The Fifth Commandment is unique for two reasons. It is the only one of the Ten
Commandments with a "promise." It is also the link between the first four Command-
ments, which speak to our relationship with God, and the last five, which speak to our
relationship with our fellow beings. There are those who feel the Fifth Commandment
should be included in the first group; others feel it belongs in the second group. There
is no reason, it seems to me, why it is not meant to be part of each group.

In this lesson on the Fifth Commandment, we will explore the many ways to obey the
command to honor father and mother -- morally and spiritually -- based upon the
teachings in the Old and New Testament, especially the words and example of Jesus,
as well as the teachings of Christian Science, as taught by Mary Baker Eddy in her
textbook,Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. I will also offer
suggestions for teaching this Commandment to your children or Sunday School class.

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND:

Until doing research on the Fifth Commandment, I was unaware that the commandment
was originally intended as a warning for grown children not to neglect their elderly
parents. I knew that family was an important part of Jewish life and that children
were taught to obey and respect their parents, but the necessity for the Fifth Com-
mandment was an eye-opener.

In some societies, in those days, the elderly were often sent out to the wilderness
"to be eaten of beasts or to die of exposure," if they became a burden to their families,
as the Interpreter's Bible and other commentaries tell us. We see, then, that this Com-
mandment is not just exhorting little children to mind their parents, but for adults to
value their elderly parents as worthy of care in their old age.

The Interpreter's Bible, A Commentary in Twelve Volumes explains: "Family
solidarity has always been one of the characteristics of Israel. It was so much a part
of the social texture of life that it would seem that no special commandment was
necessary to protect parents. To a child growing up in a Jewish home, the Fifth Com-
mandment would be as superfluous as 'Thou must breathe' or 'Thou must eat.'
Like the others in this code of laws, it is directed to the adult citizen who is burdened
with the care of an aged parent, and is a warning against the heathen habit of aban-
doning the aged when they can no longer support themselves. The reward for such
piety as is here commanded is a stable society in which health and long life can be
enjoyed." (IB, Vol. 1, pg 985)

In the early Hebrew society, minor children had little choice but to honor their parents.
We read in Exodus and Leviticus that if children hit or cursed their parents, they would
be put to death! In Proverbs 30:17 we read this warning: "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." [Lovely image, eh? Which is probably why I don't recall
hearing it read before. But it might prove effective at the right moment -- perhaps in
front of a young class of Sunday School boys. I have not yet used it with my own
girls, however.]

A statement I do like is found in The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the
Bible in its commentary on the Fifth Commandment. It points in the direction of
metaphysics: "In the broader sense discipline in the family, where the mature wisdom
of parents overrules the impulse and prejudice of youth, is the basis of an ordered
society." (pg. 54)

 

If we think about this, we can see how we should have our own impulsive thoughts

-- no matter what our age -- be subjugated or disciplined by wisdom. We should

always honor wisdom.


JESUS AND THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT:

Jesus is the Way-shower. In his life, as recorded in the Gospels, we see how Jesus
demonstrated obedience to the laws of God. We also see how he taught and lived a
higher sense of the laws by permeating his actions with the motive of love. This
brought a new sense of freedom. The original intent or spirit of the various laws of
God, including the Ten Commandments, was often hidden under layers of human
opinion and years of traditional forms of rituals. Jesus cut through the old interpre-
tations and the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. His interpretations were radical. From
Jesus we have examples and lessons to ponder today, on how to honor both our
earthly parents, as well as our heavenly Father-Mother God. We can explore how
the moral and spiritual qualities of true motherhood and fatherhood can be "honored"
in our own thoughts and actions, and how we can appreciate these qualities in
others. The following stories of Jesus would be good starting points to discussions
of the Fifth Commandment with our children or Sunday School classes:

JESUS VISITS JERUSALEM AT PASSOVER

In the second chapter of Luke, we find the only story from the childhood of Jesus.
After reading the commentary of William Barclay which follows the story below, you
will see how this episode illustrates perfectly how Jesus demonstrated for us the
necessity to honor God by recognizing that he is Father-Mother, without dishonoring
our human parents. The story goes:

"Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And
when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind
in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have
been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk
and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem,
seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And
all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they
saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus
dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto
them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's
business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he
went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his
mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favour with God and man." (Luke 2:41-52)

In his book on the Gospel of Luke, part of the Daily Study Bible Series, William
Barclay makes the following comments on this episode [Note: Barclay uses a
different Bible translation, so some key phrases will not match the KJV]:

"A Jewish boy became a man when he was twelve years of age. Then he became 'a
son of the law' and had to take the obligations of the law upon him. So at twelve Jesus
for the first time went to the Passover. We may well imagine how the holy city and
the Temple and the sacred ritual fascinated him. . . . When his parents returned he
lingered behind. It was not through carelessness that they did not miss him. Usually
the women in a caravan started out much earlier than the men for they traveled more
slowly. The men started later and traveled faster and the two sections would not meet
until the evening encampment was reached. It was Jesus' first Passover. No doubt
Joseph thought he was with Mary, Mary thought that he was with Joseph and not till
the evening camp did they miss him. . . . They returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
For the Passover season it was the custom for the Sanhedrin to meet in public in the
Temple court to discuss, in the presence of all who would listen, religious and
theological questions. It was there they found Jesus. We must not think of it as a
scene where a precocious boy was dominating a crowd of his seniors. 'Hearing and
asking questions' is the regular Jewish phrase for a student learning from his teachers.
Jesus was listening to the discussions and eagerly searching for knowledge like an
avid student. . . . And now comes one of the key passages in the life of Jesus. 'Your
FATHER and I,' said Mary, 'have been looking for you anxiously.' 'Did you not know,'
said Jesus, 'that I must be in MY FATHER'S house'? See how very gently but very
definitely Jesus takes the name 'father' from Joseph and gives it to God. At some time
Jesus must have discovered his own unique relationship to God . . . As the years went
on he must have had thoughts; and then at this first Passover, with manhood dawning,
there came in a sudden blaze of realization the consciousness that he was in a unique
sense the Son of God. . . . Here we have the story of the day when Jesus discovered
who he was. And mark this -- the discovery did not make him proud. It did not make
him look down on his humble parents, the gentle Mary and the hard-working Joseph.
He went home and he was obedient to them. The fact that he was God's Son made
him the perfect son of his human parents. The real man of God does not despise
earthly ties; just because he is God's man he discharges human duties with supreme
fidelity." (WB, The Gospel of Luke, pages 29-30)

The last point in the story is an important one for young people to see. In Christian
Science, we do stress that man is God's "image and likeness," and so we are God's
"children." This is our most important relationship to understand and cherish. But,
that does not give license to disobedience and ingratitude toward our earthly parents,
as we shall see in the example of Jesus, and in the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy.


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