THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY - Chapter 5 - Verse 11

Verse 11. But the younger widows refuse. That is, in respect to the matter under discussion. Do not admit them into the class of widows referred to. It cannot mean that he was to reject them as members of the church, or not to treat them with respect and kindness.

For when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ. There is probably a thought conveyed by these words to most minds which is by no means in the original, and which does injustice both to the apostle and to the "younger widows" referred to. In the Greek there is no idea of wantonness in the sense of lasciviousness or lewdness; nor was this, though now a common idea attached to the word, by any means essential to it when our translation was made. The word wanton then meant wandering or roving in gayety or sport; moving or flying loosely; playing in the wind; then, wandering from moral rectitude, licentious, dissolute, libidinous.—Webster. The Greek word here used, katastrhniazw, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The word strhniaw —however, is used twice, and is in both cases translated lived deliciously, Re 18:7,9. The word is derived from strhnov —strenos— (whence strenuous,) properly meaning rudeness, insolence, pride, and hence, revel, riot, luxury; or from strhnhv, strenes the adjective,—strong, stiff, hard, rough. The verb then means "to live strenuously, rudely," as in English, "to live hard;" also to live wild, or without restraint; to run riot, to live luxuriously. The idea of strength is the essential one, and then of strength that is not subordinate to law; that is wild and riotous. See Passow and Robinson, Lex. The sense here is, that they would not be subordinate to the restraints implied in that situation; they would become impatient, and would marry again. The idea is not that of wantonness or lewdness, but it is that of a mind not subdued by age and by trials, and that would be impatient under the necessary restraints of the condition which was contemplated. They could not be depended on with certainty, but they might be expected again to enter into the married relation.

They will marry. It is clear from this that the apostle did not contemplate any vows which would prevent their marrying again; nor does he say that it would be absolutely wrong for them to marry, even if they were admitted into that rank, as if there were any vows to restrain them from doing it. This passage, therefore, can never be adduced in favour of that practice of taking the veil in nunneries, and of a vow of perpetual seclusion from the world.

{*} "refuse" "reject" {+} "wanton against Christ" "To grow weary of the restraint of Christ"