May 31, 2001

1 Timothy 5 sets forth certain rules for widows. What are these widows qualifying for? The Church's soup line? Or something else?

I don't believe it's merely the soup line. "Neither was there any among them that lacked" (Acts 4:34) tells me that everyone qualified for Church relief.

One specific requirement is "having been the wife of one man." 1 Timothy 5:9 KJV. What about an elderly woman who is twice widowed? Is she to go hungry? Yet Paul encourages the younger widows to remarry. 1 Timothy 5:11. So what happens if they remarry then become a widow a

second time? Like Seinfeld's Soup Nazi, do we tell them, "That's it! No soup for you!"?

Or is Paul's roll of widows referring to a church office?

I believe it is.

The qualifications for being enrolled on this roll of Church widows is virtually the same as that for bishops, presbyters and deacons. Compare 1 Timothy 5:9-10 (widows) with 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:6-9 (bishops, presbyters & deacons.)

But there is one major difference.

Whatever the controversy over clergy (bishops, presbyters, deacons) being married, these widows clearly are to remain celibate: "But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry...." 1 Timothy 5:11 KJV. Refuse younger widows (and children) from Church relief!? No!

A commitment to perpetual celibacy is Paul's main point in excluding younger widows.

A commitment to perpetual celibacy and service to Christ and the Church. Sounds like prototype nuns to me!

Now, since Paul is literally "forbidding" those on this roll of widows to marry (re-marry), isn't he teaching the doctrine of demons he mentions just one chapter earlier in that same book? (1 Timothy 4:3)

Maybe another tract. ;)

From the "Church Fathers" at New Advent: www.newadvent.org/fathers/

"Teach the widows to be discreet as respects the faith of the Lord, praying continually for all, being far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false-witnessing, love of money, and every kind of evil; knowing that they are the altars of God," (Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians, CHAPTER IV)

"Innumerable commands such as these are written in the holy Bible appertaining to chosen persons, some to presbyters, some to bishops, some to deacons, others to widows, of whom we shall have another opportunity of speaking." (Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book III, Chap. XII)

"I know plainly, that in a certain place a virgin of less than twenty years of age has been placed in the order of widows!" (Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins, Chap. IX)

"CHOOSE your 'widows not under sixty years of age,' that in some measure the suspicion of a second marriage may be prevented by their age. But if you admit one younger into the order of widows, and she cannot bear her widowhood in her youth, and marries, she will procure indecent reflections on the glory of the order of the widows, and shall give an account to God; not because she married a second time, but because she has 'waxed wanton against Christ,' and not kept her promise, because she did not came and keep her promise with faith and the fear of God. Wherefore such a promise ought not to be rashly made, but with great caution: 'for it is better for her not to vow, than to vow and not to pay.' " (Apostolic Constitutions, Book 3)

"Again being practiced today is the consecration of widows, known since apostolic times (cf. 1 Tim 5:5, 9-10; 1 Cor 7:8), as well as the consecration of widowers. These women and men, through a vow of perpetual chastity as a sign

of the Kingdom of God, consecrate their state of life in order to devote themselves to prayer and the service of the Church." (Pope John Paul II, VITA CONSECRATA [Consecrated Life], 1996, 

Editor: Stephen P. Haws.

www.shasta.com/sphaws/
cathview.html
sphaws@netscape.net

This tract is my own effort. It is not sponsored by my parish, diocese or Church. I am a Catholic layman with no formal theological training. The views expressed herein are my own. Should any view expressed herein be in error, as contrary to the Catholic Faith, I willingly accept Church correction.