Corinth was a flourishing city in the 1st century CE, and an important administrative and trade center. Learn more about Ancient Corinth to broaden your understanding of what it was like in Paul’s day!
COURSE SPOTLIGHT FROM ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: (UNIT 3) PAUL’S IMPRISONMENT
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated reading time: 6 min. 43 sec.
This couple proved influential in the early church due to their dedication to the gospel and their generosity to local brethren. This Digging Deeper explores what the New Testament reveals about them and why they were so influential in the ministry of the apostle Paul.
Our focus verses are: “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers” (Acts 18:1-3 KJV throughout). This chapter details some of Paul’s second evangelistic journey when he established a Church of God in Corinth, located in the southern province of Achaia. This is the first reference to this couple in the New Testament, and it was here that Paul first met them. They may have become Christians through Paul’s evangelism while he lived and worked with them.
Likely, Aquila had been born to Jewish parents. His birthplace was Pontus, a Roman province. The Jamiesson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary notes that Pontus was: “…the most easterly province of Asia Minor, stretching along the southern shore of the Black Sea. From this province there were Jews at Jerusalem on the great Pentecostal day (Acts 2:9), and the Christians of it are included among ‘the strangers of the dispersion,’ to whom Peter addressed his First Epistle (1 Peter 1:1)” (e-Sword 13.0.0). As a youth, Aquila learned the trade of tentmaking and later married a woman named Priscilla (Prisca).
Aquila and Priscilla are their Latin names; their Jewish names are not given. It was common then for diaspora Jews (Jews living outside the Holy Land) to adopt a second name that was Gentile. They are always named together in the New Testament. However, a few times Priscilla is named before Aquila (Acts 18:18; Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19). The NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible offers a couple of potential reasons: “Priscilla’s name is usually listed first, an unusual practice in Greco-Roman society, indicating her higher social status or greater prominence in the Christian community (or both)” (Tecarta Bible App). Bob Utley’s You Can Understand the Bible further explains: “Her name matches a wealthy Roman family name (gens Prisca). She is never said to be a Jew. What a great love story it would be if she were a wealthy Roman lady who fell in love with an itinerant Jewish tentmaker or leather worker!” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
This couple had been living in Italy until Emperor Claudius issued an edict expelling Jews from Rome. The Holman KJV Study Bible provides historical background: “It appears that in a.d. 41 emperor Claudius prohibited Jews from gathering together in Rome. Then in a.d. 49 he expelled them altogether, probably because the earlier measures did not work. Presumably Aquila and Priscilla were expelled at this time” (Tecarta Bible App). They may have been living in Rome or they may have lived elsewhere in Italy but decided it was best to leave regardless.
The Biblical Theology Study Bible offers an intriguing reason the Jews were expelled: “Corroborated by the Roman historian Suetonius (Life of Claudius 25.4), who says that the expulsions resulted from riots instigated by a certain ‘Chrestus.’ Suetonius probably misunderstood conflicts between Jews and Christians over ‘the Christ’ as a conflict involving an individual named Chrestus (a common slave name)” (Tecarta Bible App). Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah may have been verbally and physically assaulted by unbelieving Jews. The emperor may then have decided to expel them all.
Acts 18:3 states that Paul decided to stay with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth because they shared the same trade, as explained by the Holman KJV Study Bible: “Tentmakers refers to people who worked in leather, possibly related to working in the goat hair cloth that was made in Cilicia, Paul’s home region. Later rabbinic tradition confirmed the importance of teachers having a trade to help support themselves” (Tecarta Bible App). M.R. Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament adds: “It was a Rabbinical principle that whoever does not teach his son a trade is as if he brought him up to be a robber” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
The NIV Cultural Background Study Bible explains why Paul and this couple joined forces: “People of the same trade often lived and ran shops in the same neighborhood with one another, but most Jewish people lived in Jewish enclaves distinct from wider trade connections. Tarsus [Paul’s home city] was known for its textile industry, but many scholars think that the term translated ‘tentmaker’ more often referred generally to leather workers. Certainly tools for leatherworking would have been easier for Paul to carry from one city to the next” (Tecarta Bible App).
When Paul departed from Corinth for Ephesus eighteen months later, he took Aquila and Priscilla with him and left them there as he continued to Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:11, 18-19). While there, Aquila and Priscilla met a scholar mighty in the scriptures and a gifted orator from Alexandria, Egypt named Apollos who only knew of the baptism of John the Baptist. They took him aside to upgrade his theology so that Apollos could continue preaching with greater truth (Acts 18:24-26). Having learned from Paul, this couple was competent to instruct Apollos about all that Jesus had accomplished and taught. The spouses worked as a team for Apollo’s spiritual education. On his third evangelistic journey, Paul finds Aquila and Pricilla still in Ephesus where they had opened their home to the brethren for worship services (1 Corinthians 16:19). It is from here that Paul writes his first epistle to the Corinthians.
A brief time later, we find this husband and wife back in Rome. Perhaps Paul sent them there, before he left Ephesus, to help organize Rome’s young church. In his epistle to the Romans, written before he visits the capitol city, Paul declares that they had risked their lives for him (Romans 16:3-4). Returning to Rome may have put their lives at risk from the Roman government that had expelled Jews earlier. Paul and all the churches of the Gentiles thanked them for their sacrifice.
As Paul faced death during his second Roman imprisonment, he wrote to young Timothy in Ephesus, who likely was serving there as pastor, and asks Timothy to fondly greet Prisca and Aquila who had returned to Ephesus and were probably assisting Timothy serve the brethren (2 Timothy 4:19). Notice that here she is referred to as Prisca. The diminutive form of Prisca was Priscilla. Just before his execution, Paul made sure to again greet and thank the couple who had supported him so loyally and who had served his small congregations with sacrificial love. Their dedication to God’s work and hospitality for the brethren became an outstanding model of service in the New Testament. Through the centuries, many other dedicated couples have sacrificed their pleasures for the good of God’s work and His people.
Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.
Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22
Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.
To help the students better relate to their local ministers, Mr. Bueno gave them insight into the ordination process and the responsibilities of an area pastor.
The office of a pastor comes directly from God the Father and Jesus Christ. This role is established only by appointment. Mr. Bueno was approached in Charlotte about whether he would be willing to serve in the ministry. He agreed, and after some training and nine months in Kansas City as a ministerial trainee, he was ordained on Pentecost in 2016. When one is ordained, they are presented before the congregation and have hands laid on them by a senior minister or group of ministers. They are recognized before the congregation as having an office backed up and empowered by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. When hands are laid upon an individual to ordain him, ministers ask for an extra measure of the Holy Spirit to help him perform the functions of a pastor.
John 21:15-17 shows that one of the responsibilities Christ gave to Peter as leader of His Church was to feed God’s people—to tend His sheep. These responsibilities fall on pastors as well, and Mr. Bueno believes these they are accomplished in three primary ways:
1. Teaching
When Christ told Peter to feed the flock, He was essentially saying to make sure God’s people are given spiritual food that promotes growth. A pastor must provide a balanced spiritual diet. He is to expound the word of God, which can be done through sermons and Bible studies, but also through informal occasions, such as Church activities and personal visits with the brethren. However, the pastor is not to promote his ideas, but to teach what he has been taught in his training.
2. Counseling
Counseling can look like teaching in many ways, but the basic difference is that teaching covers broad topics and is addressed to many people, while counseling is more specific to the individual and situation. It can be as simple as a member seeking advice, or more formal such as baptism and marriage counseling. The goal of counseling is not for a pastor to solve the problem, but to equip the counseled individual to handle the situation and help them to go to God’s word and seek out what it says on the matter. Something Mr. Bueno wanted the students to understand is that ministers are available to counsel whenever you need them. Mr. Bueno pointed to Exodus 18 as an example of leadership helping the congregation of Israel in applying God’s law to the various aspects of day-to-day life.
3. Administration
The responsibility of leading and organizing a congregation ultimately falls on its area pastor, who is directed by his regional pastor, who is directed by Headquarters—God’s Church is organized. And as the first-century Church was to imitate their headquarters in Judea, so too is a pastor to ensure that his congregation imitates Headquarters in Charlotte. This involves organizing the congregation and filing paperwork for Headquarters to review. This way, everyone can be on the same page.
There are many aspects of a pastor’s role, but Mr. Bueno believes they can be effectively broken down into teaching, counseling, and administration. He hopes this helped the students to better understand their local pastor and their relationship with him.
Title:
“Why Parables”
Key Scripture:
Mark 4:33-34
SPS:
To explain what is meant by this passage.
Supporting Scriptures:
Matthew 13:10-17, 34-35
Introduction:
Mar 4:33-34 NKJV – “And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear [it]. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.”
Why did Christ speak in parables?
Body
Conclusion
God has a purpose and a plan for mankind, with every human having the opportunity to understand and submit to His way. Speaking in parables served His purpose that this time.
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated reading time: 7 min.
He often faced life-threatening dangers. Even as he fled from King Saul or some of his many enemies, including one of his sons, David trusted the Almighty not only to preserve his mortal life but also to grant him God’s eternal pleasures in a better world should he die at the hand of his persecutors. He expressed his faith in a psalm of trust. This Digging Deeper on David’s Psalm 16 explores his confidence to discover how this assurance also pertained to Jesus’ resurrection and to God’s people today. Our study of certain aspects of this psalm will give Christians great hope for facing the future – by life or even by death.
Over these past two troublesome years, we have witnessed the deaths of millions of people around the world due to Covid-19. No doubt, you know of people, including Christians, who have contracted it. You may even know some who have died from this dreaded disease. Covid-19 has made most of us consider our mortality more seriously. As we journey through life, we face many perils. Yet the Christian has trust in God who has delivered him/her repeatedly. Even in the face of our temporality, we can continue to trust Him not to leave us forever in the dust of the earth. Our God is One in whom we can completely trust to restore us to life eternal.
Death is an ever-present prospect for all of us. None of us likes to think about it; yet it is assured (Hebrews 9:27), unless we are alive when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Jesus Himself faced death. We will discover what gave Him such confidence in God’s promise of restored life as He faced crucifixion. One of the Messianic Psalms quoted in the New Testament is Psalm 16. In this Psalm, David writes, under inspiration, prophetically about Jesus’ trust in the Father to raise him again. Being the God of the Old Testament, Jesus knew the promises of this psalm since He was the one who inspired David to write it.
Our focus verse is: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV throughout). Immediately, David declared his trust in Almighty God (v. 1). He avowed his love for God’s people and disdain of idol-worshipers (vv. 3-4). God was ever in David’s mind (vv. 8-9). It is important to note that verses 10 and 11 have a prophetic aspect that David inscribed about his greater descendant, Jesus Christ.
Peter’s Pentecost sermon made it plain that Psalm 16:9-10 did not apply to David in his lifetime for Peter declared that David was dead, buried, and his sepulcher was still in Jerusalem (Acts 2:29-32). Paul later cited this passage from Psalm 16 as well in which he explained that David did see corruption; therefore, David’s prophetic statements concerned his greater heir (Acts 13:33-37). As Peter and Paul both explained, Jesus did not see corruption because he was raised from the dead after three days and three nights. Because Jesus is alive, He assures His followers, who compose His spiritual body, that they too shall live eternally: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54). Jesus was the first to tread the path from death to life. He will not be the last, for He promised every believer: “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19).
What an encouragement for all true believers this is: die we must but rise to eternal life we shall. The bodies of believers shall be delivered from corruption by virtue of their union with Christ. The victory of Jesus over death was both a victory for Himself and for his spiritual body, the church.
David seemed to know something about a future life (Psalm 16:9), even though this psalm’s prophetic aspect applied directly to Christ. David is yet in his grave, but Bible readers are assured that he will live again in the Kingdom of God when he reigns over the united tribes of Israel during the Millennium and beyond (Hosea 3:5; Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24-25). Along with all the faithful saints of the Old Testament era, he shall reign with Christ in the eternal theocracy.
In this coming kingdom will be fullness of joy in God’s presence along with pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11). Christians are assured such pleasures because of their position in Christ as His spiritual body. Because God has shown Jesus the path of life, He also will show it to those united in Christ. Though their bodies go down to the grave, they will not be left there forever.
When Jesus appears the second time, all who have died in Him shall be raised up incorruptible and glorious: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:52-55 KJB:PCE).
Editor J.R. Dummelow in A Commentary on the Holy Bible clarifies Psalm 16:11: “The contrast which the Ps. draws is not, perhaps, so much between life here and life hereafter, as between life without God and life with Him. In its very nature, however, the latter life is enduring, and hence the Psalmist’s words contain an anticipation (though it may be a dim and only semi-conscious one) of the immortality which Christ has brought to light” (e-Sword 13.0.0). God’s people will be at that time in the Almighty’s presence at His right hand, a position of honor since that is where Christ is now (Psalm 16:11).
The apostle Paul supported this prospect of pleasures for evermore in God’s presence when he wrote: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV). Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible on Psalm 16:11 elaborates: “Happiness there, whatever may be its nature, will be eternal. Losses, disappointment, bereavement, sickness, can never occur there; nor can the anticipation of death, though at the most distant period, and after countless million of ages, ever mar our joys” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary demonstrates how these promises fortified King David: “David had full confidence that his life with God – both now and forevermore – would be marked by the highest and best pleasures. This is life lived above shallow entertainments and excitements” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Based on God’s assurance recorded by David, Christians now experience benefits and prospects because Jesus Christ is alive. Even in the face of death, we have every reason to live joyously in hope. At God’s right hand, this place of honor, will be inconceivable pleasures for evermore.
Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.
Looking to improve your prayer life? Did you know we have a great topical scripture list on prayer available for you to utilize? Delve into the topic of prayer straight from the pages of your Bible!
Course Spotlight From Tools for Christian Growth: Prayer
Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22
Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.
For the forum this week, Mr. Phillip West described three lies Satan is using to deceive the whole world. Cautioning the Living Education students to beware of these lies and giving them the biblical truths to combat them, he encouraged the students to always be on guard—while the elect are distinguished by their knowledge of the truth, even they can be deceived.
Satan has been very successful in convincing the world that there is no objective truth. Mr. West referenced John 18:37, where Pilate asks Jesus what truth is, as a biblical example of this. Just like so many others today, Pilate was trying to justify his actions by reasoning that all truth is subjective. So many live their lives with the thought that “if I feel it, it must be true,” but subjective truth is affected and changed by emotions.
To illustrate this, Mr. West used the example that if you asked everyone in a room their favorite dessert, you would likely get vastly different answers. The subjective truth is their dessert preference. However, objective truth is unchanging—it will forever remain the same. It is said in Malachi 3:6 that God does not change. The objective, provable truth of His word will never change, and it will soon be revealed to the world.
Any fan of Disney films will likely be familiar with this concept. A theme of many stories is to follow your heart, but we find in Jeremiah 17:9 that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked….” In truth, this is the nature of mankind. It is because of this that Satan is able to deceive the whole world. He knows what he is doing when he encourages us to follow our hearts. Yet, as Mr. West brought out, God is not blind to the nature of man, and He is judging our hearts (v. 10).
“Don’t judge me!” is a phrase all too common today. The mentality behind it has even affected mainstream Christianity, leading to the idea that since God is good and merciful, He wouldn’t judge. Proponents of this lie consider themselves “progressive” Christians, proclaiming to have “a willingness to question tradition, acceptance of human diversity, a strong emphasis on social justice and care for the poor and the oppressed, and environmental stewardship of the earth… [and] a deep belief in the centrality of the instruction to ‘love one another’ (John 15:17) within the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
Now, this all may sound very biblical at first; Jesus does want us to love one another. But Mr. West explained that progressive Christianity is rooted in a misunderstanding of love. Looking at John 7:24, we see that we are to “judge with righteous judgment.” We are to love the sinner, but not the sin, and we are to learn to judge between right and wrong. The reality is that condoning bad behavior is not love; love and judgment are not mutually exclusive. Scripture tells us that God is a righteous judge whose judgment is both just and loving.
Mr. West ended his forum by commending the students for engaging in the Living Education program and encouraging them to have an open, teachable mind to the knowledge they’ll receive this semester. Yet he also warned them to beware of and close their minds to Satan’s tricks, staying in the path of righteousness and not turning to the path of deception.
Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22
Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.
Mr. Ruddlesden defines the Church as a body of believers from all from different walks of life who have a specific job to do. Matthew 28:18–20 describes the commission that the Church is given by Jesus Christ: We are to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all nations. We all have different functions that are needed in the Church, as illustrated in 1 Corinthians 12:1–23.
Mr. Ruddlesden went on to describe some of the ways in which the Church accomplishes this mission. One example would be locating and negotiating with facilities at which to keep weekly services, Feast of Tabernacles services, or even Living Youth Programs. The Church has a financial audit that is done yearly, which shows the number of programs and facilities that it sponsors. For all of this to happen, the Church must have a number of people behind the scenes who come together to help the Work continue to move forward.
Another example would be putting the telecast together. A telecast presenter will write his script and have the Editorial Department review it. Afterward, the Media Department will review it and begin to think about corresponding graphics. The media team must get ready for shooting, which involves putting makeup on the presenters, setting up the cameras and sound system, and a lot more. The Church will also need to buy a slot on a TV station in order to air that telecast.
Mr. Ruddlesden made the point that even though the Church is one body, there are many different parts of that body. Some parts of the human body do not get mentioned too often, but that does not diminish their roles. The same is true for the Church of God—there are many people performing functions behind the scenes in order to get the Gospel preached to the world. Of course, we also acknowledge the faithful members who pay their tithes and offerings consistently. Without them, it would be very difficult to get the Work done. Christ has given us big things to do, and through His spirit and power, the Work will continue until He returns.
Ask yourself…
A three-fold cord is not easily broken, and three support points are hard to beat. But every point should be able to be tied into the SPS in your own mind.
If you don’t have the connection clearly in mind, don’t expect the audience to do any better.
However, remember that an SPS is a Specific Purpose Statement. What is the point that you are trying to get across to your audience? What “statement” are you trying to prove, support, or explain to your audience?
A question is not an SPS!
Speak well!
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated reading time: 6 min.
He accepted his mission seriously by asking God to strengthen him in his final years so that God’s truth would be perpetuated to future generations. Senior citizens have a responsibility by deed and word to convey God’s truth to younger people who look to them as mentors and role models. This Digging Deeper explores this sacred responsibility to discover how God continues to work with people no matter their age or physical condition.
Our focus verses are: “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come” (Psalm 71:17-18 KJV throughout). This verse parallels a previous one: “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth” (Psalm 71:9).
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible introduces this psalm thus: “It is a psalm of great value as describing the feelings of a good man when he is growing old, and is an illustration of what there has been occasion so often to remark in this exposition of the Book of Psalms, that the Bible is adapted to all the conditions of human life” (e-Sword 13.0.0). The Bible is written for people of all ages. G. Campbell Morgan’s Exposition on the Bible adds: “This is pre-eminently a song of the aged, and, like old age, it is reminiscent. The singer passes from memory to hope, and from experience to praise” (Ibid.). This psalmist explains that he has served the true God since his youth (Psalm 71:5-6). He then asks God to not abandon him now that he is older, as explained by Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: “Still keep me alive. Give me health, and strength, and ability to set forth thy praise, and to make known thy truth” (Ibid.).
The author understands he has a responsibility to teach the next generation about God and His plan, as explained by the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible: “The psalmist knows that it was critical that the faith be passed down through the generations. God told the Israelites to teach their children of him at any time of day or night (Deuteronomy 6:7), and he stressed that each generation needed to enter into the covenant anew (Deuteronomy 5:2–3; 29:14–15; Joshua 24:25–27). It was not enough to be born an Israelite; each generation had to appropriate the faith for themselves, and it was the responsibility of the entire community to proclaim the faith boldly and to pass it down: parents, priests, and even the king (as here)” (Tecarta Bible App). This is the sacred duty of previous generations.
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible explains how this conveyed instruction benefits civilization: “Society thus makes progress. One generation becomes wiser and better than the one which went before it, and the experience of all ages thus accumulates as the world advances, enabling a future age to act on the results of all the wisdom of the past. Man thus differs from the inferior creation. The animals, governed by instinct alone, make no progress” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Seniors are to pass along life lessons to younger people that will save them time, effort, and suffering.
The Scriptures abound with God’s promises to the elderly so that growing older should be a pleasurable time with a deep commitment to God, such as:
Psalm 92:12-14 “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (13) Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. (14) They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.”
Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
However, there are also exhortations to this senior population:
Titus 2:1-5 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: (2) That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. (3) The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
Notice, that the elderly in a community, family, or congregation have an example to set and a duty to instruct younger folks with godly wisdom. However, it is equally important that the younger generation recognizes the value of instruction from their seniors, as explained by Henry Morris in his Defender’s Study Bible: “This is a worthy prayer for all elderly believers, as well as a reminder to younger Christians that the older generation still has much to contribute to the present spiritual conflict in terms of accumulated experience and wisdom…A concerned Christian should continue to serve the Lord, in prayer if nothing else, as long as he has breath” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
As people age, they may become resentful about limitations and infirmities associated with aging, leading to complaints to others and even to God. The ESV Study Bible addresses this matter: “The book of Psalms readily confesses that the believer’s life is full of many troubles and calamities and acknowledges that these are under God’s control (you who have made me see [v. 20]); and since God governs these troubles, he can also relieve them (hence the confidence of vv. 20–21)” (Tecarta Bible App). But they must not forget that God has some form of service assigned to every believer for the younger generation and those that follow in future generations. We all create a legacy. We must decide whether it will be a godly one. We have the potential to produce an abundant harvest if we have sowed the seeds of good fruit.
Joseph Benson’s Commentary of the Old and New Testaments provides us fitting food for thought in conclusion: “Those that have been taught of God from their youth, and have made it the business of their lives to honour him, may be sure he will not leave them when they are old and gray-headed, will not leave them helpless and comfortless, but will make the evil days of old age their best days, and such as they shall have reason to say they have pleasure in” (e-Sword 13.0.0).