Things New and Old: The Place of the 5th Commandment

Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Thursday, June 22, 2023

The Place of the 5th Commandment

The 5th commandment belongs to the first table
of the Ten Commandments,
which deals with what a man OWES
to the Lord God his Creator.

June 22, 2015
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The place of the 5th commandment -
"Honour thy father and thy mother."

The brother who introduced the service this morning read from Romans 13, and exhorted briefly on "the powers that be ordained of God." He stated and illustrated the various spheres of authority ordained by God: e.g. husband-wife, parents-children, civil government-citizens, employer-employee, and pastor-flock.

What attracted my attention were verses 8 and 9, which read:

8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Observe these few plain things:

1. Five of the Ten Commandments are enumerated.

2. All these five commandments deal with what a man OWES to his fellow man, what a man owes to another man. Not obeying these commandments towards a fellow man puts a man indebted to him.

Please note that the 5th commandment, "Honour thy father and thy mother" is not one among those commandments a man owes to a fellow man. It does not belong to the second table of the Ten Commandments which deals with what a man owes to his fellow man. This commandment belongs to the first table of the Ten Commandments, which deals with what a man OWES to the Lord God his Creator.

Apostle Paul makes a plain and clear distinction in the passage above. He leaves the 5th commandment in its rightful place - "honour thy father and mother" is not in the category of duty a man owes to a fellow man; it is a duty owed and done to God Himself. It is a tribute OWES to God Himself. God, by His sovereign choice and wisdom, appointed your parents for you; and you owe Him the duty to honour them whom He has chosen to be your parents.

This should help to restore the place and significance of the 5th Commandment "Honour thy father and thy mother."

Deuteronomy 5:16 "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

Ephesians 6:2 "Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."