process to be put in place whereby the most needy cases among the widows could be recognised and dealt with. This implies that there were counterfeit widows willing to exploit the good will of the churches for their own selfish ends. ‘Giving proper recognition’ literally means ‘honour’ and recalls the fifth commandment of the Law (Exod. 20:12). This kind of recognition is one way of keeping that commandment. It involves more than mental respect, it entails practical help, as in Acts 6:1 and 9:39.
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