The Ten Commandments were given to Moses on two tablets of
stone, written by the Hand of God.
Whether the commandments were divided into five on one tablet and five
on the other, we are not told, but it is clear that the first four deal with
the relationship of God’s covenant people with Himself, and the last five with
their relationship with their fellow man.
What about the Fifth Commandment?
There is good reason to believe that this commandment belongs with the
first five: Honoring father and mother is linked with honoring God. Leviticus 19:3 makes the connection clear:
Every
one of you shall reverence his mother and his father, and you shall keep My
sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.
It is striking here that reverence for one’s mother is mentioned first. And the word translated ‘reverence’ is the
same Hebrew word found in verse 14 and applied to God: “... but you shall
revere (reverence) your God; I am the LORD.” Commentator C. F. Keil in
commenting on Exodus 20:12 also makes the connection:
The
Fifth Word, “Honour thy father and
thy mother,” does not refer to
fellow-men, but to “those who are the representatives of God. Therefore, as God
is to be served with honour and fear, His representatives are to be so too” (Luther). This is placed beyond all doubt by Leviticus19:3, where reverence
towards parents is placed on an equality with the observance of the Sabbath . .
.
The 19th century Methodist theologian Adam Clarke
commented on this commandment:
There
is a degree of affectionate respect which is owing to parents, that no person
else can properly claim. For a considerable time parents stand as it were in
the place of God to their children, and therefore rebellion against their
lawful commands has been considered as rebellion against God. This precept
therefore prohibits, not only all injurious acts, irreverent and unkind
speeches to parents, but enjoins all necessary acts of kindness, filial
respect, and obedience. We can scarcely suppose that a man honors his parents
who, when they fall weak, blind, or sick, does not exert himself to the
uttermost in their support.
The reiteration of the Fifth Commandment in Deuteronomy 5:16
adds an important phrase: “that it may go well with you . . .” The Apostle Paul
quotes Deuteronomy in pointing out that this is the first commandment that
carries a promise (Ephesians 6:1-3).
The first key to true well-being is to honor the Lord God,
and the second is like it: “Honor your
father and your mother.”
No comments:
Post a Comment