1 Timothy 5:9

The Scope of Negation in 1 Timothy 5:9: An Exegetical Study

This exegetical study of The Scope of Negation in 1 Timothy 5:9 is based on a b-greek discussion from April 28th, 2014. The initial inquiry posed a fundamental question regarding the interpretation of the phrase “not having become less than sixty years old” in 1 Timothy 5:9, specifically as it pertains to the age requirement for widows eligible for church support. The question explored whether the meaning implied a retrospective assessment of age at the time of initial enrollment or a current assessment, illustrating with a hypothetical scenario of a 70-year-old widow enrolled a decade prior, now aged 61, and considering when she might cease to be eligible.

The central exegetical issue revolves around the precise grammatical relationship and semantic scope of the negative particle μὴ in the clause μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα. Scholars in the discussion debated whether μὴ negates solely the comparative adverb ἔλαττον (‘less’), thereby yielding “not less than sixty years old,” or if its scope extends to the entire participial phrase ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, implying “not having become less than sixty years old.” A secondary, more complex proposal suggested that an elided participle ὤν might be negated by μὴ in relation to the age, while γεγονυῖα would then be construed with ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή (‘wife of one husband’), fundamentally altering the structure and meaning of the qualifications.

Greek text (Nestle 1904)

Χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη,

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• There are no significant textual differences in the phrase μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα between Nestle 1904 and SBLGNT 2010. The wording is identical.

Textual criticism (NA28), lexical notes (KITTEL, BDAG).

From a textual critical perspective, the NA28 (Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th Edition) provides no apparatus notes for variants concerning the phrase μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα in 1 Timothy 5:9. This indicates a strong textual consensus for this particular reading across the manuscript tradition, thus the exegetical focus remains on grammatical and semantic interpretation rather than textual reconstruction.

Lexically, an examination of key terms illuminates the interpretive challenge:

• μὴ (mē): According to BDAG (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature), μὴ is a particle of negation primarily used with non-indicative moods (e.g., subjunctive, optative, imperative) and with infinitives, participles, and substantivized expressions. Crucially for this verse, its application to participles is standard. It negates a concept or condition rather than a simple fact. The discussion highlights the distinction between μὴ and οὐ (ou), the latter typically negating indicative statements or definite facts. The use of μὴ here is therefore grammatically appropriate for negating a participial clause.
• ἔλαττον (elatton): BDAG defines this as a comparative adjective or adverb meaning “less, smaller quantity.” In this context, it functions adverbially in a genitive of comparison, “less than.”
• ἐτῶν (etōn): The genitive plural of ἔτος (etos), “year.” When used with a number and a form of γίνομαι, it standardly refers to age. The construction ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα thus unequivocally means “less than sixty years.”
• γεγονυῖα (gegonuia): This is the perfect active participle, nominative feminine singular, of γίνομαι (ginomai), “to become, to be born, to happen.” KITTEL (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) notes that γίνομαι, particularly in its perfect form, frequently denotes a state or condition arrived at. BDAG further specifies its use in expressions of age, where `γενέσθαι ἔτη Χ` or `γεγονώς ἔτη Χ` means “to be X years old” or “having attained X years.” The perfect tense emphasizes a completed action with continuing results, hence “having become” or “being [of a certain age].” The participle agrees in case, number, and gender with Χήρα (“widow”).

The lexical data supports the interpretation that γεγονυῖα in conjunction with the genitive of years expresses a widow’s attained age. The core ambiguity remains whether μὴ negates the comparative “less than” or the entire state of “having become less than sixty years old.”

Translation Variants

The grammatical and rhetorical analysis of μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα reveals several interpretive possibilities, primarily concerning the scope of the negation μὴ:

1. Option 1: `μὴ` negates the entire participial phrase `ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα`. This is the most common and arguably the most natural interpretation. The perfect participle γεγονυῖα, modifying Χήρα (“a widow”), signifies “having become” or “being” of a certain age. The phrase ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα acts as a complement, meaning “less than sixty years.” When μὴ negates the entire state, it means “not being in the state of having become less than sixty years old.” Rhetorically, this establishes a clear lower age limit, emphasizing the *absence* of being below the threshold. It focuses on the widow’s achieved status concerning her age.

2. Option 2: `μὴ` negates only `ἔλαττον`. In this parsing, the structure would be `(γεγονυῖα ((μὴ ἔλαττον) ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα))`. Here, γεγονυῖα still functions as “having become” or “being,” but μὴ directly modifies ἔλαττον, forming the unit “not less.” The full meaning then becomes “having become not less than sixty years old.” Semantically, this yields the same practical outcome as Option 1 – the widow must be at least sixty. Grammatically, it highlights “not less than” as a fixed idiom or condition that the widow has met through her age. Rhetorically, it is a more direct statement of the minimum threshold.

3. Option 3 (Minority View): `μὴ` negates an implied `ὤν` (being) in relation to age, and `γεγονυῖα` is attached to `ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή`. This complex proposal suggests a highly elliptical structure: `(μὴ [ὤν] ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα)` meaning “not being less than sixty years old” (with `ὤν` elided), AND `(γεγονυῖα ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή)` meaning “having been the wife of one husband.” The motivation for this reading, as discussed, is to resolve perceived grammatical difficulties, such as the `οὐ` vs `μὴ` issue and the grammatical “dangling” of `ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή`. However, construing γεγονυῖα with `ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή` (“having been a wife of one husband”) is considered problematic by many, as γίνομαι with age is a well-established idiom, and the concept of `univira` (a woman committed lifelong to one husband) typically relies on `οὖσα` or simply juxtaposition, not necessarily γεγονυῖα in a way that implies an achieved state of “being a one-man woman” distinct from her current widowhood. Furthermore, the perfect participle γεγονυῖα naturally implies a past state with present relevance for *being* a widow of a certain age, making its separation from the age clause less plausible without stronger contextual or grammatical indicators. Rhetorically, this option creates two distinct conditions with separate participial constructions, but its grammatical justification is tenuous.

The prevailing scholarly opinion favors Option 1 or 2, as both maintain the idiomatic use of γίνομαι with age and effectively convey the requirement for a widow to be at least sixty years old. The difference between these two is largely one of nuance in grammatical dependency rather than semantic outcome.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

Based on the textual and lexical evidence, and the grammatical analyses, the most robust interpretation of 1 Timothy 5:9 regarding the age requirement for enrollment as a widow affirms a minimum age of sixty years. The use of μὴ with the participle γεγονυῖα is grammatically sound, and the construction γεγονυῖα with ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα is a standard idiom for expressing age. While there is a subtle debate on whether μὴ scopes over ἔλαττον alone or the entire participial phrase, both interpretations lead to the same practical requirement. The more complex parsing that disconnects γεγονυῖα from the age clause appears less probable given the conventional usage of Greek.

Here are three translation suggestions, reflecting slightly different nuances in conveying the meaning:

1. A widow must not be enrolled unless she is at least sixty years old, having been the wife of one husband, and well-attested by good works.

   This translation emphasizes the minimum age requirement clearly and directly, reflecting the common understanding.

2. Let a widow be enrolled who has not become less than sixty years old, who was the wife of one husband, and is well-attested for good deeds.

   This rendering maintains a closer link to the participial construction γεγονυῖα (“having become”) and the full scope of μὴ, while still conveying the age requirement.

3. No widow under sixty years of age should be enrolled; she must have been married to only one man and have a reputation for good works.

   This translation adopts a more dynamic and less literal phrasing for the age qualification, focusing on the prohibitive aspect of the rule and making the conditions explicit.