SCRIPTURE READING: Ephesians 6:1-3

GOLDEN TEXT:  Exodus 20:12

1. Who was it that verbally spoke to Moses and the children of Israel? (Exodus 20:1). Did the Lord God bring Israel out of bondage? (Exodus 20:2). What did God do to keep the children of Israel free from bondage? He gave them His Ten Commandments.

2. Does God’s fifth Commandment command people to honor their father and mother? (Exodus 20:12). What does the word "honor" mean?

Note: "honor" is defined as: "to regard or treat with respect." To show "respect" is to esteem or to hold someone worthy in high regard. In order for children to honor their parents, their parents must teach them how to respect them, and also how to respect the elderly, and people of authority, their teachers, policemen, etc. If parents want their children to respect them, then the parents must respect their children.

3. Does God command his people to "fear" their father and mother? (Leviticus 19:3.) Note: The Hebrew word for "fear" is "yare" which can be translated as "fear, reverence and revere." The N.I.V. translates this word as "respect."

4. Does the fifth commandment have a promise attached to it? (Exodus 20:12.) What is the promise? (Same verse.)

5. Does the New Testament command Christians to "honor your father and mother?" (Ephesians 6:1-3.) Does the apostle Paul say that this is the right thing to do? (Verse 1.)

6. Did Jesus command His disciples to "honor your father and mother?" (Matthew 19:18-19, Luke 18:20.)

Note: The first four of God’s Ten Commandments honors God and instructs mankind in how to have a good relationship with God and how to love God. The fifth commandment is a bridge between the first four commandments and the last six commandments which instructs mankind in how to have a good relationship with our fellow man and how to love our neighbor. How is the fifth commandment a bridge? God is our spiritual Father and we are to "honor" and respect Him.

7. Are we to "obey" our parents? (Ephesians 6:1.) Does a wise son obey his father and make him glad and rejoice? (Proverbs 10:1, 23:22-25.) Does a foolish son disobey his mother and bring grief upon her? (Same verses.)

8. Does it please God if children obey their parents in all things? (Colossians 3:20.) Are children to "obey" their parents in the Lord? (Ephesians 6:1.)

Note: Did you notice the phrase "obey your parents in the Lord?" Children are to obey their parents as long as they do not disobey God! Acts 5:29 says: "We ought to obey God rather than men." A child must not obey a parent if that parent tells them to do something illegal which would violate one of God’s commandments.

9. Are children to honor their parents with words? Should a child curse his father or mother? (Exodus 21:17, Leviticus 20:9, Deuteronomy 27:16, Proverbs 20:20.) What was the penalty in the Old Testament for this violation? (Same verses.)

Note: The Law of God shows the mind of God. God took this commandment very seriously. It is possible that this law was not enforced by the people. In the New Testament God administers His law differently.

10. What is the penalty of a child who mocks his father and scorns the obedience of his mother? (Proverbs 30:17.)

11. Are parents to provide for their children and their children’s children? (2 Corinthians 12:14, Proverbs 13:22.)

Note: Unfortunately in many cases parents are not financially capable of providing much to pass on to their children and they have a tough time of even taking care of themselves.

12. Are children to honor their parents with money? Did Jesus uphold the fifth commandment to the Pharisees? (Mark 7:9-13, Matthew 15:1-6.) Did Jesus condemn their tradition of giving money as a gift to God instead of giving money to their parents? (Same verses.)

Note: "Corban" is a vow type of offering that was a consecrated present to the Temple Treasury. Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they should keep God’s commandment to honor their parents rather than keeping their traditions of dedicating money to the Temple. Today, if it is a question of taking care of your aging parents in their time of need or giving money to the church - Jesus’ answer is to take care of your parents.

13. If parents need help, are children then to take care of their parents? (1 Timothy 5:4-8.)

Note: The biblical model rule in the Church is that families should take care of their own families, but if they can’t then the Church is to help supplement their needs.

14. What does the Bible call someone who doesn’t take care of his family? (1 Timothy 5:8.)

Note: This person is called an "infidel" in the K.J.V. The Greek word is: "apistos" and is defined as: "disbelieving, without Christian faith, a heathen, an untrustworthy person and an infidel."

15. Did Jesus honor His Father and mother? (Luke 2:51, John 8:49, 19:26-27.)

Note: Jesus honored his physical parents and was subject to them. He Honored His Heavenly Father and when He had been crucified on the cross and hanging there one of His last requests was to provide for His mother.

16. Let’s ask a difficult question: What should a person do if one of their parents abused them as a child? You may have to honor your parents from a distance. Try to maintain a civil relationship, be courteous, kind and be careful. If you let your children visit, then you should be there with them to supervise the visit.

In Conclusion: God’s fifth commandment commands us to honor our father and our mother. Keeping the fifth commandment shows that we have a deep love and respect for our parents. Are you willing to obey the Fifth Commandment?

2.) (Exodus 20:12 NKJV) "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

3.) (Leviticus 19:3 NKJV) 'Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

4.) (Exodus 20:12 NKJV) "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

5.) (Ephesians 6:1-3 NKJV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. {2} "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: {3} "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

6.) (Matthew 19:18-19 NKJV) He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' {19} 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

(Mark 10:19 NKJV) "You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

(Luke 18:20 NKJV) "You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

7.) Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

(Proverbs 10:1 NKJV) The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

(Proverbs 23:22-25 NKJV) Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old. {23} Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding. {24} The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him. {25} Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice.

8.) (Colossians 3:20 NKJV) Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

(Acts 5:29 NKJV) But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.

9.) (Exodus 21:17 NKJV) "And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

(Leviticus 20:9 NKJV) 'For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.

(Deuteronomy 27:16 NKJV) 'Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

(Proverbs 20:20 NKJV) Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

10. (Proverbs 30:17 NKJV) The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.

11.) (2 Corinthians 12:14 NKJV) Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

(Proverbs 13:22 NKJV) A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

12.) (Mark 7:9-13 NKJV) He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. {10} "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' {11} "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"; ' (that is, a gift to God), {12} "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, {13} "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

(Matthew 15:1-6 NKJV) Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, {2} "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." {3} He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? {4} "For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' {5} "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"; {6} 'then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

13.) (1 Timothy 5:4-8 NKJV) But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. {5} Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. {6} But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. {7} And these things command, that they may be blameless. {8} But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

(1 Timothy 5:8 KJV) But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

15.) (Luke 2:51 NKJV) Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

(John 8:49 NKJV) Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

(John 19:26-27 NKJV) When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" {27} Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.