Honor Due to
Parents
The Responsibility
of Children
According to the
wise man Solomon, by what is every
child known?
“Even a child is
known by his actions, by
whether his conduct is pure and
right.”
Proverbs 20:11.
What is the duty of
every child toward his earthly
parents?
“Listen my son, to
your father’s instruction and do
not forsake your mother’s
teaching.”
Proverbs 1:8.
What does the fifth
commandment require of children?
“Honor your
father and your mother, so that
you may live long in the land the
Lord God is giving you.” Exodus
20:12.
Note – To the
child to young to know God, the
earthly parent takes the place of
God. Learning to honor, respect, and
obey the earthly parents is the
child’s first and most important
lesson in learning to honor, respect,
and obey God, his heavenly Parent.
Benjamin Franklin well said:
“Let thy child’s first
lesson be obedience, and the second
will be what thou wilt.”
For how long a time
should one honor his parents?
“Listen to your
father who gave you life, and do
not despise your mother when she is
old.” Proverbs 23:22.
Note – As long as
parents live, they should be honored
and respected by their children. The
duty enjoined in the fifth
commandment does not cease at
maturity, nor when the child leaves
the parental roof, but continues
throughout life.
Disobedient,
Dishonorable Offspring
What is the
character of a child who will not
listen to his father’s
instruction?
“A fool
spurns his father’s discipline,
but whoever heeds correction shows
prudence.”
Proverbs 15:5.
What is on way in
which a child may dishonor his
parents?
“He who keeps the
law is a discerning son, but a
companion of gluttons disgraces his
father.” Proverbs 28:7.
What is said of one
who robs his parents?
“He who robes his
father and mother and says,
“it’s not wrong”
– he is partner to him that
destroys.” Verse 24.
How did the Jewish
leaders in the days of Christ, for
the sake of gain, make void the fifth
commandment?
“But you
say that if a man says to his father
or mother, ‘Whatever help you
might otherwise have received from me
is a gift devoted to God,’ he is
not to ‘honor his father with
it. Thus you nullify the word of God
for the sake of your tradition.”
Matthew
15:5,6.
Note –
The word translated “gift”
in this text means a thing dedicated
to the service of God is the Temple.
In this way the Jewish leaders, by
their traditional law, taught
children that by saying their
property was dedicated to the Temple
or religious purposes, they were free
from the obligation to honor and
support their parents, thus making
void one of the commandments of God.
This Christ condemned.
In what other
ways do some dishonor their father
and mother?
“There
are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.”
Proverbs 30:11.
The Spirit of
Honor and Obedience
What course
on the part of children is well
pleasing to the Lord?
“Children,
obey your parents in everything,
for this pleases the Lord.”
Colossians 3:20.
In what
spirit should children obey their
parents?
“Children,
obey your parents in the Lord,
for this is right.” Ephesians
6:1.
How did Jesus
honor His parents?
“When he
went down to Nazareth with them and was
obedient to them. But his mother
treasured all these things in her
heart.” Luke 2:51.
What did the
wise man say would be the fate of the
one who curses his father or his
mother?
“If a
man curses his father or mother, his
lamp will be snuffed out in pitch
darkness.“ “The eye
that mocks a father, that scorns
obedience to a mother, will be
pecked out by the ravens of the
valley, will be eaten by the
vultures.” Proverbs 20:20;
30:17.
What is the
reward of those who honor their
parents?
“Honor
your father and your mother, so
may you live long in the land
that the Lord God is giving
you.” Exodus 20:12.
Note –
The fullness of the promise will be
realized in the life to come when the
earth, restored to its Edenic beauty,
will become the eternal home of all
those who have truly honored their
parents and kept all God’s
commandments.
What comment
has the Apostle Paul made upon this
commandment?
“Honor
your father and your mother” –
which is the first commandment with a
promise – that it may go
well with you and that you may enjoy
long life on the earth.”
Ephesians
6:2,3.
The Modern
Trend
In what age
of the world is disobedience to
parents to be especially manifested?
“But
mark this: There will be terrible
times in the last days. People will
be lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient, to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, without love,
unforgiving, slanderous, without
self-control, brutal, not lovers of
the good, treacherous, rash,
conceited, lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God – having a
form of godliness but denying its
power. Have nothing to do with
them.”
2 Timothy
3:1-5.
Note
– Disobedience to parents is a
marked characteristic of the present
generation. Never before was it so
common or so widespread. The root of
evil, however, lies not so much in
the children as in the parents. Many
of the latter are disobedient to God,
their Father in heaven, and so have
failed to bring up their children in
the fear of God and in ways of
righteousness. Bible instruction,
lessons of faith, and prayer must not
be neglected in the home if we would
see obedient, God-fearing children
growing up in the world.
