Sermon Tone Analysis

“Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.

But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.

Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.

So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.

For some have already strayed after Satan.

If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them.

Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.”

[1]

Counted among the members of most of the churches of our Lord lies an untapped source of power.

This power of which I speak is resident in each church, though it is ignored in most.

This power is present in our own congregation; and if utilised at all, it is underutilised.

Should that power be unleashed, it would have an impact far out of proportion to the source.

The power of which I am speaking is the power of godly women—widowed and with a desire to focus on God’s glory.

The issue which Paul addresses is poorly understood, especially in the modern context.

In part, this is the result of a transition over time from an order of widows to an order of virgins, especially among many liturgical churches.

The order of widows that is presented in outline form in our text was at one time referred to as “the altar of God,” [2] a term that appears to have first been used by Polycarp, the disciple of the Apostle John.

The term, when applied to the widows, was an indication of the high respect accorded these godly women.

[3] The rationale behind this particular designation was that the widows received support from the churches, just as funds were brought to the altar, and because they blessed the people through prayer and fasting on behalf of the congregations.

It is a statement of the high regard of the labour of prayer and fasting on behalf of the congregation, a regard that is muted among too many of our churches in this day.

The order of widows was responsible among the churches in which they ministered to pray and to minister to sick women.

These were not deaconesses; they were assuredly widows.

It was expected that these widows would conduct these ministries primarily from their homes, not wasting time running from house to house, spreading gossip or stirring up quarrels.

They were to be models of godliness and decorum.

There appears to be a story to tell here—one that is almost forgotten in the mist of time.

Give me your attention as I endeavour to unravel some of the historical context in order to open some exciting possibilities for our own congregation.

*THE ORDER OF WIDOWS* — “Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age… Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.”

The Apostle has been focused on moving to action any family with a connection to those in need.

The general principle is that each family is responsible before God to care for its own members.

Whether a family counts among its numbers a widow or a widower, an orphaned child, someone who is physically or mentally incapacitated or even an individual who is unable to work for a period, the family is responsible to ensure that family members are provided for.

It should be an axiom among the churches that families provide for their own members.

It should not be assumed that those who did not have family were neglected; the account provided in ACTS 6:1-6 makes it clear that all widows represented in the assembly were cared for.

Though the discussion concerns widows, it should be obvious from previous studies that the Apostle’s instruction enjoins involvement of the congregation for any who are vulnerable.

My personal conviction is that no member of the assembly who is truly incapable of providing for himself or herself should ever be compelled to appeal to government for assistance.

It is significant that one ancient account speaks of over fifteen hundred widows and persons in distress in one particular congregation.

[4]

In effect, we witness two orders—one order, informal and supported by their own family; the other, formally established by the elders and supported by gifts from the church.

It is apparent that Timothy was to supervise the ministry of widows including regular monitoring of the approved list, finances and responsibilities.

It is this latter group of widows—widows monitored by the elders and supplied from the gifts of the congregation—that will occupy attention in the remainder of the message this day.

It is apparent that at least some widows in the New Testament congregations were enrolled into some sort of order.

I use the term “enrolled” advisedly.

That there was among the early churches an order of widows appears to be generally accepted among scholars.

[5] These widows were not clergy—they performed none of the ordinances nor served in any form of clerical role, neither did they function as deacons—they were a distinct order with prescribed responsibilities among the saints.

The basis for appointment to the order of widows is provided in our text.

Ignatius greets “the order of widows” in Philippi.

[6] Likewise, an ancient writer presenting himself as Clement, a companion of Peter, notes the institution of the “order of widows.”

[7] This order of widows among the churches appears to have continued for at least three to four hundred years after the establishment of such an order.

Only gradually did the order cease to exist, having been transformed into something quite different from what Paul instituted.

Paul sets as a standard that the widow must truly be a widow [1 TIMOTHY 5:5].

The criterion for establishing her qualification was that she had to be at least sixty years of age and well known for good deeds.

Several examples of the deeds that would qualify are spelled out.

She was to have been known for her commitment to her husband; and she was to be recognised as bringing up children—her own, of course, but possibly orphans as well.

She was to be known as hospitable [literally, “welcoming strangers”] and for refreshing the saints.

She was to care for those who were afflicted and to have devoted herself to good work.

In that environment where Christians were often persecuted and despised, she would have ample opportunity to care for those in trouble and to show hospitality.

We will consider these standards in greater detail later in the message.

Enrollment, to be blunt, was tantamount to being put on the payroll of the congregation.

[8] Literature from the Second and Third Centuries indicates that these widows received a pension from the churches, permitting them to dedicate themselves to prayer day and night.

These widows were charged to be examples of Christian behaviour in the community, to visit the sick and to pray with them.

The “Canons of the Church of Alexandria” states that widows were to pray and fast for the ministries of the church.

[9] They were to pray for the labours of the elders and for the needy represented within the congregation.

This work of prayer is emphasised in another ancient writing which dictates that those in the order of widows were specifically to pray for those who supplied their needs.

[10] In other words, the widows were to pray for the church.

This latter writing goes into considerable detail concerning the selection and appointment to the order of widows.

It also addresses the work the widows were to perform.

However, it is apparent that by this time (almost 300 years after the Resurrection of our Lord), a change was taking place.

Widows were not proscribed from remarriage.

Paul specifically states his preference that younger widows should marry [1 TIMOTHY 5:14].

However, in the fourth century literate cited, widows appear to have taken a vow of chastity which precluded marriage.

[11]

In other words, what began as a ministry with definite qualifications was being transformed into something it was never meant to be.

The order of widows was being transmogrified into an order of virgins.

That the apostolic appointment has been changed does not imply that the Apostle’s purpose has been somehow invalidated.

Those who are truly widows have a powerful role to play among the churches of our Lord.

Though it may not be necessary to enroll those who are truly widows in order to provide for them, it may be a wise step for the churches to again organise widows to give themselves to prayer and to ministries to those in need.

We have several examples of women who acted informally to fulfil the model for those who would be appointed to the order of widows.

One such individual is a woman known as Dorcas.

Dorcas is not specifically said to have been a widow, but she appears to have organised the widows in Joppa, perhaps indicating that she herself was widowed.

The account is found in Doctor Luke’s record of Peter’s ministry in the Acts.

“There was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.

She was full of good works and acts of charity.

In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.”

So Peter rose and went with them.

And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room.

All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.

But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.”

And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

And he gave her his hand and raised her up.

Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord” [ACTS 9:36-43].

Another commendable example of a godly widow that preceded the account in our text is a woman named Anna, the aged widow who encountered the holy family in the Temple.

Again, Doctor Luke provides the account of the intersection of her life with that of the Master.

“There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” [LUKE 2:36-38].

Note that this dear woman was denoted as worshipping through fasting and prayer night and day.

Only eternity will tell what power was unleashed through her prayers.

It seemed sufficiently important that the Holy Spirit included the account of her ministry.

Peter’s mother-in-law appears to have lived with his family [e.g.

MATTHEW 8:14, 15].

It would be reasonable to speculate that she was a widow who now lived with her daughter, Peter’s wife.

As soon as she was healed, she arose and served the Master.