1 Timothy 5:9

“Let not a widow be taken into the number, etc.] That is, of widows, to be maintained by the church; though some choose to understand these words of the number of such who were made deaconesses, and had the care of the poor widows of the church committed to them; and so the Arabic version renders it, “if a widow be chosen a deaconess”; but the former sense is best, for it appears from (<540501>1 Timothy 5:1,6) that the apostle is still speaking of widows to be relieved: now such were not to be taken under the church's care for relief, under threescore years old: for under this age it might be supposed they would marry, and so not be desolate, but would have husbands to provide for them; or…”

“Translate, "As a widow (that is, of the ecclesiastical order of widowhood; a kind of female presbytery), let none be enrolled (in the catalogue) who is less than sixty years old." These were not deaconesses, who were chosen at a younger age (forty was the age fixed at the Council of Chalcedon), and who had virgins (in a later age called widows) as well as widows among them, but a band of widows set apart, though not yet formally and finally, to the service of God and the Church. Traces of such a class appear in Act 9:41. Dorcas herself was such a one. As it was expedient (see on Ti1 3:2; Tit 1:6) that the presbyter or bishop should have been but once married, so also in her case. There is a…”

“Let not a widow be taken into the number - Margin, “chosen.” The margin expresses the sense of the Greek more accurately, but the meaning is not materially different. Paul does not here specify into what “number” the widow is to be “taken,” or for what purpose she is to be “chosen,” but he speaks of this as a thing that was well understood. There can be no doubt, however, what he means. In the Acts of the Apostles 1 Timothy 6:1 we have this account: “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a complaining of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” “It appears that from the first formation of the…”

“Let not a widow be chosen - Into the number of deaconesses, who attended sick women or travelling preachers. Under threescore - Afterwards they were admitted at forty, if they were eminent for holiness. Having been the wife of one husband - That is, having lived in lawful marriage, whether with one or more persons successively. 1 Timothy 5:10”

“5:9 at least sixty: Young widows required a different approach (5:11-15). Young and old were customarily divided at around forty; elders would probably have been over fifty (see Titus 2:2). • was faithful to her husband (literally was the wife of one husband): The grammar is identical in 1 Tim 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6.”

“a widow: Ti1 5:3, Ti1 5:4 taken: or, chosen under: Ti1 5:11, Ti1 5:14; Luk 2:36, Luk 2:37 having: Ti1 3:2, Ti1 3:12; Co1 7:10, Co1 7:11, Co1 7:39, Co1 7:40 1 Timothy 5:10”