1 Timothy 5:7

Blameless] RV 'without reproach,' that the Church widows may not be spoken ill of as women whom their relatives ought to support.

9, 10. The qualifications for being put on the widows' list, besides being destitute, are, (1) to be 60 years of age; (2) to have been faithful to her husband or husbands (a 'woman of one man'); (3) to be of good reputation; (4) to have brought up her children well; (5) to have shown hospitality to strangers (cp. 3 John 1:5); (6) to have washed the saints' feet (i.e. humbly ministered to her fellow-Christians; (7) helped any in distress; (8) to be fruitful of good works.

11-15. Reasons against admitting younger widows. After devoting themselves to the service of Christ in their first grief, they may afterwards marry and give up their work, in spite of the promise they made at the beginning, and if not that, they may become gossips and scandal-mongers. It is better that they should marry again, and occupy themselves with the cares of a household. From this we see that St. Paul was no enemy to second marriages, and he would not, therefore, have excluded elderly women from the widows' company because they had been twice married. This view confirms the meaning already given to 'wife of one man' (1 Timothy 5:9).