χηρας 5503 N-APF τιμα 5091 5720 V-PAM-2S τας 3588 T-APF οντως 3689 ADV χηρας 5503 N-APF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Honor (tima). Not only by respectful treatment but by financial support. Comp. timhsei, Matt. xv. 5, and pollaiv timaiv ejtimhsan, Acts xxviii. 10; and diplhv timhv 1 Tim. v. 17. Comp. Sir. xxxviii. 1. 'The verb only once in Paul (Eph. vi. 2, citation), and only here in Pastorals.Widows (chrav). Paul alludes to widows in 1 Cor. vii. 8 only, where he advises them against remarrying. They are mentioned as a class in Acts vi. 1, in connection With the appointment of the seven. Also Acts ix. 39, 41. In the Pastorals they receive special notice, indicating their advance from the position of mere beneficiaries to a quasi-official position in the church. from the very first, the church recognised its obligation to care for their support. A widow, in the East, was peculiarly desolate and helpless. 119 In return for their maintenance certain duties were required of them, such as the care of orphans, sick and prisoners, and they were enrolled in an order, which, however, did not include all of their number who received alms of the church. In Polyearp's Epistle to the Philippians, they are styled "the altar of God." To such an order the references in the Pastorals point. The Fathers, from the end of the second century to the fourth, recognised a class known as presbutidev aged women (Tit. ii. 3), who had oversight of the female church-members and a separate seat in the congregation. The council of Laoclicaea abolished this institution, or so modified it that widows no longer held an official relation to the church. Who are widows indeed (tav ontwv chrav). Comp. vv. 5, 16. Ontwv verily, truly, twice in Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 25; Gal. iii. 21. See on 2 Peter ii. 18. Wherever ontwv is used by Paul or by any other N.T. writer, it is used purely as an adverb (see Luke xxiii. 47; xxiv. 34): but in all the four instances in the Pastorals, it is preceded by the article and converted into an adjective. The meaning is, who are absolutely bereaved, without children or relations (comp. ver. 4), and have been but once married. There is probably also an implied contrast with those described in vv. 6, 11-13.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:3 {That are widows indeed} (tas ontws ceras). For ontws (actually, really), see #Lu 23:47; 1Co 14:25; and verse #5. For widows (cera) see #Mr 12:40,42; Ac 6:1; 1Co 7:8. Parry notes that in verses #3-8 Paul discusses widows who are in distress and #9-16 those who are in the employment of the local church for certain work. Evidently, as in Acts #6:1-6, so here in Ephesus there had arisen some trouble over the widows in the church. Both for individual cases of need and as a class Timothy is to show proper respect (tima, keep on honoring) the widows.
