If a Minister of the 5 Fold Ministry Can Marry a Widow, the Widow Is Not a Virgin, So Is That Not Breaking the Rule?
1) Direct Answer
No. A minister may marry a widow, and that does not break any New Testament rule.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says a widow is free to remarry: “She is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39; see also Romans 7:2–3). Death ends the first covenant; she is loosed.
- The qualifications for ministers are clear: “husband of one wife,” blameless, temperate, etc. (1 Timothy 3:1–2; Titus 1:6). It does not say, “must marry a virgin.”
- Under the Law, only the high priest was required to marry a virgin (Leviticus 21:13–14). Ordinary priests were not forbidden to marry a widow. And we are not under the Levitical requirement; Christ is our High Priest (Hebrews 7).
- Paul even instructs that younger widows should marry (1 Timothy 5:14). If widows are to marry “in the Lord,” we have no Bible right to forbid a godly minister from being that husband.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Virginity is not a New Testament qualification for a minister’s wife. Faithfulness and “only in the Lord” are the requirements.
- A widow is not an adulteress; her previous bond is ended by death. So marrying her does not make the minister a breaker of Scripture.
- Now notice: Where does the New Testament say a minister must marry a virgin? It doesn’t. But it does say a widow may remarry in the Lord.
4) Reinforcing Statement
It’s not three rules and traditions—it’s the Word. A widow who is in Christ is free to marry, and a true minister who is “the husband of one wife” may lawfully marry her without violating Scripture. The only clear prohibition is marrying a divorced woman while her first husband lives (Luke 16:18), not marrying a widow.
To get the full context and background as well as proper understanding, you MUST read the following answers also:
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/in-the-new-testament-is-there-a-requirement-that-a-minister-of-the-5-f-11636dc
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/in-the-new-testament-is-there-a-requirement-that-a-minister-of-the-5-f-a71db34
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/if-a-minister-should-marry-a-virgin-then-what-was-the-blood-of-jesus-s-1d59d71
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/if-a-minister-of-the-5-fold-ministry-can-marry-a-widow-the-widow-is-no-e5ccd10
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/is-it-true-that-the-widow-of-a-minister-can-only-remarry-a-minister-9af3c0d
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/in-one-of-your-replies-you-said-a-minister-should-marry-a-virgin-in-an-bdc33ea
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The unveiling of God
64-0614M §156
...t was conceived. A prophet said, "A virgin shall conceive." No doubt but what every little young girl went and got her baby clothes ready. Why, this prophet Isaiah was identified prophet, vindicated of God. And the Lord said, "A virgin shall conceive. I'm going to give them a supernatural sign, a great sign, a virgin shall conceive."
Only Believe
61-0427 §39
You'd think the Pentecostal church... They had their picture in the paper the other day of some Catholic priest standing, blessing the Pentecostal Businessmen's breakfast, or something, and things like that---which, that's all right. But I wonder if the church really realizes what it is. It's a sign! When that sleeping virgin come and knocked at the gate, that's when she could not get in, for the bride was gone. Don't you see? That's what I said about Brother David; not nothing concerning his work, or his ... about...
Questions and Answers
59-0628E §75
...'t you know," said Paul, "go amongst the unbelievers and the lawyers and so forth when the saints shall judge the earth." These matters should be judged before the church---not before the unjust magistrates and so forth---but before the church our matters should. There you take one another to the law. And God pity a man that'll take a Christian to law. That's right. Paul even dared them to do it. Now, that's the bride, and there goes the sleeping virgin, left on earth. The wise virgin goes into heaven with oil in h...
Church Ages, part 10: The Laodicean Church Age
60-1211E §133
...irgins, the very time that the sleeping virgin... Now, remember the Bible said that the sleeping virgin, when the cry went out, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," (the coming of the Lord, the preaching of the word)... And then what happened? The time is at hand, atomic bombs and everything ready, the preachers run into the streets and begin to scream the message. And as soon as they do, the big church then, the sleeping virgin said, "Oh, well [yawn], we've been Presbyterian a long time. Maybe we would study and find...
Questions and Answers
59-0628E §107
Now, we've got one more and then that's all. Let's see! QUESTION: Brother Bill, what is the difference between fornications and adultery, Matthew 19:9? Jesus said in Matthew 19:9, "Whosoever putteth away his wife and marries another, except it be for the cause of fornication, commits adultery." The difference between fornications and adultery, the word could be applied either way. But to make it clear what he was talking of there, that ... a woman that's unmarried cannot commit adultery, because she has no husband...