Tanakh Portion 2 July 2005
Honour your father and mother , so that you may live long in the land which YHWH your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12, Complete Jewish Bible).
A simple commandment, but one that often is lost in the translation. This is the first commandment with a promise. Many times we interpret this as a children’s commandment, commanding to obey and respect parents, but this is actually a commandment for adults. The Hebrew word here has more the sense of giving adults respect and honour by looking out and caring for them. It is true, that if we as parents teach our children to honour us, then they will be more likely to look out for us once they are grown up.
How does one do this? Several cans of worms must be opened here. For children to honour their parents, the parents must honour one another. The onus in this case is on the mother who is commanded to respect the father. The father, on the other hand is called to love the wife, as Christ loves the church, being ready to lay his life down for her. In other words, women, honour and respect your husbands. Do this in all ways, and you will gain your children’s respect (By the way, if your husband is not a believer, you might even win him to Christ this way). I have seen many a woman lose her children’s respect because she did not honour her husband.
Husband’s too gain their children’s respect by truly loving their wives and sacrificing for them. Men, we must look out and meet or see that our wives needs are met. Women are not just one of the boys. They have different emotional and other needs than men have. Be aware of this, and be ready to make sacrifices.
Part of the secret to keeping this commandment is by not being yoked unequally. It is very important when you marry, that you marry another believer. If you do not, then there will be tremendous tensions in raising your children if you attempt to raise them in a Godly manner. You will end up in conflict with your spouse, with your children and with your God. Now maybe you have become a believer since being married, but your spouse has not. Just follow Paul’s instructions, women respect you husband, men love your wife. Do not preach, but get your spouse to attend a good Bible preaching church, where God’s word can work on them. Listen to Christian radio, fill your family with God’s word.
Another important way to teach your children the importance of this commandment is by fulfilling it yourself. Do you visit your parents? Do you constantly criticise them in front of your children? What you sow, so shall you reap.
How important is the commandment? It seems that every centenarian I have known had a deep love and respect for his or her parents (and cared for them). In addition, if children respect the authority of parents, and parents take care of their parents, then children will respect their teacher and the policeman on the street, and the adult will try and help those in authority to do their job. As we learn to seek to honour and care for our parents, we learn to honour and care for the society in which we live, and for those in authority in it, instead of criticising and allowing them to do all the work.
As I draw to a close, it appears that I have left out an important part. In and of myself I cannot do it. All of us hold something against parents. Some of us have hurt our children. But there is always grace. If you have truly asked Jesus into your heart, he will send his Holy Spirit to give you the desire and the strength to truly honour our parents and authorities. Indeed we will want to honour them, because in honouring them, we honour HIM.
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
A simple commandment, but one that often is lost in the translation. This is the first commandment with a promise. Many times we interpret this as a children’s commandment, commanding to obey and respect parents, but this is actually a commandment for adults. The Hebrew word here has more the sense of giving adults respect and honour by looking out and caring for them. It is true, that if we as parents teach our children to honour us, then they will be more likely to look out for us once they are grown up.
How does one do this? Several cans of worms must be opened here. For children to honour their parents, the parents must honour one another. The onus in this case is on the mother who is commanded to respect the father. The father, on the other hand is called to love the wife, as Christ loves the church, being ready to lay his life down for her. In other words, women, honour and respect your husbands. Do this in all ways, and you will gain your children’s respect (By the way, if your husband is not a believer, you might even win him to Christ this way). I have seen many a woman lose her children’s respect because she did not honour her husband.
Husband’s too gain their children’s respect by truly loving their wives and sacrificing for them. Men, we must look out and meet or see that our wives needs are met. Women are not just one of the boys. They have different emotional and other needs than men have. Be aware of this, and be ready to make sacrifices.
Part of the secret to keeping this commandment is by not being yoked unequally. It is very important when you marry, that you marry another believer. If you do not, then there will be tremendous tensions in raising your children if you attempt to raise them in a Godly manner. You will end up in conflict with your spouse, with your children and with your God. Now maybe you have become a believer since being married, but your spouse has not. Just follow Paul’s instructions, women respect you husband, men love your wife. Do not preach, but get your spouse to attend a good Bible preaching church, where God’s word can work on them. Listen to Christian radio, fill your family with God’s word.
Another important way to teach your children the importance of this commandment is by fulfilling it yourself. Do you visit your parents? Do you constantly criticise them in front of your children? What you sow, so shall you reap.
How important is the commandment? It seems that every centenarian I have known had a deep love and respect for his or her parents (and cared for them). In addition, if children respect the authority of parents, and parents take care of their parents, then children will respect their teacher and the policeman on the street, and the adult will try and help those in authority to do their job. As we learn to seek to honour and care for our parents, we learn to honour and care for the society in which we live, and for those in authority in it, instead of criticising and allowing them to do all the work.
As I draw to a close, it appears that I have left out an important part. In and of myself I cannot do it. All of us hold something against parents. Some of us have hurt our children. But there is always grace. If you have truly asked Jesus into your heart, he will send his Holy Spirit to give you the desire and the strength to truly honour our parents and authorities. Indeed we will want to honour them, because in honouring them, we honour HIM.
Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua
+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com
posted by The Synod of Saint Timothy at 21:35
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