LESSONS FOR LEADERS.
Commentary on Timothy & Titus
Mr K Gerner B.A.
Audio Visual Ministries,
Post Office Box No.1.,NEWCASTLE, Co.Down.BT33 0EP
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Lesson No.4.(i) SISTERS. 1 Timothy 2:9-15 and Titus 2:4-5
The dress and place of WOMEN IN THE CHURCH is covered in this section.
1.The DEMEANOUR of women.
They should be orderly, decent and modest.
1TI 2:9 NIV I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
They should have definite moral limits (AV"shamefacedness" conveys the wrong impression) with a sound judgement ("proprietty" AV"sobriety") and not be subject to current fashions.
All this will be reflected in their :
(a) ADORNMENT
1PE 3:3 NIV Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
ADORNMENT OUTWARD DRAWS ATTENTION TO SELF WHERE THE WELFARE OF OTHERS should mark really Christian women.
(b) AUTHORITY
1TI 2:11 NIV A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.
In PUBLIC MEETINGS, women may exercise private judgement but not usurp authority, but rather quietly learn. They are permitted to teach :-
(i) YOUNG WOMEN IN PRIVATE as seen in Timothy's own experience:
2TI 1:5 NIV I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Older women should be models of behaviour to the younger:
TIT 2:3 NIV Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
(ii) Children whom they are bringing up
Timothy had also experienced the benefit of this
2TI 3:15 NIV and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
(c) ATMOSPHERE IN THE HOME
They should make their homes loving places for their husbands.
Now wife barks and dog brings paper. Should not complain: still get service !!
TIT 2:4 NIV Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,
TIT 2:5 NIV to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
They should provide a model subjection to their husbands for the children, even with unsaved partners.
EPH 5:22 NIV Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
1PE 3:1 NIV Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behaviour of their wives,2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands,6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear
2.DELIBERATE REASONS FOR THIS ADVICE
(a) SCRIPTURE
1TI 2:13 NIV For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
(i) PRIORITY of Creation of Adam with Eve brought in to help
1CO 11:9 NIV neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
ADAM was meant to cover Eve and was not so easily beguiled by the Tempter; but was the more seriously held responsible in that he recognised the magnitude of his sin. With this Scripture (obviously based on Paul's acceptance of the Genesis account!) Paul links the thought of
(ii) PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE
1TI 2:15 NIV But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
This may refer to her bringing for the "Seed" (= Christ) or may refer to escaping the snares of social temptations by accepting motherhood and taking a holy part in the testimony of the local Church by a Godly home,
THIS MAY ALSO BE CONSTRUED AS A PROMISE OF SAFETY DURING CHILDBEARING FROM PHYSICAL HARM WHERE THE CONDITIONS OF HOLINESS ARE KEPT.
(b) SOLID TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD
TIT 2:5 NIV so that no one will malign the word of God.
Every departure from normal family life, becomes a target for the unbeliever. We must remember this and not use our Christian faith to escape from our natural duties at home.
(ii) THE PLACE OF WIDOWS & THEIR SELECTION FOR SUPPORT.
1 Timothy 5:1-16 and Titus 2:3-5
This next subject obviously follows the last.
1.RESPECT FOR OLD AGE
1TI 5:1 NIV Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.
This is a general PRINCIPLE WITHIN THE CHURCH and applies to elderly ladies also.
2. RELATIONSHIP WHICH IS PURE
1TI 5:2 NIV (treat) older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
This relationship must be above suspicion by the world. It is a good principle for Christian male workers, not to interview females alone.
3. REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE
Older women should have a Christ-like influence on the younger.
TIT 2:3 NIV Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good
They should avoid faultfinding and "hitting the bottle" (as in some parts of Ireland!) in the atmosphere of a Godly home.
WHAT DETERMINES A GENUINE WIDOW ?
4.RESPONSIBILITY OF FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE NEGATED BY THE CHURCH
Material support for the elderly widow, should be provided by HER FAMILY IN THE FIRST PLACE. This was based on Old Testament teaching
EXO 22:22 NIV "Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.
DEU 14:29 NIV so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
DEU 27:19 NIV "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
THIS TASK FELL TO CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN (AV."nephews" is misleading)
1TI 5:4 NIV 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.
THIS WAY THEY CAN REQUIRE THE SYMPATHETIC LOVE THEY RECEIVED IN THEIR EARLIER YEARS.
Once this is done ONLY WIDOWS WITHOUT FAMILY SUPPORT, should be taken on by the Church.
5.REALLY NEEDY WIDOWS to be supported by the Church.
1TI 5:5 NIV 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.
The genuine widow is shown to be trusting God, when she spends her time in continual intercession.
(i) THOSE LIVING IN LUXURY AND SELF-INDULGENCE are spiritually dead
1TI 5:6 NIV But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
Though her body may be still alive, her spirit is moribund.
REV 3:1 NIV "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
SUCH A "WIDOW" IS NOT BE TO COUNTENANCED.
(ii) INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS MUST HELP THEIR OWN FAMILY AS A TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD
1TI 5:7 NIV Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame.
Anyone neglecting these responsibilities, has denied the Faith.
1TI 5:8 NIV 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.
6. ROLL SHOULD BE MADE OF SPECIAL LISTS OF WIDOWS
These should only include those :
(i) Over 60 years of age and faithful to their marriage vows
(ii) Those well-known for their holy way of life
These may have been elder widows who pledged themselves to charitable service. There is NO OTHER EVIDENCE FOR AN ORDER OF DEACONESSES IN THE EARLY CHURCH.
This is more likely a roll of those who received support and charity from the whole body as in Acts chapter 6. This list grew daily in the early days as so many husbands were martyred.
This "holy way of life" included training children, giving hospitality (a simple bed for the night) ministering cheer and refreshment to Believers (AV"washing the feet of saints"), relieving the afflicted or helping those engaged in this type of work.
7.REMARRIAGE OF YOUNGER WIDOWS
1TI 5:11 NIV 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.12 Thus they bring judgement on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge.
Paul adds that younger widows, under temporary pressure, may lose their dedication to Christian service and their natural desire for remarriage, could lead them into sin. Rather than risk this danger, he suggests they earn their own living and remarry.
Without responsibility of this kind, they may tend to be idle, visiting round houses and "overbusy" in gossip as they go.
2TH 3:11 NIV We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.
REMARRIAGE would avoid this danger and keep them busy in home duties that would avoid the sl;ander of the assembly BY unbelievers ("ADVERSARY av. here would seem to be human, rather than Satanic!) Some had already fallen however, into this trap of Satan, so that Paul is speaking from experience.
1TI 5:15 NIV Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
8. REVIEW OF WIDOWS
Paul sums up this section by suggesting that the funds of Church should not be diverted to those who could be supported PRIVATELY and the Church should only be responsible for THOSE IN GENUINE NEED.
tHIS HAS A VALUABLE LESSON FOR US IN UNDERLINING THE PRINCIPLE OF THE STRONG HELPING THE WEAK, laid down by the LORD, as St Paul reminded the Ephesian Elders.
ACT 20:35 NIV In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD NOT NEGLECT HIS FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES or be a "sponger"
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Lesson No.4.
GIVE AN OUTLINE OF NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING ON WOMEN FROM :
(a) 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 (b) 1 Peter 3:1-2. (c) 1 Corinthians 11:3-16.
Send s.,a.e. with answers to A.V.M., P.O.Box 1, NEWCASTLE,Co Down.BT33 0EP
LESSONS FOR LEADERS. K Gerner BA
Lesson No 4. (i) SISTERS.
1 TIMOTHY 2:9-15, TITUS 2:4-5
1. DEMEANOUR OF WOMEN
(A) ADORNMENT. 1 Peter 3:3
(B) AUTHORITY. 1 Tim.2:11
(i) Young women in private. 2 Tim 1:5
(ii)Children they are bringing up
(C) ATMOSPHERE IN THE HOME. Titus 2:4-5
2. DELIBERATE REASONS FOR THIS ADVICE.
(A) SCRIPTURE. 1 Tim 2:13
(i) Priority of Creation of Adam. 1 Cor 11:9
(ii) Promise of Deliverance. 1 Tim 2:15
(B) SOLID TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD.
3. PLACE OF WIDOWS & THEIR SELECTION FOR SUPPORT.
1 Tim 5:1-16, Titus 2:3-5
(A) RESPECT FOR OLD AGE. 1 Tim 5:1
(B) RELATIONSHIP WHICH IS PURE. 1 Tim 5:2
(C) REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE.Titus 2:3
(D) RESPONSIBILITY OF FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE NEGATED.CH.5:4
(E) REALLY NEEDY WIDOWS. 1 Tim 5:5
(i) Not those living in luxury or self-indulgence.v.6
(ii) Individuals help own family as Testimony to world.v.7
(F) ROLL TO BE MADE OF SPECIAL LISTS OF WIDOWS, INCLUDING:
(i) Those over 60
(ii) Well known for holy way of life
(G) REMARRIAGE OF YOUNGER WIDOWS. 1 Tim 5:11
(H) REVIEW OF WIDOWS. Summary. Acts 20:35