17 Let the elders who take the lead [among the saints] well be esteemed worthy of double honour, specially those labouring in word and teaching;
or he that exhorts, in exhortation; he that gives, in simplicity; he that leads, with diligence; he that shews mercy, with cheerfulness.
And in the same house abide, eating and drinking such things as they have; for the workman is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house.
Receive him therefore in [the] Lord with all joy, and hold such in honour;
Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith.
The husbandman must labour before partaking of the fruits.
have we not a right to take round a sister [as] wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or *I* alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work? Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock? Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things? For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen, or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it]. If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if *we* shall reap your carnal things? If others partake of this right over you, should not rather *we*? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ. Do ye not know that they who labour [at] sacred things eat of the [offerings offered in the] temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar? So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.
But [as] fellow-workmen, we also beseech that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:
yea, I ask thee also, true yokefellow, assist them, who have contended along with me in the glad tidings, with Clement also, and my other fellow-labourers, whose names [are] in [the] book of life.
(but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?)
Laying these things before the brethren, thou wilt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which thou hast fully followed up.
Give heed to thyself and to the teaching; continue in them; for, doing this, thou shalt save both thyself and those that hear thee.
Salute all your leaders, and all the saints. They from Italy salute you.
I have sent you to reap that on which ye have not laboured; others have laboured, and ye have entered into their labours.
But first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have profaned my land with the carcases of their detestable things, and with their abominations have they filled mine inheritance.
Let them be ashamed that persecute me, but let not me be ashamed; let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed; bring upon them the day of evil, and break them with a double breaking.
Then saith he to his disciples, The harvest [is] great and the workmen [are] few; supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth workmen unto his harvest.
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to come. And he said to them, The harvest indeed [is] great, but the workmen few; supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest that he may send out workmen into his harvest.
And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give the measure of corn in season?
And it came to pass when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring [we] ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
who also honoured us with many honours, and on our leaving they made presents to us of what should minister to our wants.
Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labour in [the] Lord. Salute Persis, the beloved, who has laboured much in [the] Lord.
For we are God's fellow-workmen; ye are God's husbandry, 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,