Honoring your Father and Mother – What does it Mean?

One of the Ten Commandments says, in Exodus 20:12  "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. "

 

What does this mean?

 

Jesus referred to it as a commandment that the Scribes and Pharisees were violating through their traditions

Mat 15:3  He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO CURSES FATHER OR MOTHER, LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH.'
Mat 15:5  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"—
Mat 15:6  then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

To honor your parents is the opposite of "to curse" them. Jesus contrasts the two as opposites in the way he quotes the Scriptures here.

To honor your parents has a number of elements.

Firstly, as much as possible, to speak of them with respect. Speak good of them, talk about their good points, praise them, raise them in the esteem of others by the way you talk of them and by the way you treat them.

Secondly, honoring your father and mother is related to the concept of BLESSING them. A blessing can be a good word, or to speak well of (interestingly in the Romanian language the two are virtually the same). Blessing means not only good words, but if your parents were to have financial needs, or needs for care, you should give them financial needs.

You can't get around the financial aspect of it, because the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were trying to get out of it, by saying that the good gifts they might have given to their parents were 'Corban' or devoted to God.

Not all of us have wealthy parents. Part of our duty as Christians is help them in their old age, as required. After all, its only right, they sacrificed their youth to look after us as babies, toddlers and children. And that is hard work, as all parents would agree.

God promises to give us the strong possibility of a long life where things go well for us if we honor our parents. The fact is, if a person does not honor their father and mother, life cannot go well for them. They will not be blessed by God. They may well die young. I have seen it happen, even to a young Christian leader.

Therefore it is very wise and it is basically enlightened self-interest also to honor one's father and mother. This should be done even if they have to a greater or lesser extent failed as parents in many ways.

I invite you to build a faith community together with me. Join my social media channels and let’s connect, especially if you want freedom or fullness in Christ.

My Telegram has a ministry channel. On Tiktok I have many videos and new ones regularly.

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