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1 Timothy 5:11
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11 But [de] the younger [neos] widows [chera] refuse: [paraiteomai] for [gar] when [hotan] they have begun to wax wanton against [katastreniao] Christ, [Christos] they will [thelo] marry; [gameo] KJV-Interlinear
11 But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, NASB
In contrast to older widows, the younger widows are to be refused when and if they inquire to participate in ministerial service.
The word for refuse, ‘paraiteomai,’ means to decline or avoid. And this means simply to not pursue a work relationship that most probably will not work out. It is not a hardnosed attitude, but a courtesy in common sense.
Wanton against Christ, ‘katastreniao,’ means to become voluptuous against, to be inclined to devote to the sensual.
And this does not mean to become anti-christian, but is means to become distracted with respect to ones purpose.
Younger implies that the widow is still of a marrying age, with emotional tendencies leaning in that direction.
And simply put, the woman (or anyone for that matter), who has their attentions split into two separate and/or opposite directions, must choose between the two. You simply cannot serve two masters, so to speak. And this is the purpose meant here.
Neither of the directions is wrong. Marriage is not wrong. Serving in the ministry in some capacity is not wrong. However, in the case of the women, their main role (back in Pauls day) was to work in the home. And that would, back then, have been a full time job.
And no one can work two separate full time jobs effectively. Sooner or later one of them has to give way to the other. And being a wife and mother has to give way to church service and concentrate on the responsibilities in the home. And that is only a reasonable choice.
Therefore, Paul states what should be otherwise obvious. Do not do that which will, most likely, not work. Don’t even begin the process.
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