From the Book of Proverbs

Notice some of the Proverbs pertaining to child training, instruction and correction: “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the LORD loves He corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights” (Prov 3:11-12).

“He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him betimes [early or promptly]” (Prov 13:24). “Chasten your son while there is hope, and let not your soul spare for his crying” (Prov 19:18).

“When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge” (Prov 21:11).

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6).

Also read these other Proverbs: 22:15; 23:13-14; 25:12; 28:23; 29:15, 17.

The Fifth Commandment in Perspective

After giving the Ten Commandments, God’s initial instructions to Moses show how seriously He regarded complete obedience to His law. Notice this warning: “And he that SMITES his father, or his mother, shall be surely PUT TO DEATH…And he that CURSES his father, or his mother, shall surely be PUT TO DEATH” (Ex. 21:15, 17). Strong words—and Leviticus 20:9 repeats this.

God knows that anyone who dishonours others, especially parents, will also dishonour Him. Many people today notice these judgments and conclude, “That God of the Old Testament was harsh!” This totally misses the point. Instead, they should ask, “Do I regard God’s living law with the due fear that God required of physical Israel?”

Since Ephesians 6:1 teaches, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right,” parents must diligently conduct themselves in ways that deserve honour from their children. They must lead by example.

The phrase “in the Lord” defines the conditions of obedience. This term emphasizes that obedience to God comes before obedience to parents. For example, if a parent tells his child to mow the lawn on the Sabbath, the child must put God’s Law first, even if it means disobeying his parents. “In the Lord” means that any parental command that is against God’s laws would have to be respectfully declined.

Mark 7:9-13 reads, “And He said unto them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour your father and your mother; and, Whoso curses father or mother, let him die the death: but you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, it is Corban [a consecrated or dedicated offering], that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever you might be profited by me; he shall be free. And you suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you.”

The scribes and Pharisees got around the spirit of the law by legitimizing their neglect of their elderly parents. They did this to increase their offerings for the sake of political clout. Christ condemned their hypocrisy. He defined the obligation to give financial and other assistance to one’s elderly parents.

This is further explained by Paul in I Timothy 5:16. Notice: “If any man or woman that believes have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the Church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”

Members of God’s Church are taught to help support their own elderly parents (widows in this case), so that the Church would be relieved of that burden. The Fifth Commandment demands that we honour and support our parents until the end of their lives.

What If…?

We face a similar question to previous commands: what if the whole world obeyed the Fifth Commandment? The end of juvenile delinquency would only be the beginning. Honouring parents would naturally lead to honouring God.

Reform schools and youth detention centres would close or would become educational centres. Drug dealers and gangs would be out of business—as youths would honour and obey their parents who warned them about these dangers. Without drug habits to feed, theft would decrease.

Children could safely walk to school without worrying about gangland drive-by shootings. With more diligent parental guidance, we would see positive changes in the media and in the values that they project. Respect for the elderly would reappear, along with respect for authority, including police officers and teachers. Generations would live longer as they would receive the promised blessing due to showing honour to their parents.