NOTES for Ti1 5:1-16

All of today’s reading shows us how pragmatic the apostle Paul was, how full of common sense and clear practical judgment. He proposes relying on people who have already proved themselves to be dependable Christians. He thinks it better for young widows to marry than to devote themselves to God. Older widows are better off living among their children and grandchildren. Looked at from the standpoint of ordinary life, these simple pieces of advice may seem excessively rational. But above all, Paul is trying to show us that Christianity is not a state of constant exaltation, that it does not concern only lofty realms, but also entails a real knowledge of human nature.