← Back to sermon library

You can turn in your Bibles to 
Deuteronomy chapter 5. Deuteronomy 5 as we come to the 
fifth commandment tonight. Deuteronomy 5.16. But I do want 
to read the section beginning in verse 6. I am the Lord your 
God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house 
of bondage. You shall have no other gods 
before me. You shall not make for yourself 
a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven 
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water 
under the earth. You shall not bow down to them 
nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am 
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing 
mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. 
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for 
the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Observe 
the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded 
you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. The seventh 
day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do 
no work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male 
servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, 
nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, 
that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well 
as you. And remember that you were a 
slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you 
out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore, 
the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Honor 
your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded 
you, that your days may be long and that it may be well with 
you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. You shall 
not murder. You shall not commit adultery. 
You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness 
against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's 
wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, 
his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, 
or anything that is your neighbor's. These words the Lord spoke to 
all your assembly in the mountain, from the midst of the fire, the 
cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice, and he added 
no more. And he wrote them on two tablets 
of stone and gave them to me. Amen. Well, let us pray. God, 
help us now as we consider this fifth commandment. Fill us with 
your spirit, forgive us of our sins, and help us to receive 
with thanksgiving the word of God. As well, Lord, we do pray 
for the children and the young people in this congregation. 
We pray that from their youth they would remember their Creator, 
that by Your grace they would believe on the Redeemer, they 
would know the joy of being found in Christ, not having their own 
righteousness from the law, but that righteousness which is from 
You through faith in Him alone. God, we pray that You'd open 
their eyes and their hearts to behold wondrous things from Your 
law. that you would just bless them and protect them all the 
days of their lives. We pray for the proclamation 
of truth throughout the earth. We see and are troubled by what 
we witness concerning young people in so many places. We know ultimately 
it isn't political power, it isn't more community programs. 
but it is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ that sinners 
desperately need. So we pray that you would send 
forth your glorious word, cause it to run swiftly and be glorified. And we pray through Christ the 
Lord. Amen. Well, we have finished up the 
first table of the law. You'll remember that most of 
the time authors, commentators, the history of interpretation 
divide up these 10 commandments into two tables. The first table, 
commandments 1 to 4, are our duty toward God. The second table, 
commandments 5 to 10, are our duty toward man. Remember that 
the Lord Jesus summarizes the second table of the law with 
Leviticus 19.18. He said, you shall love your 
neighbor as yourself. So love to God love to neighbor, 
Jesus says, upon these two hang all the law and the prophets. 
And the fifth commandment is in an interesting place in this 
particular table. It is the first of the second 
table, not to try and be too confusing, but you see the connection. If persons mess up here, If persons 
reject parental authority, typically it will be easier for them to 
reject the following commandments. If we don't show respect and 
we don't honor and we don't esteem those lawful agents of God who 
are in our lives from the cradle, then we probably won't have as 
high a value upon human life. We probably won't have as high 
a value on the covenant relationship of marriage. or on property, 
or on truth, or on heart sins concerning covetousness. So if 
we fail here, or if we resist the command of God in this fifth 
word, then more often than not, the rejection of the sixth through 
the tenth will most likely follow. Now, as we look at verse 16, 
we see two main parts. There is, in the first place, 
a command stated, honor your father and your mother as the 
Lord your God has commanded you. And then there is a reason or 
a promise given that your days may be long and that it may be 
well with you in the land which the Lord your God has given you. 
So I want to look at these two sections. In the first place, 
the command stated, and then secondly we'll look at the promise 
given. But under the command stated, where we will spend most 
of our time this evening, I want to note first the explanation 
of the command, secondly the scope of the command, and thirdly 
the sanction related to the command. Sanction means what happens to 
you if you disobey. In other words, what is the penalty 
imposed when persons disobey this fifth word. But in the first 
place, the explanation of the command. Note the word that is 
employed, honor your father and mother. The word honor means 
to be heavy. to be weighty, to be burdensome, 
or to be honored. I think the connection between 
something heavy and something honorable ought to be apparent. 
We don't treat lawful authority lightly. Rather, we treat them 
as something heavy. We treat them with honor. We 
treat them with respect. We treat them with reverence, 
according to Leviticus 19. And verse 3, we are to esteem 
them, we are to make honorable, we are to glorify. Not in the 
sense that we do with reference to God, but the idea here is 
that we do honor, we do revere those lawful authorities in our 
lives. And oftentimes the words employed 
here in this commandment relative to the way that children are 
to respond to their parents are the same sort of words that are 
used with reference to people and their God. So God takes this 
seriously. Lawful authority is appointed 
by God, and in many respects is the representative of God 
on earth over the children in this particular instance. As 
we'll notice in a few minutes, the scope of the command is broader 
than just the child-parent relationship. But notice as well, there is 
a covenant focus here. The covenant was central to Israel's 
life in the land. If you look back to chapter 4 
at verse 40. Chapter 4, verse 40. So you see 
the connection. The adults are addressed specifically 
in 440, that they are to be faithful, they are to obey God, that it 
may go well with you and your children in the land that I am 
giving to you. Now when we get to this fifth 
commandment in the Decalogue, this is addressed still primarily 
to adults, but the emphasis here in the text is upon children. 
It doesn't do parents any good to teach the Word of God, to 
instruct their children in the things of God, if their children 
don't listen. If their children don't honor, 
their children don't obey, their children don't revere, their 
children cannot be reasoned with. And so this command comes specifically 
to inferiors in this relationship that they are thereby commanded 
to pay attention. Peter Craigie, in his commentary 
on Deuteronomy, said the close parallel between these words 
in 516 and 440 indicates that the basic issue involved in the 
commandment was the continuity of the covenant. Parents were 
responsible to teach their children concerning the covenant, and 
by so doing, both children and parents would prosper in the 
land and see the fulfillment of the covenant promise of God. 
Now notice, but to teach effectively there must be a receptive audience, 
hence the fifth word, the inferior. Now I know that language is probably 
not something that would go over well in our modern politically 
correct climate, but in the history of interpretation, all interpreters 
look at the fifth commandment and see the relationship between 
superiors and inferiors. This doesn't mean that some people 
are better in their being. It has a reference to functionality. It has a reference to age. It 
has a reference to office and to status and to position. So 
if I say superiors and inferiors, I don't mean really good people 
and really bad people. I'm simply talking about function, 
office, title, age, places that God has placed us. Now, Craigie 
goes on to say, but to teach effectively, there must be a 
receptive audience. If children did not honor their 
parents and were rebellious and self-centered, they would not 
be able to learn about the covenant relationship with God, which 
had been so central to the lives of the parents. And as a consequence 
of dishonoring their parents, they would not prosper in the 
promised land, for they would not know intimately the Lord 
of the covenant promise. Christopher Wright says concerning 
this particular law, just as the fourth commandment, remember 
the Sabbath day, does not merely describe a cultic taboo day, 
but governed Israel's social and economic life as a whole 
society under God. He says, so here the fifth commandment 
forms part of the structure and fabric of Israel's covenantal 
relation with God and is not merely a recipe for happy families. Now, I say all that and rehearse 
those things for this. The fifth commandment does provide 
a prescription for a happy family. That's a corollary though. The 
primary emphasis is that the family subject themselves to 
God and to His rule and to His order and to His will. In other 
words, in terms of God, the command is, in terms of God is how the 
command ought to be viewed. Now notice, with reference to 
other references to this law. Kids, you gotta understand, in 
the Bible, you are addressed a lot. There is a lot on this 
fifth word in the scriptures. It's not just a passing reference, 
as if Moab or Sinai were passing references, but it is expounded 
on in great detail in the book of Proverbs. It also makes other 
appearances in the rest of the law, the first five books of 
Moses, and we see it in the New Testament as well. So in the 
Old Testament, notice in Exodus chapter 21, Just a few sample 
passages to show that this was really an important command with 
reference to God and His purposes for man. Exodus 21.15, and he 
who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to 
death. Verse 17, and he who curses his father or his mother shall 
surely be put to death. Leviticus 19.3, I've already 
made reference to that. Leviticus 19.3, every one of 
you shall revere his mother and his father. Note that order as 
well. Note the order specifically that 
mother comes first. There were cultures and there 
have been persons that see the father and the father alone as 
the authority figure in the family. That's not what God says. God 
says it's Sinai and God says on the plains of Moab and God 
reiterates here by placing mother first. It's not the case if dad 
is gone that you can run amok in the home. It's not the case 
that when dad is gone, all bets are off and we can, you know, 
run like screaming banshees through the house, swinging off the furniture 
and doing all sorts of things. You need to understand that God 
has stationed mother and father over you in this particular realm. Notice in the Proverbs, again, 
a sampling of passages. We don't have the time to look 
in detail at all that the Proverbs have to say. concerning this particular issue. 1520, a wise son makes a father 
glad, but a foolish man despises his mother. That's heavy, isn't 
it? A foolish man despises his mother. You know, it's one of the best 
signs of grace in a young man's heart is the way that he relates 
to his mother, the way that he shows her esteem and reverence 
and respect and the things that God Most High has commanded. If you as a young man continually 
despise your If you as a young man continually resist your mother, 
if you as a young man continue to violate what God has put over 
you in this regard, you're not some sort of a cool guy at your 
school. You are a fool according to God 
in his word. It truly is a word necessary 
for today as well. We see so many young people that 
are derelict in this regard. 1725, again, a foolish son is 
a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. Does anyone 
ever set out to be bitterness to their mothers? Hopefully not, 
but none of us should want to, on that track, engage in it. 
We ought to want to stop by the grace of God so that we don't 
bring that grief to parents. Notice in Proverbs 19.13, a foolish son is the ruin of 
his father and the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping. 
Don't you love how real the Bible is? God tells us like it is. This 
is the reality of it. A foolish son is the ruin of 
his father. How many men could testify concerning 
the reality of this? 1926, he who mistreats his father 
and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings 
reproach. And then notice 3017. Again, 
we're missing many of them here. But 3017, this is a terrifying 
verse. The eye that mocks his father 
and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will 
pick it out and the young eagles will eat it. That's a scary passage 
of Holy Scripture that underscores the gravity of this fifth word. In the New Testament, Ephesians 
chapter six, children are to obey their parents in the Lord. 
They are to honor their fathers and their mothers. According 
to Colossians 3, the same thing is in view. The word obey is 
used, so we have honor, we have obedience. I think as well when 
we compare Matthew 15 and 1 Timothy 5, one of the responsibilities 
upon children is that they provide for their aged parents as far 
as they're able to. They ought to try and alleviate 
the financial burdens that old people face. in their elderly 
years. So there are several things that 
the command enjoins upon young people toward their parents. 
To honor or reverence them, to provide for their material needs 
in their old age, to obey them, and then to give thanks to them 
and for them. I always want to make this qualification. Always want to make sure that 
we understand. that it's insofar as the parents 
do not command the children to sin. Act 529 is always a standing 
order for everybody. We must obey God rather than 
men. It is never the case that a wicked 
man can force his children to do wicked things under the guise 
of the fifth commandment. Any man that would utilize the 
fifth commandment and so teach or so engage in wickedness with 
his children is a man that deserves to be disciplined by the church 
and he needs to engage in criminal proceedings. If he would torture 
his children, if he would sexually abuse his children, if he would 
do anything of the sort. So there is that qualification 
that is inherent inherent in all of this. The same thing with 
the husband and the wife relationship. Wives are to submit unto their 
husbands as unto the Lord, except if the husband commands sin. 
We need to make sure we understand that. There is a pocket of teaching 
that is growing up in evangelicalism that is essentially telling women 
they need to submit to everything. Well brethren, that is not legitimate. If we need to go over Matthew 
19 again and 1 Corinthians 7, there are legitimate reasons 
when a woman is not to engage in that sort of practice. And 
for these men to teach this authoritarian structure that everybody under 
their rule must always obey, those men have gone past the 
lawfulness of Scripture, the lawful bounds of Scripture. This 
is terrible and we ought not to tolerate it. So that's the command, the explanation, 
the specific duty, the other references. Now notice the scope 
of the command, going back to Deuteronomy 5. The relationship 
between superiors and inferiors. Most interpreters are in the 
interpretation, interpretive history of this commandment. The commandments in Sinai and 
the commandments here on the plains of Moab were addressed 
primarily to adults. And so not only is the parent-child 
relationship in view here, but all relations between superiors 
and inferiors. Again, it's not that some people 
are better and some people are worse. Some people are prime 
ministers and the rest of us aren't. Some people are husbands 
or fathers and some people are children. That's just the reality 
of it. I think the Westminster larger 
catechism hits on this well. Who are meant by father and mother 
in the fifth commandment? By father and mother in the fifth 
commandment are meant not only natural parents but all superiors 
in age and gifts and especially such as, by God's ordinance, 
are over us in place of authority, whether in family, church, or 
commonwealth. So it's the basic idea that when 
we have a lawful authority in our lives, we are to be submissive, 
we are to honor, we are to obey, again, insofar as they do not 
command us to sin, insofar as they do not command us to do 
something that would violate the law of God. And as the Westminster 
Larger specifies, in the family. This is the primary emphasis 
in the fifth word as it stands. Honor your father and your mother. 
They go on to mention the church. There is passages, or are passages, 
in the New Testament. Obey your leaders. They have, 
watch out for your soul. Again, we're not talking about 
a cult. If your leader says, here, I want you to drink this 
Kool-Aid, and I'll see you on the other side. You're not to 
obey him. Please don't do that. We need to be rational, mindful, 
intelligent beings when it comes to these realities. In fact, 
I'm always a bit wary to even mention those passages because 
I don't ever want it to look like we're a cult. I've heard 
that many a time. Ah, you're a cult, you're a cult, 
you're a cult. Well, I purposely don't want to make it look like 
we're a cult. So I typically try and avoid 
passages that say, obey your leaders. But this is what Westminster 
Larger Catechism says, reflecting what the Bible teaches on this 
whole issue of superiors and inferiors in the family, in the 
church, and in the commonwealth, as those divines said. Let every 
soul be subject to the governing authority, for there is no authority 
except from God, and the authority that exists is established by 
God, Romans 13, one to four. Now, superiors and inferiors. Let's come finally to the sanction 
related to the command under this head of the command stated. Children, this is one of those 
messages that Your parents, sometimes, I know this happened to us, Rebecca 
and I, you know, consistency. Isn't that the difficulty in 
parenting? It's hard to be consistent, isn't it? I mean, maybe it's 
not for you guys, praise God, I'm glad you're all doing a bang-up 
job, but consistency, you know, faithful, day in, day out. The 
kid does something, you deal with it the same way. We get 
lazy, at least we did, at least I did, you know? Okay, you know, 
you just kind of overlook something. But we hear a sermon like this 
on the use of the rod and reproof and we'd institute a reign of 
terror at home for a week or two. I can only imagine the kids 
were saying, please, Pastor Barcelos, don't preach sermons like that 
again. We can't take it. We don't like it. The Bible is 
clear on this whole issue, the rod and the reproof. The rod 
and reproof when it comes to the penal sanction involved with 
reference to the fifth commandment. Just a sample of text in the 
book of Proverbs again. Proverbs 13, 24. Proverbs 13, 
24. Passages that a lot of young 
mothers know by heart. Proverbs 13.24, he who spares 
his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him 
promptly. Now, I'm just focusing on the 
rod passages, but the reproof passages are more so. You are 
to reprove, you are to speak. It ought to be verbal more often 
than not. It ought not to be the case that 
every infraction and every issue and every Every violation means 
necessarily corporal punishment. You ought to be able to speak 
to your child and hopefully train them in such a way that they 
will respond to the verbal admonition and stop doing the folly. But in this instance, he who 
spares his rod hates his son. Notice the contrast, but he who 
loves him disciplines him promptly. Proverbs 19.18. Proverbs 19.18. Chase in your son while there 
is hope and do not set your heart on his destruction. You see the 
gravity of this? Chase in your son while there 
is hope and do not set your heart on his destruction. If you don't 
chase in your son, if you don't restrain your son, think Eli, 
and you don't deal with your son, what's your son's end? It is destruction. Notice in 
Proverbs 20, 30. Proverbs 20.30, blows that hurt 
cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart. 
Again, brethren, the Bible is not enjoining upon anyone the 
opportunity to abuse a child. Biblical discipline is carried 
out with restraint. It isn't about a running through 
the house. I think I've shared before an 
early memory of my mother was her chasing me with a yardstick 
through the house to let me have it. But she wasn't mean. I'm making it sound like she 
was Hitler or Satan or something. It was kind of a joke, but I 
do believe if she'd caught us, she would have given us that 
yardstick. But it's not that. Running through the house, howling 
and yelling and screaming and, you know, letting. That's not 
it. If you have questions about biblical discipline, there's 
some good books out there. There's some helpful tools and 
resources. Brethren, the point is, We like 
to think that little bundle of joy has no sin in his heart, 
and that's just not the case. Foolishness is bound up in it. That's what the Bible says. And 
it's the rod and the reproof that drive it from him. Parents 
who are negligent in this, parents who renege on their responsibility 
in terms of the Fifth Commandment, speaks not only of the duty of 
the inferior but to the superior as well. If you're going to call 
on your children to honor you, be an honorable man or an honorable 
woman, and that means doing what God says the way God says to 
do it. This is an important issue, and 
I think that just looking at the news or just looking around 
Just watching and seeing what happens. We have a general disregard 
for the fifth commandment throughout society. I mean, if you question 
that, may I suggest that you do a little research in the news, 
that you see the sorts of things that are happening in terms of 
shootings and killings, and just go to Walmart and watch parents 
and their children. I mean, maybe not, because you'll 
probably go nuts. It's just frustrating. The kid 
asks for something, the mom says no, and the kid whines and cries 
and yells and screams, and then the mom gives it to them. You're 
hardening them in a rebelliousness. Don't do that. When I was first 
converted, one of the things that we used to do is we would 
go to the laundromat, because we didn't have a washer and a 
dryer, and we'd take the girls, the little girls, Kelly and Brittany, 
and they'd look around for little treasures and trinkets and stuff. 
But I noticed in those laundromats that there were parents that 
didn't discipline their children. There was one time this kid was 
running around screaming. I mean, it was just nuts. I wanted 
to spank him. I'm sorry. I got to confess that. 
I wanted to deal with this kid because he was out of control. 
So I thought, OK, I'm going to make up a list of proverbs. This 
was probably not the wisest thing to do. But when I would see parents 
with their kids and their kids were acting up, I'd hand them 
this list of proverbs. I'm sure they were very thankful, 
by the way. Thank you, sir, for helping me. Basically, I'm telling 
them, read this and deal with your kid. Brethren, this is an 
epidemic. I mean, what were the crimes, 
the sins, the issues, the problems that were happening a generation 
ago in schools, in public high schools, running in the hallway, 
probably maybe a little more than a generation ago, chewing 
gum, talking in class? What kind of stuff goes on today? 
Multiple sexual partners, drug abuse, drug use, drunkenness, 
rebellion to teachers, police killings. All over North America 
we see these sorts of things. If ever there was a commandment 
that is necessary for our day and age, it is this fifth word. It is this fifth, this relationship 
between superiors and Inferiors. Again, don't go home and cry 
because Pastor Butler called you an inferior. Pastor Butler's 
an inferior. I am inferior to the superior 
state. I must submit. I must be obedient, 
insofar as they don't tell me to sin. Proverbs 22, 15, I've 
already mentioned this, foolishness is bound up in the heart of a 
child. The rod of correction will drive it far from him. Pretty 
simple recipe for victory in this case. Proverbs 23, 13 and 
14, do not withhold correction from a child for if you beat 
him with a rod he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod 
and deliver his soul from hell. So the rod and reproof are certainly 
given with reference to the parental control in this manner. Notice in Deuteronomy 21, I always like to try and explain 
these seemingly difficult passages, and this is a good time to do 
so with Deuteronomy 21, 18 to 21. There's another penalty, 
another sanction attached to a violation of the fifth commandment, 
and it's the death penalty. We already saw that in Exodus 
21, if someone strikes his father or his mother, what happens to 
him? You put him to death. Now I'm 
not saying we go out and put to death every incorrigible son 
or daughter out there, but I just want to lead us through Deuteronomy 
21, 18 to 21. Again, to underscore the gravity 
of this fifth word. And there's some things we ought 
to observe in this passage. Notice, if a man has a stubborn 
and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father 
or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened 
him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall 
take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of the city, 
to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders 
of his city, this son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He 
will not obey our voice. He is a glutton and a drunkard. 
Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with 
stones. So you shall put away the evil from among you, and 
all Israel shall hear in fear." Again, I bring this up because 
it is a passage that persons can read and go, wow, is that 
still binding upon us today? Pastor Butler preached the fifth 
commandment. Here's a violation of the fifth commandment. Do 
I take Junior out and deliver him over to the elders in the 
city and have them throw stones at him until he dies? I mean, 
is that what I'm supposed to do? Well, a couple of things 
by way of clarification with this particular passage. In the 
first place, this text does not speak to a naughty two-year-old. 
This text does not have in view the two-year-old that won't eat 
his peas. It's dealing with an adult rebel son. Two-year-olds are not drunkards 
and they're not gluttons. They may have eating problems 
when it comes to peas, but they're not drunkards or gluttons. It is an adult rebel son in Deuteronomy 
21, 18 to 21. Secondly, notice the text assumes 
parental discipline. The parents have worked with 
the child. The parents have exercised discipline. It says, when they 
have chastened him, he will not heed them. So they have done 
their job. They have been active. They have 
been obedient and compliant with the demands of God upon them 
as parents. Notice thirdly, this demonstrates 
the state's role with reference to capital punishment. The family 
nor the church were ever tasked with executing civil offenders 
or criminal offenders. It was the task of Israel. It was the task of the body politic. It was never for the family and 
never for the church. In the fourth place, this shows 
again the seriousness of the Fifth Commandment and the necessity 
to honor one's parents. And in the fifth place, it highlights 
symptoms of a bigger problem. I really don't believe that this 
man is being executed because he's a drunk and a glutton. The 
drunkenness and the gluttony are symptomatic. They are manifestations 
or evidences of a rebel spirit, a hard-heartedness, a rejection 
of parental authority. Peter Craigie says the latter 
words, glutton and drunkard, do not specify the crime, but 
indicate by way of example the kind of life that has resulted 
from disobedience to parental authority. The crime, in other 
words, is disobedience. But the result of the crime is 
the dissolution of a proper style of life. So don't take the passage 
and say, wow, if you got drunk in Israel or you were a glutton, 
they would stone you to death. No, these are symptoms of the 
problem that is being addressed in this particular incident. 
They are adult rebel sons against the authority of their parents 
And as a result, the parents can no longer exercise the sort 
of influence upon the child or the young person that is necessary, 
and they are turned over, and in this particular instance, 
they are put to death with stones. Notice, Verne Poythress makes 
this comment. He says, the death penalty for 
wholesale violation of parental authority may seem harsh to modern 
sentiments. I'm sure it does. I am sure that 
it does. He says, but I would argue that 
it is not only just, but realistic. Parental authority, even if very 
imperfectly exercised, takes place in the context of personal 
relationships and natural pressures in the direction of love. What 
he's saying is that children have a natural tendency to love 
their parents. If they're going to obey and 
honor anyone, it's going to be the persons that they have this 
natural tendency to love. Everybody with me? He goes on 
to say parents have many advantages over the state. If a person does 
not receive instruction from parents, The chance of receiving 
instruction from the states, more impersonal discipline, are 
nil. The person who rebels in wholesale 
fashion against parents will also rebel against the state 
and create general destruction and disorder until eliminated. 
It is mere sentimentality to refuse to come to grips with 
this reality. So I'm not saying we ought to 
impose this currently, right now, but I am suggesting that 
the data in scripture evidences and indicates that God takes 
seriously this whole relationship between superiors and inferiors 
and the way that we respond to those who are over us. It is 
not up for grabs, it is not up for bargaining, it is not up 
for debate, but rather as children Honor your father and your mother. 
As citizens, obey the governing authorities. As long as they're 
not commanding you to sin, do what they say. Why do we have 
this natural antipathy to such things? I don't want to do what 
they say. We've just got this independent spirit. So the gravity 
of the offense is seen here, it's also seen as a reason for 
the exile in Ezekiel 22 verses 7 and 15. And then it's also 
a recurring item in New Testament vice lists. This is the gravity 
of the offense. Notice in Romans 1, we're coming 
to a close soon, Romans chapter 1. Interesting place where this 
fifth commandment finds itself relative to other sorts of sins. Romans 1.28, and even as they 
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them 
over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, 
being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, 
covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, 
deceit, evil-mindedness. They are whisperers, backbiters, 
haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, 
disobedient to parents. Undiscerning, untrustworthy, 
unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. You see, it is a big deal with 
God. Those who do not obey their parents, 
it is condemned. For us, 2 Timothy 3, when Paul 
describes what men in the last days are going to look like, 
this is one of the identifying marks. 2 Timothy 3.1, but know 
this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will 
be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, 
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, 
slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, 
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of 
God." I read the whole vice list so you can see that it's included 
with some heavy hitters there. The fifth commandment is absolutely 
crucial for the proper ordering of the family, of the church, 
of the state, all those things involved with reference to superiors 
and inferiors. The promise given, it's very 
clear in Deuteronomy, that your days may be long and that it 
may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving 
you. Again, that whole idea of obeying God covenantally in the 
land, it will go well with us. Deuteronomy 27, the curses. One of the curses, one of the 
reasons that they would be expelled from the land is if they cursed 
their parents. Again, Ezekiel 22 indicates that 
this was indeed one of the reasons why the exile took place. It wasn't the only reason, but 
it was certainly one of the reasons. And then finally, turn over to 
Paul in Ephesians 6. When we see this statement or 
this promise given, expand it. A couple of interesting observations 
here in Ephesians 6. Notice in verse 1, children obey 
your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father 
and mother which is the first commandment with promise that 
it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. Notice 
what was land in old covenant Israel is earth in new covenant 
Israel. Notice as well that Gentile children, 
that's what Ephesians So that's what the Ephesians were. They 
were Gentiles, weren't they? Has anybody ever wondered or 
we've seen those churches that don't hold the fourth commandment? 
Some of those churches under dispensational hermeneutics say, 
well, the ten commandments were given to Israel. That's interesting 
because Paul is talking to Gentile children in Ephesians and telling 
them they are subject to the fifth commandment. Paul expressly 
tells these Gentile children, obey your parents in the Lord 
for this is right. Where does he go to substantiate 
this to the fifth word? That word that transcends Israel. That word that is natural law 
written on the heart of Adam, summarily contained in the Decalogue 
given at Sinai and repeated at Moab. That law that is transcendent 
over any covenantal structure that the person happens to be 
in. That moral law of God, all men everywhere are subject to. They are told, honor your father 
and your mother, which is the first commandment with promise 
that it may be well with you and you may live long on the 
earth. Now that's not a hard and fast 
rule in terms of if I obey my parents, God's going to add another 
five years to my life. Hodge says this is the usual 
course of his providence. Edy says it is a principle of 
the divine administration. and the usual course of providence. So there's our exposition. We 
ought to learn from this particular commandment that we as inferiors 
have responsibility. Those who are subject to governing 
authorities, whether parental, ecclesiastical, or civil, or 
commonwealth. And it certainly touches on the 
employer-employee relationship as well. Masters and slaves are 
spoken to in Ephesians and in Colossians. Behind that structure, 
certainly, is the Fifth Commandment. But we need to make sure that 
as inferiors, we obey, we honor. It doesn't mean we bow down and 
kiss their feet when they walk into work. That's not what it 
means. But it is to show reverence. 
It is to show respect. Workplace, respect, family, respect, 
church, respect. These are all things that unfortunately 
have gone by the wayside. Young people in our church, if 
you see some of the older people coming in, help them, get out 
of their way, do nice things. That's all legit. We need to 
make sure that we understand that these things are for good 
in the lives and in the conduct of God's people. So inferiors 
have responsibilities to those who govern over them, but so 
do superiors. Again, the larger catechism, 
what is required of superiors toward their inferiors? Answer, 
it is required of superiors according to that power they receive from 
God and that relation wherein they stand to love, pray for, 
and bless their inferiors. You see, it's much easier or 
simpler for a child to honor and to obey and to revere and 
to respect when the parent is a good man. or a good woman, 
when they pray for their children, when they love their children, 
when they esteem their children. You see, brethren, if all we 
have is the authority and we throw it around, That doesn't 
negate the reality that the child still must submit, but man, we 
ought to try and help them and facilitate that as far as we 
are able. I love the way these divines 
captured that. To love, pray for, and bless 
their inferiors. To instruct, counsel, and admonish 
them. countenancing, commanding, and 
rewarding such as do well, and discountencing, reproving, and 
chastising such as do ill, protecting and providing for them all things 
necessary for soul and body, and by grave, wise, holy, and 
exemplary courage to procure glory to God, honor to themselves, 
and so to preserve that authority which God has put upon them." 
So when we read the fifth commandment, we ought not to just say, oh 
God, I want you to wrap your hands around my wretched little 
child and make him obey. God help me to be a good and 
faithful leader. God help me to be a faithful 
father, a faithful mother. Give me the heart of love. Give 
me that tendency of esteem. Give me the grace to not exasperate 
them, to not be arbitrary, to not be flying off of the handle 
and flipping out, chasing them around the house with a yardstick. 
God, give me the kind of grace to be the kind of leader that 
I need to be. So don't just look at the fifth 
commandment and say, wow, that's only a word for inferiors. No, 
it's certainly for superiors as well. And then finally, the 
use of this law, the civil use. Imagine a society where children 
honored their parents. It's hard to, isn't it? It's 
hard to. Maybe I just see these things 
and I'm overreacting, but man, I think it's terrible. It's just 
an indicator of how far we have come. Calvin said, those who 
abusively or stubbornly violate parental authority are monsters, 
not men. I wonder what Calvin would say 
if he walked around Walmart today. It's not just Walmart. Bachmuel 
said this, the parents who reject the first commandment can expect 
their children to reject the fifth one. You see, I suspect 
those kids running down the aisles in Walmart flipping out and freaking 
out and screaming, I want, I want, I want. It's the old monkey with 
the gun. If you give a monkey a gun and 
he shoots someone, do you blame the monkey? No. When you see that kid running 
rampant and wild and the parents aren't doing anything, listen 
to Bachmiel. The parents who reject the first 
commandment can't expect their children to reject the fifth 
one. The parents who do not submit 
to God should not expect their children to submit to them. As well, the normative use of 
this law as believers in Jesus Christ, you children who profess 
saving faith, this is going to be the proof in the pudding. 
You will obey your parents. You will honor your parents. 
You will be faithful to your parents. You will esteem your 
parents. You will revere your parents. 
You will do those things which are pleasing to your parents. 
That is the surefire evidence that grace is in your heart. 
The normative use of God's law as those who are not children 
subject to parents in the home. It will be evidence in the way 
we relate to other forms of leadership. It'll be evident in the way that 
we relate to the governing authorities. All these things are normatively 
prescribed so that we would walk in them. And then finally, with 
reference to the pedagogical use of this word, certainly children 
and adults, I hope, you trust or see that this command shows 
us all out or finds us all out. Have any of us ever submitted 
to the governing authorities the way we ought? Have any of 
us ever rendered that sort of honor and esteem and reverence 
and respect to our parents as we ought? This command ought 
to hopefully drive us to the cross, to the one alone who always 
obeyed, always complied, always did what was enjoined upon him. Isn't it beautiful in Luke's 
gospel, Jesus continued in subjection to them. Ever consider that? Sometimes we say, but you don't 
know what kind of person they are. I don't know that I can 
submit because they're this or they're that. Jesus, the holy, 
harmless, and undefiled one, continued in subjection to Joseph 
and Mary. Praise God that he did that because 
you and I never have and never will. Perfectly. So pedagogically, 
child-tutor-ish, and the child-tutor use. May this law drive us to 
the gospel, to the Lord Jesus, who alone can forgive us of our 
insubordination and rebelliousness. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for the Decalogue, for these 10 words that truly 
illustrate or display or reveal to us your moral law, your holy 
character, your righteous standard. Give us grace as those who confess 
faith in Jesus Christ to strive to obey these things, to do what 
the scripture says on these matters. And for those outside of Christ, 
I pray that this law would find them out, and it would show them 
their sin, and it would show them their need for the Redeemer. 
God, be merciful, we pray. Go with us now, we pray, and 
help us to honor and glorify you. And we do pray for a society. We pray for a generation. throughout 
this earth where there is such insubordination. God in heaven, 
have mercy, send forth your holy gospel and your holy law. And 
we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.