“Honor Your Father and Your Mother”
THOSE words come down to us from antiquity, centuries before the time of Christ. They were brought down from a mountaintop, written on stone by the finger of God. Moses had been used to lead the Israelite captives out from Egyptian bondage, through the Red Sea, and to an encampment at the foot of rugged Mount Sinai. After spending 40 days and nights with Jehovah on Mount Sinai, Moses came down with the two stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments.—Exodus 34:1, 27, 28.
On one of these tablets was written the fifth commandment, which now appears in the Bible at Exodus chapter 20, verse 12. It reads as follows: “Honor your father and your mother in order that your days may prove long upon the ground that Jehovah your God is giving you.” According to the apostle Paul, it is “the first command with a promise,” which promise is: “That your days may prove long upon the ground.”—Ephesians 6:1-3.
The awesome display of fire and smoke and the frightful quaking of Mount Sinai during the delivery of the Ten Commandments dramatically proclaimed their importance, including the fifth one, to render honor to father and mother. What is involved in showing this honor? Not just respect and obedience but also care and support in a material way when needed.
This was made clear centuries later when Jesus clashed with the scribes and the Pharisees concerning their oral traditions. Jesus pointed out that when they withheld material support from needy parents, they were failing to honor their father or mother. He said to them, as recorded at Matthew 15:3-6: “God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother: “Whatever I have by which you might get benefit from me is a gift dedicated to God,” he must not honor his father at all.’ And so you have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.”
In the case of Jesus himself, he showed obedience to his parents, being submissive to them. (Luke 2:51) Years later, when he was dying on a torture stake, he showed honor to his mother by making loving provision for her care and support.—John 19:25-27.
The apostle Paul knew only too well that it was God’s requirement for children, and even grandchildren, to care for needy parents. And, interestingly, he related such material assistance to showing honor: “Honor widows that are actually widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn first to practice godly devotion in their own household and to keep paying a due compensation to their parents and grandparents, for this is acceptable in God’s sight.” (1 Timothy 5:3, 4) Your parents cared for you when you were a helpless babe and child; in their old age, it is your turn to help them in their need.