Monday 11 October 2010

Honour your father and mother

ReverenceHonour is first of all a heart attitude, expressing reverence or respect. 

Leviticus 19:3 (cf. Roverbs 3:9; John 8:49; 1 Timothy 1:17 etc.) 

This is the language of worship! 

Of course Scripture contrasts sharply the deference due to God with that due to human beings: Acts 4:19; 5:29 ... even parents: Matthew 10:35-37; Mark 10:29-30; Luke 9:59-60; 14:26.

That Jesus places loyalty to himself above loyalty to father and mother (even though he emphatically endorses the fifth commandment in Matthew 15:4-6; Mark 7:9-13) is a momentous claim to deity. That loyalty to God transcends loyalty even to parents is an implication of the first commandment. 

Our reverence for parents is not in spite of our reverence for God, but because of it: Deuteronomy 5:16; Leviticus 19:32; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20. In a similar vein we are often commanded to express deference and respect to others in thoughts, words and actions: Genesis 31:35; 1 Kings 2:19; 1 Timothy 5:1. 

Submission 
In a way this is part of reverence, for when we respect someone we hear them with respect, we expect to learn and we are willing to change out of respect for their words. When we disagree we do so reluctantly, and we express even that disagreement in respectful language with gentleness. 

Scripture regularly presents parents as teachers (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 1:10; 2:1; 3:1; Ephesians 6:1-4).

Obedience in turn is a form of submission. Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20. This applies to other authorities too: Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14; Phil 2:12; 2 Thess 3:14; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 3:6; Colossians 3:22-25; 1 Peter 2:18-20. 

Obedience to other human beings is always limited because God's authority is supreme and limits every form of human authority. Acts 5:29. Luke 2:51 & Luke 2:49.

Financial Support 
Mark 7:9-13; 1 Timothy 5:4-8

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