# Uncles, Aunties etc



## satz (Aug 22, 2007)

Does the bible have anything to say about the duties of christians to their uncles/aunts, or the duties of christian uncles/aunts to their nephews?

Any thoughts?


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## Ambrose (Aug 22, 2007)

I remember FN Lee covering this, I think it might have been in Marriage, Family and Kin. But it may have been "Race, People, and Nationality", "Family and Kinsmen", or one of his other sermons. My memory is not so good anymore.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 22, 2007)

There are a few places in the Scripture that you might study particularly wrt to this subject:

Esther's relationship to her uncle Mordecai (better to look there than at the Laban-Jacob relationship, in my opinion)

1 Tim. 5.8

Lev. 18.14; Lev. 20.20; Lev. 25.49

Passages where you find the word "kin" or "kinship."

The Fifth Commandment

Westminster Larger Catechism:



> Q123: Which is the fifth commandment?
> 
> A123: The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.[1]
> 
> ...


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## satz (Aug 22, 2007)

Thank you Andrew, that is helpful.

Regarding the WLC on the Fifth commandment, if I read it correctly it seems to imply that all 'senior' members of the family are entitled to similar treatment as parents. Is this a correct reading and if so, do you agree?



VirginiaHuguenot said:


> There are a few places in the Scripture that you might study particularly wrt to this subject:
> 
> Esther's relationship to her uncle Mordecai (better to look there than at the Laban-Jacob relationship, in my opinion)
> 
> ...


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 22, 2007)

Mark -- You're welcome. 

I think what is being said wrt the Fifth Commandment is that not only natural parents but others in particular relationships to us as superiors by virtue of age, gifts and kinship, or otherwise (masters-servants, etc.), should receive "honour to whom honour" is due (Rom. 13.7). 

I would not say that uncles and aunts are due the same exact level of honour as parents, if the parents are living and present, under normal circumstances, but they are due a higher level of honour by virtue of "seniority" and kinship than, say, a younger cousin. 

The Bible speaks often of families, but also of households, and while a certain reverence is due to kin outside the household, more is due to kin within the household. 

On the other hand, it clear that if an uncle or aunt is in fact a guardian in the place of parents (as Mordecai was to Esther), that honour which is due to parents should then be directed to the uncle or aunt. William Gouge has a section on this point in _Domestical Duties_. 

In short, as our relationships expand beyond the direct familial parent-child/guardian-child or master-servant-type connections, the level of honour and deference due to the superior lessens but, as Bob Dylan said, "You got to serve somebody," ie., we are all in relationships to others, familial and otherwise, that require a level of submission and deference, though the degree to which this is true is affected by how direct or indirect the superior-inferior relationship may be. 

Of course, all of this said, family situations do vary considerably and these are only meant as generalized comments on how the Fifth Commandment applies. 

Does this help?


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## satz (Aug 22, 2007)

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> On the other hand, it clear that if an uncle or aunt is in fact a guardian in the place of parents (as Mordecai was to Esther), that honour which is due to parents should then be directed to the uncle or aunt. William Gouge has a section on this point in _Domestical Duties_.



Thanks, that definitely does help. 

Just a question regarding your paragraph above, I am wondering, if a christian person were to be deprived of parents, do you believe there is a duty of uncles to assume a guardian role, and is there a duty of the child to submit to that guardianship if they are able to financially care for themselves already?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 22, 2007)

satz said:


> VirginiaHuguenot said:
> 
> 
> > On the other hand, it clear that if an uncle or aunt is in fact a guardian in the place of parents (as Mordecai was to Esther), that honour which is due to parents should then be directed to the uncle or aunt. William Gouge has a section on this point in _Domestical Duties_.
> ...



Well, I think there are a lot of unmentioned factors (are there other relatives, such as grandparents, or others, who are closer or better equipped to take on children; how old is the child in question; what is the character of the uncle in question; etc.) but generally I would say that an uncle ought to be disposed to assume guardianship in such a situation if that is appropriate. 

BTW, here is an extract from Gouge on this topic:



> 74. Of their duty who are instead of parents to orphans.
> 
> The next sort of those who are instead of parents, are those who in blood and kindred are next to parents: as grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, elder brothers, or sisters, their husbands or wives, and cousins. These commonly are counted to be in the place of parents, when God taketh away natural and immediate parents from their children: so as they are parents to orphans.
> 
> ...


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## satz (Aug 22, 2007)

Thanks again!


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