1 Timothy 5:6 - Exposition

Giveth herself to for liveth in , A.V. Giveth herself to pleasure ( ἡ σπαταλῶσα ); only here and James 5:5 ( ἐσπαταλήσατε "taken your pleasure," R.V., "been wanton," A.V.) in the New Testament, but found (as well as σπατάλη and σπάταλος ) in Ec 21:15, and in Polybius (Liddell and Scott). Trench compares and contrasts στρηνιάω τρυφάω , and σπαταλάω , and says that the latter includes the idea of prodigality. The word brings into the strongest possible contrast the widow who was like Anna, and those whom St. Paul here denounces. Is dead while she liveth ; or, has died (is dead) in her lifetime . She is dead to God, and, as Alford suggests, is no longer a living member of the Church of Christ. Compare St. Jude's expression "twice dead" ( Jude 1:12 ). The expression in Revelation 3:1 is different, unless ζῶσα here can have the same meaning as ὄνομα ἔχει ὅτι ζῇ , "though nominally alive as a Christian," etc.