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1 Timothy 5:3
Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Romans 1:5,12,20,21
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: …

1 Corinthians 7:32
But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

and desolate.

Isaiah 3:26
And her gates shall lament and mourn; and shebeing desolate shall sit upon the ground.

Isaiah 49:21
Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, wherehad theybeen?

Isaiah 54:1
Sing, O barren, thouthat didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thouthat didst not travail with child: for moreare the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

trusteth.

Ruth 2:12
The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Psalm 91:4
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truthshall be thy shield and buckler.

Isaiah 12:2
Behold, Godis my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAHis my strength andmy song; he also is become my salvation.

continueth.

Luke 2:37
And shewas a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but servedGod with fastings and prayers night and day.

Luke 18:1,7
And he spake a parable unto themto this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; …

Acts 26:7
Unto whichpromise our twelve tribes, instantly servingGod day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

and left all alone
This underscores the isolation and vulnerability of the widow in question. In the cultural context of the first century, family was the primary support system. A widow "left all alone" would have no children or relatives to care for her, making her plight more severe. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's concern for the lonely and marginalized (Psalm 68:5-6).

puts her hope in God
The widow's reliance on God is a central theme, reflecting a deep faith and trust in His provision. This mirrors the biblical call for believers to place their trust in God rather than in human means (Psalm 146:9). The widow's hope in God serves as a model of faith for all believers, emphasizing the importance of spiritual dependence over material security.

and continues night and day
This phrase indicates the widow's persistent and unwavering devotion. The reference to "night and day" suggests a life characterized by constant prayer and reliance on God, reminiscent of the call to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This continuous devotion is a testament to her faith and commitment.

in her petitions and prayers
The distinction between petitions and prayers may suggest both specific requests and general communication with God. This reflects the biblical practice of bringing all concerns before God (Philippians 4:6). The widow's life of prayer is a powerful example of faithfulness and spiritual discipline, aligning with the broader scriptural call to seek God earnestly (Hebrews 11:6).

- Paul distinguishes between any widow and one who is “truly in need” (1 Timothy 5:3).

- This is a woman who has no financial provision, no social safety net, nothing but God’s promise of care (James 1:27).

- The church is called to notice and honor her, not as an act of charity alone but as obedience to God’s plainly stated will.

- Verse 4 explains that if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must “learn to practice godliness toward their own family.”

- When those relatives do not exist or are unable to help, she is “left all alone,” mirroringPsalm 68:5 where the Lord declares Himself “a defender of widows.”

- Her loneliness does not make her forgotten; it makes her God’s special concern and therefore the church’s responsibility (1 Timothy 5:16).

- With no earthly security, she rests everything on the Lord’s faithfulness, much like Anna who “never left the temple” and awaited the Messiah (Luke 2:37).

- This hope is not wishful thinking; it is confident expectation rooted in promises such asPsalm 146:9—“The LORD protects the strangers; He sustains the fatherless and the widow.”

- Her life preaches a living sermon: God alone is enough.

- Persistence marks genuine faith. Paul echoes Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow who “kept coming” until justice was done (Luke 18:1–8).

- “Night and day” is a figure of speech for unbroken devotion, comparable to “pray without ceasing” in1 Thessalonians 5:17.

- Trials do not shorten her prayers; they lengthen them.

- “Petitions” highlights specific requests; “prayers” covers the full range of worship, confession, and intercession (Philippians 4:6).

- She approaches “the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16), believing God hears the lowly (Psalm 34:15).

- Far from idle, she becomes a powerhouse of spiritual ministry, blessing her church even while materially poor.

1 Timothy 5:5 portrays a destitute widow who has no one but God and therefore has everything she needs. Her steadfast hope and ceaseless prayer set the standard for faith-filled dependence, while calling the church to tangible, compassionate action on her behalf.

It has been asked why, in these official directions to Timothy, the question of relief ofpoor Christian widows comes so prominently forward. We find also that, in the first years which succeeded the Ascension, manywidows in Jerusalem seemed to have been dependent on the Church for sustenance (Acts 6:1). Now we should expect to find in the Church of Christ the same loving care which was taken in the old days, when Israel was a great nation, of these solitary and unhappy women. (Comp.Deuteronomy 24:17, where we find special laws respecting the garments of widows never to be taken in pledge. See, too, such passages asExodus 22:22;Deuteronomy 27:19;Isaiah 1:17;Jeremiah 7:6; alsoIsaiah 10:2;Malachi 3:5.) Still, this hardly accounts for the statement ofActs 6:1 and these lengthened directions to Timothy. It is more than probable that there were, especially in these Eastern cities, a very large class of these desolate and unprotected women. The practice of polygamy is accountable for this, in the first instance; and the rigid morality of the Christian teaching would place a bar to the female convert from heathenism relapsing into a life where moral restraints were utterly disregarded. The charities of the early Church, especially in Oriental cities, were, without doubt, heavily burdened with this grave and increasing charge--provision for these poor desolate women; and it was to relieve the congregations in some degree that St. Paul wrote these elaborate instructions to Timothy, warning him, as the chief minister of the Ephesian Church, against an indiscriminate charity, and at the same time providing him with a system of severe restraints to be imposed upon the assisted women. . . .