Instructions in 1 Timothy 5 concerning widows show the practical application of Christian principles of caring.  They also show the need to understand instructions in their context so that the principle but not the literal detail can be employed today in whatever way is now appropriate.

Honour widows who are real widows.  If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents....

Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband; and she must be well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.  But refuse to enrol younger widows....    (1 Timothy 5:3-11)

As is often the case, it is necessary to try to deduce the context.  Caring for widows is regarded throughout the Bible as an important feature of true religion.  1 Timothy was written to cope with a number of problems in Ephesus:  false teachers had been leading believers astray (1 Timothy 1:3-7),  men had been quarrelling at prayer (2:8), women had been dressing extravagantly (2:9), church leaders had been given to drink (3:3), and there had been many other problems, as can be deduced by reading the corrective instructions in this letter.  Behind the instructions about widows we can trace the following problems:

(a) Widows were relying on ecclesial financial support when their family could and should have looked after them.  (They were not “real widows” in the sense of being left entirely alone.)

(b) Other widows were receiving financial support from the ecclesia but were then bringing disgrace on the ecclesia by living dissolute, worldly lives.

(c) Younger widows appear to have initially been given ecclesial support in return for which they pledged themselves to specific ecclesial work.  But they grew tired of this, gave up their pledge to the ecclesia and wanted to re-marry.  Some also went from house to house gossiping and interfering with everybody else.

It appears that at this date widows were being enrolled not only to be given financial support but to take on specific duties for the ecclesia.

The instructions therefore which Paul gave were intended as an immediate practical solution to these problems.  Families were to support their widowed relatives, younger widows were to marry again and raise a family, and only widows who had previously shown commendable standards of behaviour were to be put on the official list of helpers.  The age of sixty was a recognised age in the pagan world where it was felt appropriate for elderly people to devote themselves to religious activities.  By specifying the age of sixty Paul is not therefore saying that younger widows in need of ecclesial support should not receive it.  He is giving a suitable rule for a group of ecclesial workers in the particular situation in Ephesus. The principle for today is that workers in the ecclesia should be responsible people whose lives match the duties they undertake.