Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

• Colossians 3:20
• Ephesians 6:1-3
• Mark 10:19
• 1 Timothy 5:1-2

Key OT Scriptures

• Exodus 20:12
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 21:151
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 21:172
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 19:2-3
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 19:32
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 20:93
  Jewish Commentary

Supportive NT Scriptures

• 1 Timothy 5:8

Supportive OT Scriptures

• Proverbs 20:20
  Jewish Commentary
• Proverbs 23:22
  Jewish Commentary
• Proverbs 30:17
  Jewish Commentary

Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent

Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

Honoring our father and mother involves respecting them for their parental position both privately and in public. It also implies obeying them when we are young, but never in a way that disobeys or dishonors God. Although, by promising long life in the land, it is clear that Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-3 are addressing Israelites, the instructions they convey are morally universal and are therefore appplicable for Gentiles as well. The King James Version of the Bible translates " tira'u " (derived from " yara ") in Leviticus 19:3 as " Ye shall fear ", whereas other versions translate the word "revere" or "respect". We are not to be frightened by our parents (that is not the kind of "fear" of them we are to have). We are rather to regard them with awesome respect, for God holds them accountable to train us up in righteousness ( Proverbs 22:6 ), and He holds us accountable for how we treat them - how we speak of them, and how we speak to them. We are not to usurp their authority, speak for them (unless asked), contradict them before others in a way that would cause them embarrassment or dishonor and, of course, not curse them or strike them. Our obligation to honor and revere God ( Proverbs 3:9 ; Leviticus 24:15 ; Deuternomy 6:13 ) 4 , and it is incumbent upon us, even should they do wrong to us or follow ungodly paths in aspects of their personal lives. The relevance of 1 Timothy 5:8 is that providing materially for one's parents, especially when they are at an advanced age, is one way of honoring and revering them, and not supporting them when there is a need to do so is the opposite. It is commonly thought that 1 Timothy 5:8 is only a reference to husbands supporting their wives and children, but the context in the ancient world (as well as in many places in the world today) included one's parents, because aging parents commonly lived with (or close by) their children. This principle is verified in Meir's commentary to his mitzvah MP41. 4. Similar to the King James Version's translation of "tira'u" in Leviticus 19:3 , most translators of Deuteronomy 6:13 translate "tira" (also derived from "yara") as "fear".

Classical commentators

Maimonides, Meir, and HaChinuch have not combined honoring and revering parents into a single mitzvah . Instead, they wrote separate mitzvot for each, the combined essence of which agrees entirely with this Mitzvah . In regard to honoring our parents, all three make reference to places in the Talmud , most prominently, tractate Kiddushin , and also to the Sifra ( Leviticus 19:3 ) 5 . Maimonides adds that we are required to care for our parents when they become old; Meir agrees and goes into some detail of our obligation to financially support our parents when necessary. He further says that we are to attend our father as a servant would attend his master, but we are not to sin in following our parents' instructions. In regard to revering our parents, all three commentators link reverence to fear, and instruct against standing or sitting in one's father's place. Meir says that we are not to contradict our father's words or refer to him by his name. HaChinuch is detailed in other ways, and raises the question of how far reverence of parents should go. He indicates that we must be able to suffer indignities and wrongs done to us without putting our parents to shame, and we must be respectful of them even if their minds become deranged in connection with their age. Of course, we are not to curse them or strike them. 5. Halachic midrash to Leviticus.

Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2

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Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

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Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2

Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2