Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

1 Timothy 5:11

There are two main factors in the interpretation of this verse: (1) a general Church regulation not laid down by St. Paul but found in existence by him that a widow in receipt of relief should be ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή; and (2) his determination to make provision that no scandal should arise from broken vows. The notion was that there was a marriage tie between Christ and the Church widow. This would be her first faith, her earliest and still valid plighted troth. Cf. Revelation 2:4, τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκες (of the Church at Ephesus).

νεωτέρας may be rendered positively, young.

παραιτοῦ : reject. This verb is used of “profane and old wives' fables” (1 Timothy 4:7), of “foolish and ignorant questionings” (2 Timothy 2:23), of “a man that is heretical” (Titus 3:10); so that, at first sight, it seems a harsh term to use in reference to “young widows”. But the harshness is explained when we remember that St. Paul is speaking, not of the widows in themselves, but as applicants for admission to the roll of specially privileged Church widows. In a Church still immature as to its organisation and morale the authorities would be only courting disaster were they to assume the control of young widows, a class whose condition gave them independence in the heathen society around them.

καταστρηνιάσωσιν : Cum enim luxuriatae fuerint [in deliciis egerint, [280] 110] in Christo (Vulg.).

[280] Speculum

The word denotes the particular character of their restiveness. It was understood with this sexual reference in Pseud. Ignat. ad Antioch. 11, αἱ χῆραι μὴ σπαταλάτωσαν, ἵνα μὴ καταστρηνιάσωσι τοῦ λόγου. στρῆνος (over-strength), wantonness or luxury occurs Revelation 18:3; στρηνιάω, Revelation 18:7; Revelation 18:9, to wax wanton, live wantonly, or luxuriously. The preposition κατά, with the genitive, has the sense against, of opposition, as in καταβραβεύω, καταγελάω, καταδικάζω, κατακαυχάομαι, κατακρίνω, etc.

For ὅταν with the subjunctive or indicative, see Winer-Moulton, Grammar, p. 388. The subjunctive, as in the text, is the normally correct way of expressing a contemplated contingency.

τοῦ Χριστοῦ : Here only in the Pastorals.

γαμεῖν θέλουσι : θέλειν has here an emphatic sense, as in John 7:17; and its association here supports the view that it “designates the will which pro-deeds from inclination,” as contrasted with βούλομαι, “the will which follows deliberation” (Thayer's Grimm, s.v.). γαμεῖν is used of the woman also, 1 Timothy 5:14; Mark 10:12; 1Co 7:28; 1 Corinthians 7:34.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

1 Timothy 5:11

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