Concerns About Grandparents' Support and Attitude Towards Marriage
The role of grandparents in supporting their family members and their attitude towards marriage is a significant concern in various Christian traditions. In 1 Timothy 5:4, the Apostle Paul instructs that children and grandchildren should "practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents" [1]. This passage emphasizes the importance of family members caring for one another, particularly in the context of supporting widows.
The concept of "piety at home" is crucial in this context, as it highlights the responsibility of family members to care for their relatives [5]. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary on 1 Timothy 5:4 notes that this refers to "filial piety towards their widowed mother or grandmother, by giving her sustenance" [5]. This understanding is echoed in the writings of Aquinas, who discusses the importance of family ties and the impediments to marriage based on consanguinity and affinity [3, 4].
In the Catholic tradition, Aquinas argues that consanguinity and affinity are significant factors in determining the legitimacy of a marriage. one tradition notes that the degrees of consanguinity that are an impediment to marriage have varied throughout history [3]. Similarly, in the Jewish tradition, Maimonides discusses the importance of considering a family's lineage before marrying into it, although he presumes that all families are of acceptable lineage unless proven otherwise [7].
The attitude of grandparents towards marriage is also influenced by their concern for the well-being of their grandchildren. In Ruth 1:13, Naomi advises her daughters-in-law not to wait for her younger sons to grow up and marry them, as this would cause them undue hardship [2]. This passage highlights the importance of considering the practical implications of marriage and the role of grandparents in advising their family members.
Some Christian traditions have specific teachings on the role of grandparents in supporting their family members. For instance, the Baptist/Reformed tradition, as represented by John Gill's commentary on 1 Timothy 5:11, emphasizes the importance of younger widows marrying and having husbands to take care of them, rather than relying on the church for support [8].
one commentary tradition on 1 Timothy 5:4 also highlights the importance of family members caring for their relatives, noting that this is "acceptable in the sight of God" [1, 5]. This emphasis on family responsibility is a common thread throughout various Christian traditions.
In contrast, the Catholic tradition places a strong emphasis on the sacramental nature of marriage and the impediments that may affect its validity. Aquinas discusses various impediments to marriage, including consanguinity, affinity, and disparity of worship [3, 4, 6]. The Jewish tradition, as represented by the Babylonian Talmud, also discusses the complexities of marriage and family relationships, particularly in cases where there are concerns about lineage or familial ties [9].
The interplay between family support and marriage is complex, with different traditions offering distinct perspectives on the matter. While some traditions emphasize the importance of family members caring for one another, others highlight the need to consider the sacramental nature of marriage and the potential impediments that may affect its validity.
Sources
- 1 Timothy “1 Timothy 5:4 (NASB) — but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.”
- Ruth “Ruth 1:13 (DRC) — If you would wait till they were grown up, and come to man's estate, you would be old women before you marry. Do not so, my daughters, I beseech you: for I am grieved the more for your distress, and the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Impediment of Consanguinity, Art. 4: Article: Whether the degrees of consanguinity that are an impediment to marriage could be fixed by the Church? I answer that, The degrees within which consanguinity has been an impediment to marriage have varied according to various times. For at the beginning of the human race father and mother alone were debarred from marrying their children, because then mankind were few in number, and then it was necessary for the propagation of the human race to be ensured with very great care, and consequent”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Impediment of Affinity, Art. 6: Article: Whether affinity is an impediment to marriage? I answer that, Affinity that precedes marriage hinders marriage being contracted and voids the contract, for the same reason as consanguinity. For just as there is a certain need for blood-relations to live together, so is there for those who are connected by affinity: and just as there is a tie of friendship between blood-relations, so is there between those who are affine to one another. If, however, affinity supervene to matrimony, it cannot v”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 5:4: if any widow have children--not "a widow indeed," as having children who ought to support her. nephews--rather, as Greek, "descendants," or "grandchildren" [HESYCHIUS]. "Nephews" in old English meant "grandchildren" [HOOKER, Ecclesiastical Polity, 5.20]. let them--the children and descendants. learn first--ere it falls to the Church to support them. to show piety at home--filial piety towards their widowed mother or grandmother, by giving her sustenance. Literally, "to show piety towards their own house." "Piety is applied to the reverential ”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of Disparity of Worship As an Impediment to Marriage, Art. 1: Article: Whether a believer can marry an unbeliever? I answer that, The chief good of marriage is the offspring to be brought up to the worship of God. Now since education is the work of father and mother in common, each of them intends to bring up the child to the worship of God according to their own faith. Consequently if they be of different faith, the intention of the one will be contrary to the intention of the other, and therefore there cannot be a fitting marriage between”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Forbidden Intercourse 19:17: We operate under the presumption that all families are of acceptable lineage and it is permitted to marry their descendants as an initial and preferred option. 41 The Rambam is stating that it is not necessary to investigate thoroughly the lineage of a family before marrying into them. If it is a common presumption that a family is of acceptable lineage, one may marry a family member at the outset. When we know nothing of the lineage of the family, there are some authorities [Remo as quoted by the Tur ( Even HaEzer 2)] w”
- 1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 5:11: But the younger widows refuse,.... To admit them into the number of widows relieved by the church; partly because they are fit for labour, and so can take care of themselves; and partly because they may marry, as the apostle afterwards advises they should, and so would have husbands to take care of them: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ; that is, being at ease, and without labour, live a wanton, loose, and licentious life, and in carnal lusts and pleasures, contrary to the commands of Christ, and to the reproach and dishonour of his name: t”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot 97b.11: When they disagree, it is a case where they are brothers both from their father and from their mother. The one who permits the marriage claims that we trace them after their father. Their paternal lineage is followed, since they are called the sons of so-and-so, their father. Since they are recognized by their paternal lineage, it is well known that they are considered unrelated, and there is no concern that people will infer that a man may marry his sister-in-law. And Rav Sheshet maintains that they are also called the sons of so-and-so, their mother. Theref”