How To Treat Us Old Folks
The first portion of chapter 5 (1 Timothy 5:1-16) deals primarily with how to deal with needy widows, but also throws in a few comments for old folks in positions of authority in general. Paul suggests to Timothy that he treat the elders in the church as a father figure, and the younger male members of the church as his brothers. He should likewise consider the elder women as mother figures and the younger female members as sisters. This would show respect for the age and their accumulated knowledge and wisdom in general. By thinking of the younger people as brothers and sisters Timothy would be more likely to stay pure.
Since Christianity was brand new, it is very possible that everyone was starting on the same foot with respect to their Christian knowledge. However, for those coming out of a Jewish background, the older people may have at least had a greater knowledge or understanding of the Old Testament which would help everyone to understand the nature and expectations of God the Father. At any rate, the people elevated to elder as in the previous chapter would be expected to be stable figures as we all hope our own earthly fathers are.
After this brief comment about elders, Paul launches into a long practical piece about widows in the church. Churches have never had unlimited budgets to help people. The need always seems to be bigger than the available funds. Some churches and denominations seem to be doing slightly better because they've been around for a much longer time and have more established and paid for facilities. Some, like the Catholic church, have been around for millennia.
But even there, the needs are greater because they are literally located all around the world. For more recent churches and denominations that have split off recently, funds are sometimes spread pretty thin. For all of the TV evangelists you read about who are raking in lots of cash and spending it in unwise fashions, there are thousands or tens of thousands of pastors and priests, nuns, and other lay people, who are just getting by and for whom that will be a constant.
So just as in this letter, groups have to try to budget what they can afford to spend money on and benevolence, or helping those who can't help themselves, is a line item that never has enough. All people who are managing those functions in a church need to have a very close relationship with the Holy Spirit in order to properly weigh the true need and the best way to help those who seek assistance.
It used to be that the church was one of the primary means of assistance in a community. Now, at least in the United States, there is a much wider welfare net than there was say a century ago. So people have cut back on donations because they're mad at the church over something and feel there is a safety net that their taxes are already paying for. If that rings true with you, seriously pray about it. Read up on tithing in Tithes and Offerings and Giving Generously for some more thoughts about it.
At any rate, the new church at Ephesus didn't have enough funds to handle everyone who wanted help, so Paul gave some guidelines concerning widows here. I'll let you read the details yourself, but it boils down to prioritizing older widows who had nobody else to support them and who had made a practice of helping others when they were able. Children or other near kin are to take care of their own elders without relying on the church. Finally, younger widows are expected to marry again, and all are warned to not become tale bearers and busybodies. That's good advice for everybody.
Let the Holy Spirit be your guide in setting your own parameters for who to help. Remember that as long as there is no hint of favoritism, it's all right to make an exception to the rules if the Holy Spirit so directs. God's the boss, after all. Be very careful in tailoring programs that in theory could help anyone in the church that qualifies, but which will immediately help someone in a position of authority. Those kind of things rarely pass the smell test when viewed by the church body or non-Christians looking for a church to attend.
Dealing With Elders
Paul then makes a quick diversion in 1 Timothy 5:17-18 to say that it is appropriate to honor the elders who are working hard. This is put in what would now be considered financial terms in verse 18. There are those who will do a work in the church year after year without any expectation of praise or a reward, hoping only that when they get to heaven someone will say "I'm here because of you", whether directly or indirectly. That's all any of us can really hope for, as anything else we receive will be forgotten or spent or will go to someone else when we die, probably without them knowing any association between the item and the work that caused it to be received.
But work can get long and tedious. Some jobs in the church are harder than others. Someone who faithfully cleans the church is awesome! For those of us in snowy areas, those who clear the walks and parking lots are awesome! In some cases, these are paid positions or contracted positions, but in others they are volunteer. Give thanks to everyone who is a blessing to you.
If it is within the ability of the church to provide financial help for those who carry on the Lord's work in any capacity, you should do so. Just don't do it as a means of control. Each person has to listen to the same God you do for how they carry out their job function. If there is something that is black and white wrong based on the Bible, you have cause to intervene and correct, and indeed should do so regardless of whether the position is paid or not. But training people up in the way they should go also has merit. Some people volunteer or are put in positions they aren't ready for because the workers are always few. Listen to the Holy Spirit for staffing.
Lastly, if the Holy Spirit has appointed someone, also listen very carefully to His leading when you get an accusation against them. Make sure there are multiple witnesses to any problem that is bandied about. If there are true sin issues, then deal with them in public.
Personal Life Suggestions
The last few verses (1 Timothy 5:21-25) deal with Paul's charges to Timothy. Even though directed at Timothy and his ministry, there are useful things to consider for each of us. Don't be partial when dealing with people. This is much easier to say than to do. We're all human and whenever you get a group of humans together, there are very likely to be one or two who rub you the wrong way. Maybe they rub everyone the wrong way! But that doesn't matter for a church. You can't treat one group differently than the others. It isn't right as Christians.
This can be a very subtle thing. For a new pastor who is trying to grow their ministry, it is very easy to try to make new members feel welcome and to spend time with them to try to get them firmly established. That's not a bad thing. But if you neglect your regular attenders or your older members, you aren't meeting the impartial standard God set.
Some members are much needier than others. It is easy for one or two really needy people to tie up a great deal of the pastor's or staff's time. This can also give problems with impartiality.
Next, he suggests you don't grab someone by the throat and shake them silly - no that isn't quite what he says, but the meaning is similar. All Christians should work hard on following Christ's example. I'm sure He would have enjoyed seeing the temple guards faces if He'd called down a legion of angels to straighten them out when they came for Him in the garden of Gethsemane - or when the Romans were leading Him away to be crucified. Yet if Jesus could go willingly to His cruel death, knowing He had an out if He wanted, surely we can go through our lives without laying hands violently on one another.
Stay pure in thought and deed. Remember that some people do good and evil in public and some try to hide their good and evil deeds. In the final judgment, all will be made known that people have done, both good and bad.
Paul gives Timothy a specific suggestion to drink a little wine instead of the water he had been drinking. Water isn't always safe everywhere in the world. Romans had sophisticated plumbing systems in place. The problem was they used lead piping. Water sources could be contaminated. We have no idea how lucky we have it in first world countries with safe water today. I will neither suggest nor admonish against drinking wine or alcohol. All I can say is God said don't get drunk, and it is easy to do, sneaking up on you unexpectedly. People who are alcoholics need to find another answer completely rather than take this as an excuse to drink.