Fifth Commandment
HONOR Ex 20:12
Introduction:
Fifth commandment begins the second table, which lays down our duty towards our neighbors. Of all our duties to our fellow-men, the first and most fundamental is our duty towards our parents. The connection between the first four commandments and the fifth exists in the truth that all faith in God centers in the filial feeling. Our parents stand between us and God in a way in which no other beings can. On the maintenance of parental authority
PARENTS ROLE
Father gives life, (Pr 23:22) Adam became a father and gave birth to a son in his likeness(Gen. 5:3), Father has compassion (Ps 103:13), Father Instructs (Pr 1:8 and 23:22), Carries the Child(Dt. 1:31)
Mother teaches(Pr 6:20), Mother gives faith (II Tim 1:5) – Living faith, creative faith, God fearing faith, dependent faith, Mother comforts the Child in affliction, suffering, troubles (Is. 66:13, II Cor. 1:3-7)
HONORING PARENTS
1. Love Your Parents. (Mt. 10:37)
Take care of them while you are on movements, on transfers, on transition periods (I Sam. 22:3-4). After your marriage, after the child birth, after you became very busy, to make their old age easy; maintaining them if they need support, The word honor doth not only note the reverence, love, and obedience we owe them, but also support and maintenance, as appears from Matthew 15:4-6, 1 Timothy 5:3,17, the Jews say a man is bound even to beg, or to work with his hands, that he may relieve his parents. Honor is personal (Heb. 5:4), preferential(Rm. 12:10), Positional in society. Man has two responsibilities:
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2. The first is the bearing and raising of children, to bring them from the absolute dependence of the womb, to the independence of adolescence, to the maturity of adulthood. The second is the caring for our own parents in their declining years. Often this involves the deterioration of the physical body, and frequently of the mind. The raising of children has its pains, but it usually is accompanied by the joy of seeing our children grow up, become mature and responsible, and independent. The caring for our parents is seldom as rewarding. Most of which are the source of great agony, and frequently of much guilt. The culmination of this process is the grave. But Love them and Honor them. We can scarcely suppose that a man honors his parents who, when they fall weak, blind, or sick, does not exert himself to the uttermost in their support. In such cases God as truly requires the children to provide for their parents, as he required the parents to feed, nourish, support, instruct, and defend the children when they were in the lowest state of helpless in fancy.
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4. 2. Obey Your Parents everything in the Lord (Eph 6:1, Col. 3:20).
Honor, reverence, and obedience are due to parents. There has never been a civilized community of whose moral code they have not formed an important part. In Egypt strictly inculcated from a very early date, and a bad son forfeited the prospect of happiness in another life. Confucianism bases all morality upon the parental and filial relation, and requires the most complete subjection, even of the grown-up son, to his father and mother. Greek ethics taught that the relation of children to their parents was parallel to that of men to God; and Rome made the absolute authority of the father the basis of its entire State system. Come when they call you, go where they send you, do what they bid you, refrain from what they forbid you; and this, as children, cheerfully, Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect to elders (Lev.19:32). Lev 19:3 respect your Father and Mother. Also submission to their counsels and corrections, rebellion against their lawful commands has been considered as rebellion against God. This precept therefore prohibits, not only all injurious acts, irreverent and unkind speeches to parents, but enjoins all necessary acts of kindness, filial respect, and obedience..
Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his son’s Head Master: Respected Sir
My son will have to learn that all men are not just, all men are not true. there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend, to learn to lose and also to enjoy winning, the secret of quite laughter, the wonder of books. it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat, have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong, be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough, not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon. to listen to all men but also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through,
how to laugh when he is sad. there is no shame in tears. to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness, to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders; but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul.
to close his ears to a howling mob… and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right.
Treat him gently; but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel.
Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave.
Abraham Lincoln.
3. Bury them Honorably
(Gen 50:5), Isaac and Ismail buried their father Abraham (Gen. 25:8-9). Esau and Jacob buried His father and Mother (Gen 35:28-19 & 49:31)
BLESSINGS
Your days may be long and everything may go well with you. (Ex 20:12)
This is the First Commandment with a promise.
Cursed is the man who dishonors the Father and Mother((Dt. 27:16),
Cursed is the man who mocks father and scorns mother, he will be eaten by the Vultures(Pr. 30:17)
Put to death who curses father and Mother(Mt 15:4)
Despise not your mother (Pr 23:22)
