WIDOW
Widows wore special clothing that distinguished them (Gen. 38:14, 19). After removing their jewelry, they girded themselves with sackcloth and tore their hair, not anointing their heads (Jdt. 10:3, 4; 16:7-8).
God exhorts us to have compassion on the unfortunate among whom he counts widows (Deut. 10:18; Ps. 68:5; 146:9; Prov. 15:25; Jer. 49:11).
The Law of Moses, like the prophets after him, exhorted the Israelites to treat widows fairly. God will punish those who harm them (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17-21; 26:12, 13; Is. 1:17; Jer. 7:6; 22:3; Zech. 7:10; Mal. 3:5).
Jesus attacks those who attack widows’ resources (Mark 12:40). The early church cared for helpless widows (Acts 6:1; James 1:27; 1 Tim. 5:3, 16), with the condition that they were at least 60 years old and needed this help (1 Ti. 5:9, 10).
From the late 2nd to the 4th century, ecclesiastical authors speak of elderly widows as forming a kind of sisterhood in charge of caring for women who belonged to the church, especially younger widows and orphans. In 364 AD, the synod of Laodicea abolished this function. In