first, &c. He gives this as a mark to know if widows deserve to be maintained out of the common stock; if they have been careful of their own family, and to assist their parents, if yet alive. In most Greek copies, and in the Syriac, is read, let them learn; i.e. let the children and grandchildren learn to govern their family, and to assist their parents, when they are widows; that, as it is said in ver. 16., the Church may not be burthened with maintaining them. (Witham) — Let her render to her children the same good services she has received from her parents, that she may also expect from them what is her due as mother. (Theodoret)
“Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.”
She that is a widow indeed, and desolate, (destitute of help, as the Greek word implieth) may be maintained; and then let her be constant in prayers and devotions night and day. (Witham) — Every Christian soul is a widow of Jesus Christ, who has been forcibly torn from her: and in her communications with heaven she ought to offer up an afflicted and humbled heart—the heart of a widow. It is thus she will avoid the dangers of the world, and secure true life in unchangeable felicity. (Haydock)
“But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. in: or, delicately”
For she that liveth in pleasure, (i.e. that seeks to live in ease and plenty) is dead[3] while she is living, by the spiritual death of her soul in sin. See St. Chrysostom with no less eloquence than piety, expounding this riddle, as he terms it, to wit, what it is to be at the same time alive and dead. (Witham)
“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. house: or, kindred”
He hath denied the faith, (not in words, but in his actions) and is worse than an infidel; nay, even than brutes, that take care of their young ones. (Witham) — Faith may be renounced either by words or by actions, when our conduct shews that in our hearts we really do not believe what would otherwise influence our lives. (Calmet) — We have a horror of the name of apostacy, and fear not its works. Is not this to be a Christian in appearance, and an infidel in heart?
“Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, taken: or, chosen”
Not under threescore years of age. Some think he speaks only of such a widow as was placed over all the rest: but the common exposition is of all such widows as were maintained in that manner, who made a vow of chastity, who assisted the ministers of the Church in looking to the poor, and in the administering baptism to women. — Who hath been the wife of one husband; i.e. hath never been married but once. (Witham)
“But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;”
As for the younger widows,[4] admit them not into that number; for when they have grown wanton in Christ, which may signify in the Church of Christ, or as others translate, against Christ; when they have been nourished in plenty, indulging their appetite in eating and drinking, in company and conversation, in private familiarities, and even sometimes in sacrilegious fornications against Christ and their vows, they are for marrying again. See St. Jerome. (Witham)
“Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.”
Having, or incurring and making themselves liable to damnation, by a breach of their first faith, their vow or promise, (Witham) by which they had engaged themselves to Christ. (Challoner)
“And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”
Idle, &c. He shews by what steps they fall. Neglecting their prayers, they give themselves to idleness; they go about visiting from house to house; they are carried away with curiosity to hear what passes, and speak what they ought not of their neighbour’s faults. (Witham) — The young widow that bears a near resemblance with this portrait, is not less to be lamented on her own account than feared and shunned on account of others.
“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. to speak: Gr. for their railing”
The younger[5] (widows) should marry. They who understand this of a command or exhortation to all widows to marry, make St. Paul contradict himself, and the advice he gave to widows 1 Corinthians vii. where he says, (ver. 40.) She (the widow) will be more happy if she so remain according to my counsel; and when it is there said, I would have all to be as myself. [See the notes on those places.] He can therefore only mean such young widows, of whom he is speaking, that are like to do worse. Thus it is expounded by St. Jerome to Sabina:[6] “Let her rather take a husband than the devil.” And in another epistle, to Ageruchia: “It is better to take a second husband than many adulterers.” St. Chrysostom[7] on this verse: I will, or would have such to marry, because they themselves will do it. See also St. Augustine,[8] de Bono viduitatis, chap. viii. (Witham)
“For some are already turned aside after Satan.”
For some are already turned aside after Satan, by breaking the vows they had made. “Yet it does not follow, (says St. Augustine in the same place [de Bono viduitatis, chap. viii.]) that they who abstain not from such sins may marry after their vows. They might indeed marry before they vowed; but this being done, unless they keep them they justly incur damnation.” “Why is it, (says he again, on Psalm lxxv.) they made void their first faith? but that they made vows, and kept them not. But let not this (says he) make you abstain from such vows, for you are not to comply with them by your own strength; you will fall, if you presume on yourselves; but if you confide in him to whom you made these vows, you will securely comply with them.” How different was the doctrine and practice of the first and chief of the late pretended reformers, who were many of them apostates after such vows? (Witham)
“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”
The priests, or ancient ministers, (i.e. bishops, priests, &c.) deserve a double honour; i.e. to be more liberally supplied and maintained by the flock, especially when they labour in preaching the word. — Thou shalt not muzzle, &c. See 1 Corinthians ix. 9. (Witham) — It is the obligation of the faithful to provide a decent maintenance for their pastors, and the duty of pastors to be content with little. Happy the church where there is no further difference found than between the liberality of the former and the disinterestedness of the latter!
“Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. before: or, under”
Against a priest. The word presbyter[9] is commonly here expounded of bishops and priests; though St. Chrysostom understands it of men advanced in age. — Receive not an accusation; i.e. do not sit as judge, nor hearken to such information. (Witham)
“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”
Them that sin, so as to be public criminals, &c. (Witham)
“I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. preferring: or, prejudice”
Without prejudice[10] for or against any one, not declining to either side, holding the scales of justice equally. (Witham)
“Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.”
Impose not hands lightly upon any man, in promoting him to be a minister of God by the sacrament of orders, unless he be duly qualified. — Neither in this be partaker of other men’s sins, as they make themselves who ordain others rashly. (Witham)
“Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”
Some men’s sins are manifest, &c. These two verses seem connected with the admonition before given, as to ordaining ministers, some men’s sins and evil life being so manifest, that they are certain to be rejected. — And some men they follow after: they appear not till after a trial and examination. — In like manner also good deeds, and good lives of some men, are so manifest, that they are easily admitted. And such as are otherwise, (that is, when they are desirous to conceal their virtues) they cannot be hidden: by an examination and trial they will appear. (Witham) — This refers to what he had said before, that he ought not easily to ordain others, but pass his judgment with scrutiny and impartiality. But there are some whom the public voice already condemns; their crimes are manifest: and there are others, though bad, whose crimes cannot be proved without examination. (Calmet) — St. Basil thinks it refers to the general judgment. Many both good and bad actions are at present manifest: others shall not be known till the day of judgment. Hypocrites are reserved to be judged by the Lord, as we cannot pronounce upon their actions. (St. Basil, lib. de Virgin.)