1 Timothy 5:1, 2 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
The opening verses of 1 Timothy 5 set out general rules for how Timothy, and any pastor like him, is to relate to various members of the congregation. It is noteworthy that Paul uses the family setting as the analogy that lays down the parameters for behaviour in the church. Paul begins with older men - Do not rebuke an older man harshly, he says, negatively, but exhort him (positively) as if he were your father. So it is not, never rebuke an older man but make sure you are not harsh in such a situation. Speak to him as you might speak to your father. As for younger men Treat them as brothers. Rebuke them where you think necessary but as brother to brother. Similarly, older women must be treated as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. In the latter case the danger of sexual impropriety is raised. Women of a certain age will not present a problem in most cases but women under that age may do so. Either you will be tempted to act improperly towards them or they may be tempted to act improperly towards you. Most teaching of younger women will be done by the older women (see Titus 2) but on those occasions when a minister comes into contact with younger women, he must maintain absolute purity. A church where the pastor treats the older men like servants, flirts with the younger women and cannot relate to others appropriately is a church that is in big trouble indeed.
The opening verses of 1 Timothy 5 set out general rules for how Timothy, and any pastor like him, is to relate to various members of the congregation. It is noteworthy that Paul uses the family setting as the analogy that lays down the parameters for behaviour in the church. Paul begins with older men - Do not rebuke an older man harshly, he says, negatively, but exhort him (positively) as if he were your father. So it is not, never rebuke an older man but make sure you are not harsh in such a situation. Speak to him as you might speak to your father. As for younger men Treat them as brothers. Rebuke them where you think necessary but as brother to brother. Similarly, older women must be treated as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. In the latter case the danger of sexual impropriety is raised. Women of a certain age will not present a problem in most cases but women under that age may do so. Either you will be tempted to act improperly towards them or they may be tempted to act improperly towards you. Most teaching of younger women will be done by the older women (see Titus 2) but on those occasions when a minister comes into contact with younger women, he must maintain absolute purity. A church where the pastor treats the older men like servants, flirts with the younger women and cannot relate to others appropriately is a church that is in big trouble indeed.
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