Please read 1Timothy 5
This
passage is sometimes used to justify a call for people to financially
support the leaders of local churches and parishes. But is this an
accurate assessment of the passage?
It
should first be noted that of the various English bible translations,
only a few mention "financial support". Of these, the inclusion
sometimes appears within brackets indicating uncertainty as to whether
or not it should really be there.
For
the most part, the translation typically reads: "Consider the elders
who rule/lead you. Honour them, especially if they work hard to peach
and teach."
Can
we say with confidence that God asks people to financially support
their leaders? Maybe, bu because is verse is unclear, it is not safe to
assume we do. Let us continue.
The
next question is who these elders are. Are they elders in character
regardless of age, such as appear in Titus or Timothy? Or are they
elders as in older members of a community?
Please
read again versus 5:1 and 5:17 and also use the concordance (left
sidebar). What is the Greek word being translated as elder in each
verse? Are they the same or different words? What is their respective
contexts?
- 5:1 ... indicates elder as in age
- 5:17... unclear
- However, the focus is similar in both verses. What is this focus? Even the wording seems almost identical.
- What does this similarity suggest about who 1Timothy 5 is speaking of?
Could
an analogy be being made between how we treat older people (5:1) and
our church leaders (5:17)? Maybe, but to do this requires using
everything before 5:17, and treating it as a metaphor. This includes
what is spoken of about widows because what is shared about them flows
out of 5:1. In short, everything prior to 5:17 is about elder in age.
Also there is no transition (eg like, therefore, parable intro, etc)
to suggest 5:17 starts a new topic.
So
for the moment imagine an analogy is being made. How would this read?
But before you do, consider what does it mean to "honour them"? Again
use the concordance to look up the word "honour". What is the Greek
word? Now use the concordance to look at 5:3. Find where this Greek
word also appears. Why in this sentence does it not translate "honour"
but instead "take care of"? Why is it specifically used for widows?
What
happens if we insert the translation, because we treat what is written
as an anology, of elder as church elder as in function regardless of
age, as occurs in the church life today? It would read something like:
"Care for your local church elders. However, if they have the ability
to support themself, let them. If they cannot, but have kids or
grandkids, let their own family support them so it may not be a burden
on the broader church. Failing these, please take care of them
yourself."
Okay,
they may not be widows, nor older members of the community, but care
for church leaders anyway. How? In the same way as the frail, the
vulnerable, the isolated, the family-less, the ones who have little
option but the support of others. Care for them because they have one
of a wide variety of roles among God's kingdom.
Does
this sound like an analogy of leadership? Does this sound like a
gospel founded leader? Why would a list be given for what it means to
be a true widow, someone really in need, and then say to someone who
takes up a leadership role, be like that, this is how God want his
leaders to be?
In
other words, does 1Timothy 5 speak of leaders of local churches as we
understand them today? Does either the text or God's heart allow it?
Does the language or context speak of people older in age with certain
needs or leaders whatever their age? Yes, we may choose to cared
for/support our church leaders because they lead, but does this passage
either raise the issue, let alone require it?
Does
the pastor, priest, leaders of your church or parish fit this need?
Does choosing to go into full time ministry qualify that person for
being support according to is passage? Could doing other work, a job,
detract from running the logistics of the local church? Maybe. Maybe
not. But regardless, does worrying about the consequences of ministry
involvement create the meaning of this passage or simply your
interpretation of it?
