Exodus 20:12
~21 min read
💭 Consider this: Jesus perfectly honoured His imperfect earthly parents. How can we imitate Him?
TRANSCRIPT
If you have your Bibles, please turn with me to Exodus 20:12. Let us read in one accord. Exodus 20:12, "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." The LORD bless the reading of His holy and sacred Word.
Throughout the history of the church, there have been a lot of speculation as to what the two tables of stone contain. Some believe that all the ten commandments were written on one stone and the other stone was a copy of it. Others believe that the first table of the law contained the first four commandments while the second stone contained the other six commandments. They believe that the first four commandments have to do with God and the other six commandments have to do with our neighbours.
The reason for holding to this view is partly because Jesus said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments [meaning these two sets of commandment], hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)
While it is true that we should not speculate because the Bible does not tell us exactly what each of the tablets contain, but there are some principles that we can draw from it. If you love God, you will have no other gods before you (Exodus 20:3), you will not make any graven images (Exodus 20:4), you will not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain (Exodus 20:7), and you will keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8).
And if you believe that on the second tablet contains the other six commandments, then loving our neighbours must begin at home. If you honour your father and mother, you will love your neighbour: You will not kill, you will not commit adultery, you will not steal, you will not bear false witnesses against your neighbour, you will not covet your neighbour's wife or his house. (Exodus 20:12-17) Augustine said, ‘If anyone fails to honour his parents, is there anyone he will spare?’
Most people tend to think they understand the fifth commandment, but there's more that meets the eye. So in order to help us to better understand and appreciate this fifth commandment, let us take time to consider the requirement of this commandment, the reason for obeying this commandment, and also the reward that comes from obeying this commandment.
I. The Requirement
So let us first consider the requirement: "Honour thy father and thy mother:" (Exodus 20:12) Notice in this commandment, no age limit was given. So, it is not only a commandment given to young children but to everyone who has parents. As long as we have parents, this commandment applies to us. We must honour them, no matter how old we are and no matter how old they are.
When we first read this commandment at face value, it deals with the parent and child relationship. This is the primary relationship of life, parent and child. This is the first relationship that a child is aware of, and how a child responds to this relationship is the first test that he encounters in this world. But because of sin that has affected the whole human race, perhaps this is also the first commandment in the law of God to be broken at a very young age. It reveals to us the total depravity of men, even in the youngest children.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 64 teaches us how this commandment ought to be applied. It begins with this question: ‘What is required in the fifth commandment?’ The answer is: ‘The fifth commandment requires the preserving the honour, and performing the duties belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.’
Why does the Westminster Shorter Catechism not just mention ‘honour your parents’? But it includes honouring everyone in their various places and relations as superiors? Allow me to briefly explain: When God created man, the family was the only divine institution that a man needs. If man had not sinned, the family would have been the only institution, and every member of the human race would belong to the same spiritual and political family.
But man sinned against God, and after the fall of man, two other institutions were ordained by God: the church and the state. Because of sin, it was necessary to introduce distinct areas of authority. The church was instituted for the work of the Gospel and to govern the believers who have embraced Jesus Christ. The state was instituted for the restraint of evil in this world. This is a wicked world; therefore, we now have an addition to the original God-given authority in the family. Now we have leaders in the church and in the state as well.
That is why the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, we are to honour the duties belonging to everyone in their different places and relations. That is why we are not surprised to find that sometimes the Bible calls state rulers ‘fathers’. For example, in Isaiah 49:23, "And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers:" So, the ruling leaders of the state were called fathers. And church leaders are also sometimes called fathers in the Bible. For example, Paul said to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 4:15, "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ [you have many teachers], yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." And we all know that the Apostle Paul was known to be a spiritual father to young Timothy.
So, it is also not surprising to see that the Bible commands us to obey and honour all these God-given authorities, whether it be in the family, in the church, or in the state. For the family, Ephesians 6:1 says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." For the church, Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey them that have the rule over you [the spiritual leaders], and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." What about the state? Romans 13 tells us to obey the authority appointed by God for the punishment of evil and for the encouragement of good.
So, this is the actual scope of the fifth commandment: a regard for all the authorities that God had appointed, beginning with the family and then extended into the other institutions—the spiritual family, the church, and also the state. We must also include within this scope those authorities placed above us not in the institutions but by God's providence, like the master and slave relationship described for us in Ephesians chapter 6 (Ephesians 6:5-8). And that will also include the employer-employee relationship, teacher-student relationship, etc. So, not only the authority instituted by God but also by the providential hand of God, they will fall under the fifth commandment as well.
Now, you will notice that the requirement to honour the family, the church, and the state is very much connected. This regard for one authority will always be accompanied by the disregard for other authorities. So, if a child has no regard for parental authorities, he has not been taught to honour his parents. It is unlikely that he would have any regard for the church or for the state.
Most of you know that I used to work amongst the prisoners in Singapore. If you were to do a study on the criminals who have disregarded the laws of the state, very often it begins with the disregarding of the parental authority at home. And then it leads to a disregard for all other authorities.
All of us know that we cannot keep the laws of God perfectly. We break the laws of God, and we stand guilty before a holy God. There's only one and that is Christ Himself who has kept the laws of God perfectly. And salvation is to believe in the One who has imputed His righteousness on us, to believe in the One who has kept all the laws of God perfectly on our behalf, and who bore the guilt of our sins upon Himself when He was crucified on the cross, shedding His precious blood that is able to wash away all our sins.
If Christ has kept all the laws of God perfectly, then it must also include this fifth commandment, right? So, it is very wonderful to see how our Lord Jesus has obeyed this commandment while He lived on the face of this earth.
Let me just quote some examples: To the family, Luke 2:51 says, "And he [Jesus] went down with them [His parents], and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them:" As a young child, Jesus honoured His parents. He subjected Himself to their authority.
What about His submission to the authority of the church? Matthew 23:1-2 says, "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:" Now, that is the seat of authority they said, and they taught the Word of God. And Jesus said this, "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” (Matthew 23:3) So Jesus gave honour to the seat of Moses. He respected the authority of those who taught the Word of God. And He told the disciples, ‘Listen to those teachings.’ But He simply warned them not to follow the examples of the Pharisees and the scribes because they were not good examples.
What about His submission to the authority of the state? Remember in Luke 20:25, the chief priests and scribes tried to test our Lord Jesus, ‘and they asked Him, Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no? Jesus said, Show me a penny. Whose image is on the penny? They answered, Caesar’s. And Jesus said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.’ (Luke 20:19-25) So by His life, Jesus taught us to honour the God-given authorities in the family, in the church, and even in the state. He set the ultimate example for you and I to follow, and He did it so perfectly.
Dear friend, are we better than God to disregard those God-given authorities when even our Lord Jesus Himself obeyed? God forbids.
Tonight, we will not deal with the authorities of the church or the state, but only honouring our fathers and mothers. But nonetheless, these are all included in the fifth commandment.
II. The Reason For Obeying
Our second point is the reason for obeying the fifth commandment. Under normal circumstances, the first people a child would know are his parents. All of us would agree to this fact. If we do not respect authority at home, we will not respect it anywhere else. Charity really does begin at home.
The word ‘honour’ in the Hebrew language means heavy or weighty. It is the word the Old Testament would often use to describe the glory of God, to give weight to His divine majesty. Therefore, to honour one's parents is to give weight to their position. It is to give them the recognition they deserve for their God-given authority. To honour is to respect. It is to value our parents as God's gift to us. And we must never think that we have given too much weight, too much authority, or too much respect. But rather, it is always how much we have fallen short.
Sad to say, rebelling against one's parents is a common sin, especially in the Western world.
In one of the teenage magazines, one girl was asked, ‘Do you really hate your parents?’ She replied, ‘Like who doesn't?’ Most young people assume that breaking the fifth commandment is just an ordinary part of growing up.
But do you know that God considers dishonouring one's parent to be one of the most horrendous sin that anyone can possibly commit? When it comes to dishonouring one's parents, the Bible treats it with a kind of horror. Some of the worst curses and punishment recorded in the Scriptures were reserved for children who rebelled against their parents. Leviticus 20:9 says this, "For everyone that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him." Deuteronomy 21 says, ‘If a man has a son who is stubborn and rebellious, who refuses to obey his parents, refuses to accept their discipline, all the people should come together and stone him to death.’ (Deuteronomy 21:19-21)
It is a very serious sin. In fact, in the New Testament, disobedience to parents is listed as one of the signs that we are all living in the last of the Last Days. You can read about that in 2 Timothy 3:1-2.
Well, to honour our parents can take many forms, but it must always begin in the heart. Just like all the other commandments, this fifth commandment addresses the heart. So, we are not just to show an external compliance to God-given authorities, but we must truly have this desire in our hearts to honour our parents. And as covenant children of any age, we must recognise that our parents are given to us by God for our good, for our faith, and for our lives. It is our duty to honour our parents. They have devoted their entire lives to raise us up. They have worked so hard to take care of us, to provide for all our needs, and they love us so much. We must have this gratitude in our hearts to honour them.
Yesterday, I was having dinner with a couple who have a young baby. It was still quite early, and then the couple said to me that ‘the baby is very sleepy, he has to sleep so we have to go home.’ What does that tell us? The parents' life revolves around the child. When the child wants to sleep, the parents must go home. The parents work hard for the child's education, for his well-being, for his comfort, for his future. They made many sacrifices, and they deserve to be honoured, don't you think?
Almost about 15 years ago, I came to Melbourne. After I arrived in Melbourne, my dad quickly booked a ticket to come to Melbourne. So he came, I think, after several months. Not because he loved to visit Melbourne, in fact, he could not stand the cold. He came because of me. I was told that he could not sleep for weeks after I left for Melbourne. So he told his friends that ‘I must make a trip to visit my son’.
Dear children, your parents always have your welfare in their hearts, and you will always be the same precious child no matter how old you are. Do you think I'm not able to take care of myself? Obviously, I can. But in my dad's eyes, I will always be that same precious child.
Parents deserve to be listened to because of their wealth of life experiences. So you must give weight to what they say. Listen to them, and then obey their counsels. You must realise that they are more experienced and wiser than you are. So, take heed, give weight, listen to what they are about to tell you. Perhaps one day you will reach adulthood, and then you become your own decision-maker, but still, you must give weight to listen to your parents. They have something to teach you.
Please do not despise your parents or treat their counsels as nagging. One day, that nagging will stop because God will take them home. And when that happens, all of a sudden, that nagging will stop if you considered it a nagging.
I learned this valuable lesson at the age of 13 when I lost my mother. Like most other teenagers, I used to think of my mother as nagging at me. I knew she loved me, cared for me, but I disliked the fact that she had to repeat so many times, so I always told her, ‘Stop it, stop it! Enough!’ I was rude. I was not a believer then. Well, true enough, all of a sudden, it stopped. She was gone, and there was complete silence. Even if I were to beg to hear another time, she would nag. I will never hear that voice again. So please do not despise your parents. They love you. Honour them. Give weight to what they will say to you. Listen. There will come a time where there will be no more.
THE BOOK OF EXODUSGod’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To PassGod’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To PassExodus 1:1-7
From Prosperity to PersecutionFrom Prosperity to PersecutionExodus 1:8-14
God’s Protection in the Midst of AdversitiesGod’s Protection in the Midst of AdversitiesExodus 1:15-21
The Faith of JochebedThe Faith of JochebedExodus 1:22-2:10
The Faith Of A Beloved MotherThe Faith Of A Beloved MotherExodus 1:22-2:10; Hebrews 11:23
Moses in EgyptMoses in EgyptExodus 2:11-15
Moses in the Desert of MidianMoses in the Desert of MidianExodus 2:16-25
Moses and the Burning BushMoses and the Burning BushExodus 3:1-9
Who Are You?Who Are You?Exodus 3:10-15
Who Am I?Who Am I?Exodus 3:10-15
God’s Message to Israel and EgyptGod’s Message to Israel and EgyptExodus 3:16-22
What If They Still Don’t Believe?What If They Still Don’t Believe?Exodus 4:1-9
Send Someone ElseSend Someone ElseExodus 4:10-17
Moses’ Return to EgyptMoses’ Return to EgyptExodus 4:18-20
When Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got WorseWhen Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got WorseExodus 5:10-21
When We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble ComesWhen We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble ComesExodus 5:22-6:5
Having to Learn the Same Lesson TwiceHaving to Learn the Same Lesson TwiceExodus 6:6-12
Faithful or UnfaithfulFaithful or UnfaithfulExodus 6:13-27
What God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and ObedienceWhat God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and ObedienceExodus 6:28-7:7
The First Plague - The River of BloodThe First Plague - The River of BloodExodus 7:14-25
The Second Plague - The FrogsThe Second Plague - The FrogsExodus 8:1-15
The Third PlagueThe Third PlagueExodus 8:16-19
The Fourth PlagueThe Fourth PlagueExodus 8:20-32
The Fifth PlagueThe Fifth PlagueExodus 9:1-7
The Sixth PlagueThe Sixth PlagueExodus 9:8-12
The Seventh PlagueThe Seventh PlagueExodus 9:13-35
The Eighth PlagueThe Eighth PlagueExodus 10:1-20
The Tenth PlagueThe Tenth PlagueExodus 11:1-10
The First PassoverThe First PassoverExodus 12:1-13
The Feast of the Unleavened BreadThe Feast of the Unleavened BreadExodus 12:14-28
Departure From EgyptDeparture From EgyptExodus 12:29-42
This Do In Remembrance of MeThis Do In Remembrance of MeExodus 12:43-51; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!Exodus 12:48-49, Colossians 2:11-12
Redemption and ConsecrationRedemption and ConsecrationExodus 13:1-2, 11-16
Precious Lord, Take My HandPrecious Lord, Take My HandExodus 13:17-22
Between the Desert and the Red SeaBetween the Desert and the Red SeaExodus 14:1-14
Crossing the Red SeaCrossing the Red SeaExodus 14:15-31
The Song of PraiseThe Song of PraiseExodus 15:1-21
Will You Obey Or Not?Will You Obey Or Not?Exodus 15:22-27
The Danger of a Complaining SpiritThe Danger of a Complaining SpiritExodus 16:1-3
God’s Response to Israel’s ComplaintsGod’s Response to Israel’s ComplaintsExodus 16:1-10
The Test of FaithThe Test of FaithExodus 16:11-20
Lessons About the SabbathLessons About the SabbathExodus 16:21-36
Do Not Test GodDo Not Test GodExodus 17:1-17
Lift Up Your HandsLift Up Your HandsExodus 17:8-16
The Blessedness of ReunionThe Blessedness of ReunionExodus 18:1-12
Why Do We Have Leaders?Why Do We Have Leaders?Exodus 18:13-27
I Will Carry You On Eagles’ WingsI Will Carry You On Eagles’ WingsExodus 19:1-6
Approach God Fearlessly or FearfullyApproach God Fearlessly or FearfullyExodus 19:7-15
God Reached Out And SpokeGod Reached Out And SpokeExodus 19:16-25
Thou Shalt Have No Other GodsThou Shalt Have No Other GodsExodus 20:1-3
Thou Shalt Not Make Graven ImagesThou Shalt Not Make Graven ImagesExodus 20:4-6
Thou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s NameThou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s NameExodus 20:7
Thou Shalt Keep The Sabbath DayThou Shalt Keep The Sabbath DayExodus 20:8-11
Honour Thy Father And Thy MotherHonour Thy Father And Thy MotherExodus 20:12
Thou Shalt Not KillThou Shalt Not KillExodus 20:13
Thou Shalt Not Commit AdulteryThou Shalt Not Commit AdulteryExodus 20:14
Thou Shalt Not StealThou Shalt Not StealExodus 20:15
Thou Shalt Not LieThou Shalt Not LieExodus 20:16
Thou Shalt Not CovetThou Shalt Not CovetExodus 20:17
The Response To The Ten CommandmentsThe Response To The Ten CommandmentsExodus 20:18-21
How God Wants Us To Worship HimHow God Wants Us To Worship HimExodus 20:22-26
Why Would God Allow Slavery?Why Would God Allow Slavery?Exodus 21:1-11
The Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a lifeThe Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a lifeExodus 21:12-17
The Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eyeThe Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eyeExodus 21:18-36
The Punishment Deters The Crime — property lawsThe Punishment Deters The Crime — property lawsExodus 22:1-15
The Character Of GodThe Character Of GodExodus 22:16-20
Reaching Out To The Down-And-OutReaching Out To The Down-And-OutExodus 22:21-24
The Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of GodThe Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of GodExodus 22:25-31
Truth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But TruthTruth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But TruthExodus 23:1-9
Remember Who God IsRemember Who God IsExodus 23:10-19
What Must We Do To Have VictoryWhat Must We Do To Have VictoryExodus 23:20-33
How We Ought To Worship GodHow We Ought To Worship GodExodus 24:1-4, 7
On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?Exodus 24:4-8
Responding To God’s InvitationResponding To God’s InvitationExodus 24:9-18
The Right Attitude Of GivingThe Right Attitude Of GivingExodus 25:1-8
There I Will Meet YouThere I Will Meet YouExodus 25:9-22
Physical Or Spiritual Bread, Which Is More Important?Physical Or Spiritual Bread, Which Is More Important?Exodus 25:23-30
Let Your Light So Shine Before MenLet Your Light So Shine Before MenExodus 25:31-40
The Veil That SeparatesThe Veil That SeparatesExodus 26:1-37
A Day In Thy Court Is Better Than A ThousandA Day In Thy Court Is Better Than A ThousandExodus 27:1-19
Who Can Represent Us Before God?Who Can Represent Us Before God?Exodus 27:20-28:14
How Can We Know God’s Will?How Can We Know God’s Will?Exodus 28:15-30
Is Our Worship Attire Really Important?Is Our Worship Attire Really Important?Exodus 28:31-43
The Ordination Of PriestsThe Ordination Of PriestsExodus 29:1-21
The Provision For PriestsThe Provision For PriestsExodus 29:22-29
Remind Us For We Always ForgetRemind Us For We Always ForgetExodus 29:36-46
Sweet Hour Of PrayerSweet Hour Of PrayerExodus 30:1-10
The Danger Of The Number GameThe Danger Of The Number GameExodus 30:11-16
The Importance Of SanctificationThe Importance Of SanctificationExodus 30:17-21
The Anointing Of OilThe Anointing Of OilExodus 30:22-38
No Such Thing As An Unimportant Calling Or GiftNo Such Thing As An Unimportant Calling Or GiftExodus 31:1-11
The Most Ignored CommandmentThe Most Ignored CommandmentExodus 31:12-18
We Forget So QuicklyWe Forget So QuicklyExodus 32:1-6
Guilty As ChargedGuilty As ChargedExodus 32:7-14
Who Is To Be Blamed?Who Is To Be Blamed?Exodus 32:15-24
Who Is On The Lord’s Side?Who Is On The Lord’s Side?Exodus 32:25-29
I Will Die For You If I CanI Will Die For You If I CanExodus 32:30-35
I Will Not Go With YouI Will Not Go With YouExodus 33:1-11
If Thy Presence Go Not With Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceIf Thy Presence Go Not With Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceExodus 33:12-23
If Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceIf Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceExodus 33:12-23
I Will Show You Who I AmI Will Show You Who I AmExodus 34:1-7
What It Means To Be In A Covenant Relationship With GodWhat It Means To Be In A Covenant Relationship With GodExodus 34:8-17
Worship The Right God In The Right WayWorship The Right God In The Right WayExodus 34:18-27
The Glory That Fadeth Not AwayThe Glory That Fadeth Not AwayExodus 34:28-35
The Importance Of Keeping The Christian SabbathThe Importance Of Keeping The Christian SabbathExodus 35:1-3
Offering To God Our BestOffering To God Our BestExodus 35:4-29
