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Which is the Fourth Commandment?

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God that we may not despise our parents and masters, nor provoke them to anger, but give them honor, serve and obey them, and hold them in love and esteem.

1. "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother." Go has given us a commandment in regard to our father and mother, our parents. This is a very important commandment for all children. It is God's will that we not only love our parents, but also honor them. We honor those who occupy a higher position than we, who have been placed above us, who have a right to command us and demand our obedience. By commanding us to honor our parents, God places them above us. He wants children to regard their parents as being in God's stead, above them, as His representatives, whom for His sake they should honor. Never forget that your dear parents have been placed over you by God. Never forget to honor and respect them for God's sake.

2. What does it mean to honor father and mother? "We should, fear and love God that we may not despise our parents ... nor provoke them to anger." We should not despise our parents. We despise them when we do not respect the high station in which God has placed them over us, when in our hearts we do not esteem them as God's representatives, when we act as though we were their equals or even stood above them.—We should not provoke them to anger, that is, we should not by word or deed excite them to just anger or cause them pain and distress, by being unkind, stubborn, disobedient, even insolent towards them, or by wicked deeds and sins which dishonor them. Remember Absalom, who despised his father David and caused him bitter grief by rebelling against him and making himself king in his stead. 2 Sam. 15. Remember the wicked sons of Eli. 1 Sam. 2,12.—God is displeased with this sin. "The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it," says the Word of God. Prov. 30,17. God will severely punish all bad and disobedient children, very often in this life, as He did with Absalom, and if they do not repent, in eternity.

3. We must not despise our parents, but should give them honor, that is, we should regard them in our hearts as God's representatives; we should respect their station, even if they are lowly, or poor, or even queer. They are still our parents, and therefore should not be deprived of their honor because of their failings. It is God's will that we honor them.

4. We should show in words and deeds that we honor our parents. We should serve them, we should do for them whatever we can, even if they do not ask for it, and do it gladly. When they become old or sick, we should do all in our power to help them, and so try to repay the love and care which they have shown us when we were young and weak and so much in need of their kindness. Your dear parents did and still do so much for you that you will hardly ever be able to repay them. "Let them [the children] learn . . . to requite their parents [to repay their love]; for that is good and acceptable before God." 1 Tim. 5,4.

5. We should, furthermore, show the respect we owe our parents by obeying them. We should do what they tell us, carry out their commands, and do it without a murmur, willingly, quickly, fully, and gladly. In this manner you, at your age, can best prove that you honor your parents. "Children, obey your parents in all, things; for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord." Col. 3,20. "Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old." Prov. 23,22.

6. "We should hold them in love and esteem." God has given us our parents as a most precious gift. Through them our heavenly Father bestows upon us numberless other gifts and blessings. Our parents provide for us; they give us all we need in this life; they shelter and protect us. They try to lead us to our Savior by teaching us the Word of God, by sending us to a Christian school. They bring us up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6,4. Should we not love and esteem them as a precious gift of God? Should we not thank Him with all our heart, thank Him by doing His will in regard to our parents? Do not forget: We honor our parents because we fear and love God, who has given us this most precious gift.

7. Our Catechism not only says that we should honor our parents, but it adds the word "masters." God has placed other persons besides our parents over us, in home, school, and state. Our parents are also those who take our parents place, who take care of us and protect us if our parents are dead or otherwise unable to take care of us. God has placed over us our teachers in our schools, who instruct us in our parents stead. There are many persons in our country, in our cities and towns, who have been placed above us, such as the President of the United States, the governor of our State, the mayor of our city, etc. It is God who has placed also these rulers over us. He commands us to hold all these in honor and esteem, to serve and obey them in all things in which He has placed them over us.

8. God has added to the Fourth Commandment a special promise: "Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise: That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Eph. 6,2.3. This shows how well-pleasing it is unto God if we keep this commandment, if we honor and love our parents and masters. Our gracious Lord will abundantly reward all children who honor their parents and masters, and do it in the fear and love of God. He will bless them here on earth in a way which is good for them, and He will bless and reward them more abundantly in heaven. The most beautiful example of the fulfilment of this commandment is our Lord Himself, of whom we read: "And He went down with them [His lowly parents], and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them." Luke 2,51. He even remembered His mother when He was nailed to the cross. John 19,26.27.

REMEMBER:—

1. Parents are a most precious gift of God. God has placed them over us that through them He may provide for us, protect us, and lead us to Himself, our Savor, and to eternal life.

2. We should therefore highly honor and esteem our parents, serve and obey them in the fear and love of God, our heavenly Father.

3. This is well-pleasing to God, who will graciously reward us.

MEMORIZE:—

Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise: That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Eph. 6,2,3.

Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. Col. 3,20.

Let them learn ... to requite their parents; for that is good and acceptable before God. 1 Tim. 5,4.

QUESTIONS.

1. What is God's holy will regarding our parents? 2. What place does God give our parents by commanding us to honor them? 3. Whose representatives are they? 4. When do we despise our parents? 5. When do we provoke them to anger? 6. Give examples of children who despised their parents. 7. How will God punish children who despise their parents? 8. What does it mean to hold our parents in honor? 9. How do we show in words and deeds that we honor our parents? 10. When do we serve them? 11. At what time especially can we repay their love? 12. What does it mean to obey our parents? 13. How should we carry out their commands? 14. Why should we love and highly esteem our parents? 15. Who are the "masters" whom God has placed over us? 16. What has God added to this commandment? 17. What does God teach us by adding this special promise? 18. Who is the most beautiful example of the fulfilment of this commandment?