The False Doctrine of "Primary Bread Winner..."

1 Timothy 5:3-16, in the KJV, states:

"Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

"Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan."

"If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed" (1 Tim. 5:3-16).

To honestly determine the context of this passage is not difficult. To misinterpret and proof-text 1 Tim. 5:8, removing it from its above context, is even easier.

"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

How Christians allow 'authority figures' to get away with butchering God's word based on a fictitious "office" astounds me. Christians, we are responsible to God to "prove all things" (1 The. 5:21) not submit to authority figures.

We as individuals (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:7) are responsible to understand and defend the truth--not relegate OUR responsibility to an oligarchy and "gospel preacher."

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" ( 2 Cor. 5:10).

^"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God..." (Rom. 14:12).

Let us ask ourselves these questions about 1 Timothy 5:3-16 to determine if 1 Tim. 5:8 means, "males are to be the 'primary bread winners' of every family..." Is this teaching true or false based on the context of the passage?

Who is the passage discussing from the very first (vv. 3-16)? Widows.

Are husbands or males ever told that they must make more money than their wives? No.

Are women restricted by Paul on how much money they can make? No.

The context is not discussing "husbands or males exclusively making more money than their wives..." The context is discussing (taking care of) widows. All "children"(v.4)--male and female--are to "show piety" or "requite" (take care of, prioritize) their own parents so that the rest of God's children are not burdened with another person's responsibility. That is Paul's concern, not that it be gender specifically legalized.

1 Timothy 5:8 contains the phrase, "ei tis."

It means "If anyone..." not just husbands or males "...does not provide for his/their own relatives." The masculine pronouns "he, his, his own" while perhaps a grammatical necessity are unfortunate. Anyone "tis" has denied the faith who does not take care of his/her own. The word "aner, andras" (husband/male) is not present. Not even the word "anthropos" is present. That's how generic and NON gender specific this passage is.

Also, notice that "the faith" here is not making sure we follow 5 steps or 5 acts, but making sure we are behaving like Christ who took care of his widowed mother:

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home" (John 19:26-27).

1 Timothy 5:8 does not say "husbands/males are to be the primary bread winners of their households and those who are not are sinners/infidels/not manly, etc." It is a false doctrine to teach such because, as we can plainly see, it is not the truth of what the context of the passage states. In fact, money is not even mentioned, much less how much money "anyone" is to make or be limited to making.

Paul's concern is that (younger) widows not be idle, becoming busybodies--or minding other people's business--and talking non-sense.

Working mothers/women is exactly what Paul wants!

It is a male chauvinist doctrine--not God's word--that attempts to control and limit the amount of money women can make.

It is a false doctrine to teach "men are to be the primary bread winners..." from the context of 1 Tim. 5:3-16.