Matthew Henry On the Intertwined Nature of the 4th and 5th Commandments

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Been reading through Leviticus for mid-day devotional and was reading Matthew Henry's commentary on Leviticus 19 when I came across this gem on how our honoring of the 5th Commandment informs our honoring of the 4th.

Fascinating stuff.

That children be obedient to their parents: "You shall fear every man his mother and his father, v. 3. 1. The fear here required is the same with the honour commanded by the fifth commandment; see Mal. i. 6. It includes inward reverence and esteem, outward expressions of respect, obedience to the lawful commands of parents, care and endeavour to please them and make them easy, and to avoid every thing that may offend and grieve them, and incur their displeasure. The Jewish doctors ask, "What is this fear that is owing to a father?" And they answer, "It is not to stand in his way nor to sit in his place, not to contradict what he says nor to carp at it, not to call him by his name, either living or dead, but 'My Father,' or 'Sir;' it is to provide for him if he be poor, and the like." 2. Children, when they grow up to be men, must not think themselves discharged from this duty: every man, though he be a wise man, and a great man, yet must reverence his parents, because they are his parents. 3. The mother is put first, which is not usual, to show that the duty is equally owing to both; if the mother survive the father, still she must be reverenced and obeyed. 4. It is added, and keep my sabbaths. If God provides by his law for the preserving of the honour of parents, parents must use their authority over their children for the preserving of the honour of God, particularly the honour of his sabbaths, the custody of which is very much committed to parents by the fourth commandment, Thou, and thy son, and thy daughter. The ruin of young people has often been observed to begin in the contempt of their parents and the profanation of the sabbath day. Fitly therefore are these two precepts here put together in the beginning of this abridgment of the statutes: "You shall fear, every man, his mother and his father, and keep my sabbaths. Those are hopeful children, and likely to do well, that make conscience of honouring their parents and keeping holy the sabbath day. 5. The reason added to both these precepts is, "I am the Lord your God; the Lord of the sabbath and the God of your parents."

Read More Here.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

*bump

 

[TaylorOtwell]

Good quote! Thanks for sharing. May we all truly take it to heart.

 

[JasonT]

Thanks for posting this.

 

[Notthemama1984]

I was about to say that I read this on facebook yesterday, but realized it was you that posted it. Having different names and avatars is confusing me.

My wife and I talked about the quote last night and she agrees with me that America is swirling in the porcelain throne right now.