하나님나라를 꿈꾸며(Kingdom of God)

11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when rtheir passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also sgossips and tbusybodies, saying what they should not. 14 So I would have uyounger widows marry, bear children, vmanage their households, and wgive the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 xFor some have already strayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those ywho are truly widows.

r [Rev. 18:3, 7, 9]

s 3 John 10 (Gk.)

t 2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Pet. 4:15

u [1 Cor. 7:9]

v [Titus 2:5]

w ch. 6:1; Titus 2:5, 8

x [ch. 1:20]

y ver. 3, 5

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 딤전 5:11–16.

11 젊은 과부는 올리지 말지니 이는 정욕으로 그리스도를 배반할 때에 시집 가고자 함이니

12 처음 믿음을 저버렸으므로 정죄를 받느니라

13 또 그들은 게으름을 익혀 집집으로 돌아 다니고 게으를 뿐 아니라 쓸데없는 말을 하며 일을 만들며 마땅히 아니할 말을 하나니

14 그러므로 젊은이는 시집 가서 아이를 낳고 집을 다스리고 대적에게 비방할 기회를 조금도 주지 말기를 원하노라

15 이미 사탄에게 돌아간 자들도 있도다

16 만일 믿는 여자에게 과부 친척이 있거든 자기가 도와 주고 교회가 짐지지 않게 하라 이는 참 과부를 도와 주게 하려 함이라

 대한성서공회, 성경전서: 개역개정, 전자책. (서울시 서초구 남부순환로 2569: 대한성서공회, 1998), 딤전 5:11–16.

 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 딤전 5:11.

-  5:11 The strong disjunction between this section (vv. 11ff.) and the previous (vv. 9, 10) is indicated not only by δέ, but also by the contrasting contents. In vv. 9 and 10 elderly widows are to be put on the list (καταλεγέσθω). In vv. 11ff. “younger widows” are to be “refused” (παραιτοῦ) enrollment. Although who would be a “younger” widow (νεωτέρας, the comparative form of νέος) is implied by the age requirement of at least sixty (v. 9), the primary focus appears in v. 14 with the counsel to remarry and and bear children.

The clause comprising the remainder of v. 11 and v. 12 gives the first reason for this prohibition: When those who have been enrolled want to marry they thereby fall under the judgment of having broken their pledge of serving Christ as widows. The ὅταν (“when”) clause indicates a very likely possibility that provides the condition on which the following clause, “they want to marry,” depends. These two clauses then become the condition on which the judgment of v. 12 is based.

καταστρηνιάζω** (a biblical hapax) is a compound verb composed of στρηνιάζω and κατά, in the sense of “against,” which requires that the object be genitive. The meaning of the uncompounded form expresses the strong impulse of sexual desire, which naturally makes such young widows “want to marry.” This desire to marry means that they will need to set aside or annul the commitment they have made to serve Christ as widows. Thus Paul gives the main objection to enrolling younger widows in the very compact statement καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ: “they feel the impulse of sexual desire that alienates from Christ” (see Rienecker-Rogers, Linguistic Key, ad loc.). This compacted statement is then unpacked in what follows.

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 225–226.

-  5:13 Paul’s second and concomitant reason for refusing enrollment to younger widows is introduced with “and at the same time also” (ἅμα δὲ καί; BAGD s.v. ἅμα 1a indicates that the word is used as an adverb “denoting the coincidence of two actions in time”; Phm. 22 is the only other Pauline occurrence of the three words together). This reason is that they may become “idle” (ἀργαί) and, even more than idlers, “gossips and busybodies” (φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι), saying things they ought not say.

“They learn through experience” (μανθάνουσιν, see v. 4) to be (εἶναι understood, see BDF §146.2; BAGD s.v. μανθάνω 4) “idle” (ἀργαί; Kelly suggests that the inferred infinitive is not necessary and suggests the idiom “they qualify as such and such” with a “touch of sarcasm implied”; so also Lock and Simpson). For Paul, to be “idle” or “lazy” (“inactive” in this sense) is inherently contrary to the Christian calling to serve God and is thus wrong (cf. 2 Thes. 3:6–12, where he refers to those not working as “busybodies,” as here).

Paul says that such women “learn to be idle” περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, literally, “going around the houses.” One understanding of this clause is that they would be “misusing their opportunities in visitation” (Guthrie, similarly White). Another is that they are, as the RSV puts it, “gadding about from house to house” in the sense of wasting their time and that of others and even perhaps intruding (cf. Fee). Since φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι are connected syntactically with μανθάνουσιν and περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας as much as ἀργαί is, the former understanding is most likely correct in that it provides not only the occasion to “learn to be idle” but also, if not even more so, the occasion to learn to be “gossips and busybodies.”

Paul continues with an “and not only … but also” (οὐ μόνον δὲ … ἀλλὰ καί) conjunctional combination, which adds to his concern that the women become idle a concern that they become φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι. φλύαροι** (a biblical hapax; see Spicq, Notes II, 949) designates those who are “gossips,” i.e., as Paul indicates further, those “saying things they ought not to” (NIV). περίεργοι (see 2 Thes. 3:11: περιεργαζομένους, “busybodies”) means here “busybodies,” i.e., those who pay attention to things that do not concern them (see BAGD) and who busy themselves about the concerns of others. Possibly Paul is using a wordplay here between ἀργαί and περίεργοι, as possibly also in 2 Thes. 3:11 (μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους). “λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα expresses the positively mischievous activity of the φλύαροι, as περίεργοι” (White). τὰ δέοντα (the neuter plural participle of the impersonal verb δεῖ; according to Abbott-Smith, Lexicon, s.v. τὰ μὴ δέοντα = ἃ οὐ δεῖ) indicates the things that ought to be. With the negative μή and the participle λαλοῦσαι, the phrase indicates things that ought not be said.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

BDF F. Blass and A. Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. and rev. R. W. Funk from the 10th German ed. Chicago, 1961.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

RSV Revised Standard Version

NIV New International Version

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 227–228.

-  5:14 Paul encourages young widows to marry, enter fully into family life, and thus eliminate the aforementioned occasions for temptation and criticism (the inferential οὖν links this consequent command, or exhortation, to the preceding). He uses the verb βούλομαι (“I want” in NASB, “would have” in RSV, “my wish” in NEB, “I counsel” in NIV) to express his apostolic direction. The direct personal involvement signified in first person singular βούλομαι is not unusual for Paul (this form in Phil. 1:12; 1 Tim. 2:8; Tit. 3:8; imperfect in 2 Cor. 1:15; Phm. 13; nominative singular participle in 2 Cor. 1:17). Paul directs this counsel to the νεωτέρας, used here without χήρας, which appears in v. 11, but with it still understood: “the younger (widows).” The counsel is “to marry” (γαμεῖν, Pl.* 12x, 9x in 1 Corinthians 7, 3x in 1 Timothy: 4:3; 5:11, 14).

Now in 1 Timothy 5 the principle of acting in accordance with God’s gift to the individual (cf. 1 Cor. 7:7) comes to expression as a general rule, without Paul’s feeling the necessity to express the exception that he made in 1 Corinthians 7. Thus both passages express the same principle. The application in 1 Timothy 5 of Paul’s own principle is that he now recognizes more clearly that being married before (i.e., being a widow) is, as a general rule, an indicator of how God has gifted one with reference to marriage and thus a reason to counsel remarriage (cf. already 1 Cor. 7:9). Paul may also be opposing the encouragement given by the culture to remain unmarried by its praise for the “univira” (see Lock and Fee at 1 Tim. 5:10).

The younger widow is not only counseled to remarry but also to “bear children” (τεκνογονεῖν,** a biblical hapax not found in Greek before this occurrence) and to “keep house” (NASB) or “manage their homes” (NIV, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν,** another biblical hapax not found earlier). The benefit of such a course of action is that it would “give the enemy no occasion for reproach” (μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν). The infinitive διδόναι, “to give,” is used in a parallel construction with the preceding infinitives, but in meaning it is dependent on them in the sense that, if the first three things are done (marry, bear children, and manage one’s home, especially the first), then “no occasion for reproach” is left to be given. μηδεμίαν is used here as an adjective meaning “no.” ἀφορμή means literally “the starting-point or base of operations for an expedition” and in our literature “occasion, pretext, opportunity for something” (BAGD). Paul does not want the widows’ situation to provide such to “the one opposing,” “the opponent, enemy” (BAGD s.v. ἀντίκειμαι). The singular participle may be generic, or it may refer to the devil. Paul uses the word elsewhere of humans and of the Antichrist. Here the context is not conclusive. Whatever the reference, the λοιδόρια** (“verbal abuse, reproach, reviling,” BAGD; also in 1 Pet. 3:9) here would seem to be communicated by humans (cf. 4:1). Paul wants to remove the occasion “for” (χάριν, a preposition almost always appearing after the noun it governs) such “reproach.”

NASB New American Standard Bible

RSV Revised Standard Version

NEB New English Bible

NIV New International Version

NASB New American Standard Bible

NIV New International Version

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 228–229.

 

3 Honor widows dwho are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn eto show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for fthis is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 She gwho is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and hcontinues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but ishe who is self-indulgent is jdead even while she lives. 7 kCommand these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for lmembers of his household, he has mdenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

d ver. 5, 16

e Matt. 15:4–6; Mark 7:10–13; Eph. 6:1, 2; [Gen. 45:9–11]

f ch. 2:3

g ver. 3, 16

h [Luke 2:37; 18:1–5]

i James 5:5; [Ezek. 16:49]

j Rev. 3:1

k ch. 4:11; 6:2

l See Gal. 6:10

m Rev. 2:13; [2 Tim. 3:5; Titus 1:16; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 3:8]

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 딤전 5:3–8.

3 참 과부인 과부를 존대하라

4 만일 어떤 과부에게 자녀나 손자들이 있거든 그들로 먼저 자기 집에서 효를 행하여 부모에게 보답하기를 배우게 하라 이것이 하나님 앞에 받으실 만한 것이니라

5 참 과부로서 외로운 자는 하나님께 소망을 두어 주야로 항상 간구와 기도를 하거니와

6 향락을 좋아하는 자는 살았으나 죽었느니라

7 네가 또한 이것을 명하여 그들로 책망 받을 것이 없게 하라

8 누구든지 자기 친족 특히 자기 가족을 돌보지 아니하면 믿음을 배반한 자요 불신자보다 더 악한 자니라

 대한성서공회, 성경전서: 개역개정, 전자책. (서울시 서초구 남부순환로 2569: 대한성서공회, 1998), 딤전 5:3–8.

-  5:3 With the second person singular imperative “honor” (τίμα), it might appear that Paul is continuing to instruct only Timothy, as he has in vv. 1 and 2. A closer examination reveals that he is instructing the church through Timothy. This inclusive note is sounded with the plural verbs in vv. 4 and 7 (“let them learn,” “they may be above reproach”), with the repeated indefinite (“any”) of vv. 4, 8, and 16, and finally with the explicit reference to the church in the summarizing words of v. 16b. Furthermore, the key terms that begin and end the section are plural (“widows,” vv. 3, 16), which implies that others are in view. Paul may have been influenced by the second person singular imperative in the fifth commandment (LXX τίμα in Ex. 20:12 and Dt. 5:16, as here) and may have assumed that its application to all God’s people would be as obvious here as it is in the Ten Commandments.

Paul’s charge to “honor widows” (χήρας τίμα) echoes the repeated concern for widows found in the OT (Ex. 22:22, 23; Dt. 10:18; 14:29; 24:17–21; 26:12, 13; 27:19; Jb. 24:3, 21; 31:16; Pss. 68:5; 94:6; 146:9; Pr. 15:25; Is. 1:17, 23; Je. 7:6; 22:3; Zc. 7:10; Mal. 3:5), which is reflected elsewhere in the NT (especially Acts 6:1–6; Jas. 1:27). χήρα has as its basic meaning a “woman left without a husband” (see the excellent article by G. Stählin, TDNT IX, 440–65). Paul specifies that he is using the term with the properly attendant and necessary connotations when he adds “who are widows indeed” (τὰς ὄντως χήρας; the phrase appears in the NT only in vv. 3, 5, and 16). He will indicate what he means by the phrase in v. 5.

Paul’s use of τιμάω here is surely influenced by its use in the fifth commandment. Moreover, the only other Pauline occurrence of the verb is a direct quotation of this commandment (Eph. 6:2), and use of the verb in the Synoptics most often reflects this commandment (6 of 10x: Mt. 15:4, 6; 19:19; Mk. 7:10; 10:19; Lk. 18:20). τιμάω means here not only “respect or revere” but “includes material provisions as well” (J. Schneider, TDNT VIII, 179; cf. also Jeremias). This is evidenced by several considerations: The duty to which children are called with reference to widows involves material provision, so that the church will not have to provide such aid (implied in v. 4, stated in v. 16). V. 16 encourages a woman to help any widows in her family so that the church will not be financially burdened and may help those without such help. The passage immediately following v. 16 uses the cognate noun (τιμή) for compensation (vv. 17, 18). Furthermore, the church already understood its responsibilities to widows in this way (Acts 6:1–6). Moreover, Jesus indicated that the injunction to honor parents included material help (cf. Mt. 15:5, 6).

τὰς ὄντως χήρας has been translated in various ways. “Who really are all alone” (TEV) is too restrictive (so Fee), “widows indeed” (NASB; cf. RSV: “real widows”) is an accurate translation, and the paraphrase “widows who are such in the full sense” (NEB) catches the point. ὄντως is not being used to deny that others are widows in the normal sense of the word, but rather to signify those who qualify for the church’s care. Paul will remind family members that they should care for their widows (vv. 4, 8, 16) so that the church can have the ability to care for ταῖς ὄντως χήραις (v. 16). His description in v. 5 will explain the phrase.

TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, tr. G. W. Bromiley, I–X. Grand Rapids, 1964–76.

TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, tr. G. W. Bromiley, I–X. Grand Rapids, 1964–76.

TEV Today’s English Version (Good News Bible)

NASB New American Standard Bible

RSV Revised Standard Version

NEB New English Bible

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 215–216.

5절) 본절은 참 과부의 조건을 언급한다. 

1) 도와줄 사람이 없는 외로운 자

2) 오직 하나님께 소망을 두는 자

3) 주야로 항상 간구와 기도를 하는 자

‘외로운’으로 번역된 ‘메모노메네’는 ‘홀로’라는 의미의 ‘모노스’에서 파생된 동사 ‘모노오’의 완료 수동태로 직역하면 ‘홀로 남겨진’의 의미이다. 이는 남편이나 자녀 혹은 다른 친척이 없어 돌볼음 받지 못하는 상태의 과부를 말한다. 

 

‘하나님께 소망을 두는 자’에서 ‘소망을 두어’로 번역된 ‘엘피켄’은 ‘엘피조’의 완료 능동태로 ‘하나님께 계속해서 희망을 걸고 있는’ 상태를 의미한다. 비그리스도인 과부와의 결정적 차이이다. 

 

‘주야로 항상 간구와 기도를 하는 자’인데 ‘간구와 기도’로 번역된 ‘데에세신’과 ‘프로슈케이스’ 앞에 정관사 ‘타이스’가 동반된다. 이는 이 간구와 기도가 바로 그녀 자신들의 것임을 분명히 해준다. ‘항상 한다’로 번역된 ‘프로스메네이’는 이것이 일상적으로 몸에 밴 태도임을 상기시켜 준다. 본절의 내용을 가장 잘 보여준 이는 과부로 메시야를 기다리며 성전에서 주야로 금식하며 기도하였던 여 선지자 안나(눅 2:36-38)을 들 수 있다. 

 

6절) 한글 성경에는 번역되지 않았지만 원문에는 ‘그러나’를 의미하는 ‘데’라는 접속사가 기록되어 있다. 이는 앞서 언급한 참 과부와 대조되는 인물들을 말하는 것으로 이들은 ‘향락을 좋아하는 자’들이다. ‘향락을 좋아하는’으로 번역된 ‘스파탈로사’는 본래 ‘방탕하게 살다’라는 의미의 ‘스파탈라오’의 현재 분사형으로 마치 소돔의 딸들 처럼(겔 16:49) 사치스럽고 방탕하게(약 5:5)사는 과부들에게 적용되었다. 이 표현은 지나친 행동과 신체적 욕구에 무절제한 탐닉을 나타내는 의미인데 바울 당시 안정적인 직업을 갖지 못했던 과부들이 생계를 위해 부도덕한 매춘 행위를 자행했기 때문으로 보인다. 이렇게 육체적 쾌락에 탐닉하는 태도는 그녀들이 잠시 누렸던 영적인 기쁨이나 환희를 망각하게 하고 육체적으로는 살아있지만 영적으로는 하나님의 생명에서 떠난 죽은 상태가 되는 것이다. 

-  5:6 In contrast (δέ) with the “widow indeed” (ὄντως χήρα), another widow is described. Two things are said about her: (a) what she lives for, and (b) what her spiritual condition is. σπαταλάω** (also in Jas. 5:5 [see Hort’s special note ad loc. in his James]; in the LXX see Ezk. 16:49; Sir. 21:15) means “give oneself to pleasure, live for pleasure,” “live luxuriously or voluptuously,” “live in indulgence.” The specifics of this hedonistic and sinful life-style are not named. Whether it involved sexual sin cannot be said for certain, though this would be a temptation for a widow and a way to provide for financial needs. The contrast with the godly widow is striking: The godly widow trusts in God and seeks first his kingdom; this widow lives only for herself. Although this widow would likely think that she is really “living it up” and that the godly widow’s life is really “dead,” Paul’s verdict is just the opposite. While being physically alive (ζῶσα; cf. 2 Tim. 4:1), she is as a matter of fact already spiritually dead (τέθνηκεν, perfect tense: “have died, be dead”; cf. Mk. 4:19; Mt. 13:22). The implication is that the selfindulgent widow is not a “widow indeed” (ὄντως χήρα), one who should be honored and cared for by the church.

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 219–220.

 

7절) 바울은 디모데에게 '이것을 명하여’라고 하는데 여기서 ‘이것을’은 무엇을 의미하는가? 이는 앞서 3-6절의 내용으로 참 과부를 보살필 것에 대한 당부를 의미한다. 디모데는 참 과부들을 존재해야 하고, 만일 과부에게 자녀나 손자가 있다면 그들에게 일차적으로 보살필 의무가 있음을 알려주어야 했으며, 또한 참 과부를 구별하여 그들로 하여금 육체적인 향락을 일삼지 않고 영적인 것을 추구할 수 있도록 가르쳐야 하는 것이다. 

원문에는 ‘히나’가 포함되어 있는데 이는 목적을 의미하는 표현으로 ‘그들로 하여금 책망받을 것이 없도록 하기 위하여’라고 번역할 수 있다. 

‘배반한 자요’로 번역된 ‘에르네타이’는 ‘거절하다, 부인하다, 배반하다’라는 동사 ‘아르네오마이’의 완료형으로 말로만이 아니라 적극적인 행동의 결여로 자신의 신앙 고백이 허위임을 드러낸다는 것이다. 만약 자신이 그리스도인이라고 고백했으나 자신의 가족을 돌보지 않는다면 결국 태만의 죄로 스스로의 믿음을 부인, 배반하는 것이다,

당시 예수를 십자가에 못받은 로마의 법에도 과부들에 대한 책임이 명시되어 있다. 하물며 하나님나라의 백성으로 예수의 사랑의 법을 배우고 누리는 믿음을 가진 이들이 믿지 않는 이들도 행하는 것을 행하지 않는다면 당연히 더 악한 자들인 것이다. 

-  5:8 Here Paul expresses the terrible implications of not caring for one’s own: It amounts to a denial of Christianity and an action and attitude worse than that of an unbeliever. δέ joins this verse to the preceding either as “a simple connective … without contrast” so that “it cannot be translated at all” (BAGD; so RSV and NIV) or as a contrast rendered with the word “but” (NASB, NEB, TEV). If the latter, then the contrast is between being irreproachable by caring for one’s own, or being a faith-denier and worse than an unbeliever by not caring for one’s own. The εἰ δέ τις construction states the matter as a general principle both by its conditionality (εἰ) and by its indefiniteness (τις, “anyone”; see vv. 4, 16). So from beginning (v. 4) to end (v. 16), as well as here in the middle (v. 8), Paul is setting forth principles for the care of widows.

The sin is that anyone does “not provide” (οὐ προνοεῖ) for one’s relatives and one’s family. τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα οἰκείων is Paul’s way of delineating those who should be cared for (τῶν ἰδίων, οἰκείων), together with a note of special responsibility (καὶ μάλιστα) for the latter. ἴδιος in the plural as an articular substantive (elsewhere in the NT at Jn. 1:11; 13:1; Acts 4:23; 14:23) denotes those who are “one’s own” and here especially one’s “relatives” (see BAGD s.v.). Contrasted with οἰκείων by means of the emphasis provided by καὶ μάλιστα, τῶν ἰδίων refers to the larger family relationship and corresponds to the reference to “grandchildren” (ἔκγονα) in v. 4. Similarly, plural οἰκείων** (Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19; 1 Tim. 5:8) has the meaning here “members of the household” in the sense of “his immediate family” (NIV; cf. “his own family” in RSV, “his own household” in NEB). The καὶ μάλιστα** combination (Acts 25:26; cf. μάλιστα δέ in Gal. 6:10; Phil. 4:22; 2 Pet. 2:10) has the meaning here “and especially,” highlighting within the larger family relationship the special responsibility to one’s immediate family (cf. v. 4).

The apodosis states a twofold consequence. The first is that such failure to care indicates that that one “has denied the faith” (τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται; note the perfect tense with its implications). ἀρνέομαι (Pl.* 6x, all in the PE*; see Riesenfeld, “ἀρνεῖσθαι”) means here “deny,” i.e., “repudiate” or “disown,” in the sense of apostasy from the Christian faith. Denial is demonstrated by culpable failure. That which is denied is “the faith” (τὴν πίστιν), here referring to Christianity as that which one professes to believe (on this objectivizing of πίστις see on 3:9 above).

Paul joins (καί) to this appraisal the evaluation that such a person “is worse than an unbeliever” (ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων). χείρων, “worse,” is a comparative of κακός used with the genitive of comparison ἀπίστου. ἄπιστος means generally “unbelieving” (or “faithless”). Here, correlated with τὴν πίστιν, i.e., the Christian “faith,” an ἄπιστος is a “non-Christian” (the significance in all the Pauline occurrences). Such a person is “worse than an unbeliever” because Paul regards unbelievers as having “the word of the law written on their hearts,” and therefore even unbelievers are known to “do instinctively the things of the Law” (Rom. 2:14, 15; cf. also 1 Cor. 5:1). Thus for a professed believer who has God’s law (“honor your father and your mother”) to fail to do what even many unbelievers instinctively do warrants the verdict that he is “worse than an unbeliever.”

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

RSV Revised Standard Version

NIV New International Version

NASB New American Standard Bible

NEB New English Bible

TEV Today’s English Version (Good News Bible)

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

NIV New International Version

RSV Revised Standard Version

NEB New English Bible

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 220–221.