CHAPTER V.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.
EXODUS XX, 12: _Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee._
This is the first command in the second table of the law. As the first table enjoined those duties which we owe directly to God, so the second table enjoins those duties which we owe to our fellow-men. As our parents are related to us next under God, the duties which we owe to them are appropriately placed first.
1. _This Command Requires_ REVERENCE AND OBEDIENCE ON THE PART OF CHILDREN.
EX. XXI, 17. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
PROV. XX, 20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
PROV. XXX, 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
COL. III, 20. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
GEN. XLVIII, 9. And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
LEV. XIX, 3. Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths; I am the Lord your God.
PROV. I, 8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
PROV. VI, 20. My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
PROV. XIII, 1. A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
PROV. XXIII, 22. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
MATT. XV, 4. For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6. And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
EPH. VI, 1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
LUKE II, 51. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
2. _It Requires_ REVERENCE TO THE AGED, WHETHER THEY ARE OUR PARENTS OR NOT.
LEV. XIX, 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.
1 TIM. V, 1. Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
2. The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
3. Honor widows that are widows indeed.
4. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
1 PETER V, 5. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
EX. XXII, 28. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
ACTS XXIII, 4. And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5. Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
2 PETER II, 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
JUDE, 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
3. GOD'S JUDGMENTS AGAINST DISOBEDIENT CHILDREN.
EX. XXI, 15. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
EX. XXI, 17. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
DEUT. XXI, 18. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19. Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20. And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
DEUT. XXVII, 16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother: and all the people shall say, Amen.
PROV. XX, 20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
PROV. XXX, 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
GEN. XVIII, 19. For I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
DEUT. IV, 9. Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
10. Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
PROV. IV, 3. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
2 TIM. III, 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
4. _It Requires_ REVERENCE AND SUBMISSION TO MAGISTRATES AND CIVIL RULERS.
1 PET. II, 17. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
2 PET. II, 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
MATT. XXII, 21. They say unto him, Cesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
ROM. XIII, 1. 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.
2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
6. For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
1 PET. II, 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.