2010-12-21

Whom does God speak about in the Fourth Commandment?

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Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not despise our parents and masters, nor provoke them to anger, but give them honor, serve and obey them, and hold them in love and esteem.


In the Fourth Commandment God speaks to us about those neighbors, whom He has placed over us to govern us and whom He especially wants us to honor. They are:


  1. Father and mother and our guardians.

    Prov. 20:20: Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

    John 19:26,27: When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He saith unto his mother: Woman, behold thy son. Then saith He to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.


    Assignment: Consider: Who substitute for parents at day-care centers, at school and at camp?


  2. Pastors and other teachers of the church.

    2 Kings 2:12: Elisha saw this (Elijah being taken to heaven) and cried out, “My father! My father!”

    1 Cor. 4:15: In Christ Jesus I (Paul) have begotten you through the Gospel.


  3. Earthly government, government officials, law and order.

    Rom. 13:1,6: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God...They are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

    1 Pet. 2:13,14: Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishmentof evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well.


  4. Employers and directors.

    2 Kings 5:13: His (Naaman’s) servants came near, and spake unto him, and said: My father.

    1 Pet. 2:18: Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

    Matt. 8:8-10: The centurion answered and said: Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man: Go, and he goeth; and to another: Come, and he cometh; and to my servant: Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed: Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.


  5. The elderly.

    Acts 22:1: (Paul said to them): Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence.

    1 Tim. 5:1,2: Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren, the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all purity.