17 Let rulers whose rule is good be honoured twice over, specially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
He who has the power of comforting, let him do so; he who gives, let him give freely; he who has the power of ruling, let him do it with a serious mind; he who has mercy on others, let it be with joy.
And keep in that same house, taking what food and drink they give you: for the worker has a right to his reward. Do not go from house to house.
So take him to your hearts in the Lord with all joy, and give honour to such as he is:
Keep in mind those who were over you, and who gave you the word of God; seeing the outcome of their way of life, let your faith be like theirs.
It is right for the worker in the fields to be the first to take of the fruit.
Have we no right to take about with us a Christian wife, like the rest of the Apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have we no right to take a rest from work? Who ever goes to war without looking to someone to be responsible for his payment? who puts in vines and does not take the fruit of them? or who takes care of sheep without drinking of their milk? Am I talking as a man? does not the law say the same? For it says in the law of Moses, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. Is it for the oxen that God is giving orders? Or has he us in mind? Yes, it was said for us; because it is right for the ploughman to do his ploughing in hope, and for him who is crushing the grain to do his work hoping for a part in the fruits of it. If we have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world? If others have a part in this right over you, have we not even more? But we did not make use of our right, so that we might put nothing in the way of the good news of Christ. Do you not see that the servants of the holy things get their living from the Temple, and the servants of the altar have their part in the food which is offered on the altar? Even so did the Lord give orders that the preachers of the good news might get their living from the good news.
We then, working together with God, make our request to you not to take the grace of God to no purpose.
And I make request to you, true helper in my work, to see to the needs of those women who took part with me in the good news, with Clement and the rest of my brother-workers whose names are in the book of life.
But we make this request to you, my brothers: give attention to those who are working among you, who are over you in the Lord to keep order among you; And have a high opinion of them in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
(For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
If you keep these things before the minds of the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, trained in the words of the faith and of the right teaching which has been your guide:
Give attention to yourself and your teaching. Go on in these things; for in doing so you will get salvation for yourself and for those who give hearing to you.
Give words of love from me to those who are rulers over you, and to all the saints. Those who are in Italy send you their love.
I sent you to get in grain which you had no hand in planting: other men did that work, and you take the reward.
And I will give them the reward of their evil-doing and their sin twice over; because they have made my land unclean, and have made my heritage full of the bodies of their unholy and disgusting things.
Let them be put to shame who are attacking me, but let me not be shamed; let them be overcome with fear, but let me not be overcome: send on them the day of evil, and put them to destruction twice over.
Then he said to his disciples, There is much grain but not enough men to get it in. Make prayer, then, to the Lord of the grain-fields, that he may send out workers to get in his grain.
See, I have made it clear to you before it comes about.
Now after these things, the Lord made selection of seventy others and sent them before him, two together, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. And he said to them, There is much grain ready to be cut, but not enough workers: so make prayer to the Lord of the grain-fields that he will send workers to get in the grain.
And the Lord said, Who then is the wise and responsible servant whom his lord will put in control of his family, to give them their food at the right time?
And when they had come to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, Say what you would have me do for you before I am taken from you. And Elisha said, Be pleased to let a special measure of your spirit be on me.
In all things I was an example to you of how, in your lives, you are to give help to the feeble, and keep in memory the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, There is a greater blessing in giving than in getting.
Then they gave us great honour, and, when we went away, they put into the ship whatever things we were in need of.
Give my love to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Give my love to my dear Persis, who did much work in the Lord.
For we are workers with God: you are God's planting, God's building.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Timothy 5
Commentary on 1 Timothy 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
Here the apostle,
1Ti 5:1-2
Here the apostle gives rules to Timothy, and in him to other ministers, in reproving. Ministers are reprovers by office; it is a part, though the least pleasing part, of their office; they are to preach the word, to reprove and rebuke, 2 Tim. 4:2. A great difference is to be made in our reproofs, according to the age, quality, and other circumstances, of the persons rebuked; thus, and elder in age or office must be entreated as a father; on some have compassion, making a difference, Jude 22. Now the rule is,
1Ti 5:3-16
Directions are here given concerning the taking of widows into the number of those who were employed by the church and had maintenance from the church: Honour widows that are widows indeed. Honour them, that is, maintain them, admit them into office. There was in those times an office in the church in which widows were employed, and that was to tend the sick and the aged, to look to them by the direction of the deacons. We read of the care taken of widows immediately upon the first forming of the Christian church (Acts 6:1), where the Grecians thought their widows were neglected in the daily ministration and provision made for poor widows. The general rule is to honour widows that are widows indeed, to maintain them, to relieve them with respect and tenderness.
1Ti 5:17-25
Here are directions,