John Chrysostom : "These things give in charge, that they may be blameless." He does not leave it to their choice. Command them, he says, not to be luxurious, assuming it to be confessedly an evil, as not holding it lawful or admissible for the luxurious to partake of the Holy Mysteries. "These things command," he says, "that they may be blameless." Thus you see it is reckoned among sins. For if it were a matter of choice, though it were left undone, we might still be blameless. Therefore in obedience to Paul, let us command the luxurious widow not to have place in the list of widows. For if a soldier, who frequents the bath, the theater, the busy scenes of life, is judged to desert his duty, much more the widows. Let us then not seek our rest here, that we may find it hereafter. Let us not live in pleasure here, that we may hereafter enjoy true pleasure, true delight, which brings no evil with it, but infinite good. — Homily on 1 Timothy 13 Oecumenius : And these things command, so that they may be blameless. But if anyone does not provide for his own, especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. And these things command. Do you see that Paul wants the matter to be as a law? For it does not permit abstaining from luxury as an achievement, but forbids it as a sin. But if anyone does not provide for his own. For personal virtue alone would not be sufficient for salvation, unless one also cares for others. Concerning the widow, Paul says these things. He calls those related by family "own." For some are personal, like friends, but not necessarily family. Therefore, one must care for their own, especially for family members. Which the extravagant does not do, attending only to luxury. especially for those of his household. He takes care of both his own and those close to him, not only attending to what is appropriate but also to himself, by cutting off passions. Thus Clement says in the seventh Hypotyposes: "He speaks of providence both concerning the soul and concerning the body." he has denied the faith. And how does the one who wastes, and does not provide for both his own and his household, deny the faith? Because, it is said: "And from your own seed you shall not be despised." (Isa. 58:7) But if you see God and do not deny Him, yet transgress His laws, you have denied God Himself. For it is said that they acknowledge God in words, but deny Him by their deeds. (Titus 1:16) How then is he worse than an unbeliever? Because although the unbelievers do not provide for everybody, at least they do so for their relatives, being led by the law of nature. — COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY