"THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT" (An Article by Christian Henry) ~ 6/19/25

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exodus 20:12) 

The fifth commandment is a directive to respect and love your parents. The Greek word for honor means “to revere, prize, and value.” Honor is giving respect not only for merit but also for rank. For example, some Americans may disagree with the President’s decisions, but they should still respect his position as the leader of their country. Similarly, children of all ages should honor their parents, regardless of whether or not their parents “deserve” honor. God values honoring parents enough to include it in the Ten Commandments and again in the New Testament, where its importance is restated.  

Paul notes in Ephesians 6 that this is the only command in Scripture that promises long life as a reward: “...so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” We should seek to honor our parents in much the same way that we strive to bring glory to God; in our thoughts, words, and actions. For a young child, obeying parents goes hand in hand with honoring them. That includes listening, heeding, and submitting to their authority. While we are required to honor our parents, that doesn’t involve imitating those who are ungodly. 

A father or mother can mean many different things. So, what is meant here by ‘father’? The term can be taken in several ways. There is:  

The Political father or the magistrate. 

They are the ‘fathers’ of their countries, serving as encouragers of virtue, punishers of vice, and a helper to the widow and orphan. These fathers are to be honored because their place deserves honor. God sets these political fathers to preserve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent issues that otherwise might come up. God promotes politicians so that they, in turn, can promote justice. We are to pray for officials, that God would use them as blessings; that under these political parents, we may enjoy the gospel of peace, and the peace of the gospel. 

The ancient father. 

This is someone who is respected for their advanced age. In media, think of the old wise mentor trope; they are revered as a father figure because they’ve “been around the block a few times.” These are fathers based on seniority; on whose wrinkled brow and in the furrows of whose cheeks is pictured the map of old age. These fathers are to be honored. Those who are fathers not only for their seniority, but their piety or devotion are to be celebrated all the more; their silver hairs are crowned with righteousness and are thus worthy of double honor. They are to be counted special, not only as pieces of antiquity, but as patterns of virtue. 

The Spiritual fathers are the pastors and ministers. 

These are the instruments of the New Birth, and therefore should be held in high regard. They are the "Messengers of the Lord of Hosts," and they represent no less than God Himself. Jesus Christ was of this calling, having a mission and authority from Heaven. This crowns the ministerial calling with honor. Ministers, these spiritual fathers, are to be "honoured for their work's sake,” and that work is to redeem spiritual captives, and turn men from the power of Satan to God. 

The natural father, the father of the flesh 

Our natural fathers are to be respected similarly to our Heavenly Father. This is so important a duty that, when grouping the commandments, Philo the Jew placed this one in the first table, as though we had not  

performed our whole duty to God until we had paid this debt of honor to our natural parents. Children are the vineyard of the parents planting, and honor given back to them is some of the right fruit of the vineyard. This veneration or reverence must be shown to our natural mother and father.  If we are to honor our parents on earth, then much more should we honor our Parent in Heaven.  We pour sacred reverence on our Heavenly Father in several ways. We do this by obeying, working for, praising, honoring Him, and spreading His word. 

This command contains a promise for several reasons. First, it emphasizes the family unit’s foundational role in God’s design for human society, as the family maintains stability and integrity by ensuring that children honor their parents, thereby supporting a well-ordered and harmonious society. Secondly, the promise of well-being and long life serves as an incentive for obedience. Family and community structures are crucial for survival and prosperity. Therefore, the commandment assures divine blessing for honoring parents, and a future reward for the assurance of divine blessing that honoring parents reinforces the importance of this command. 

We should note that respect for parents does not change with the new Covenant. It remains a vital aspect of a righteous life.