Week 50 - December 12th, 2021
Ephesians 6:1–3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
Context: The Book of Ephesians is chiefly concerned with our union with Christ and the resulting unity in the church. Paul goes to great lengths to argue that, because all believers are situated “in Christ,” we should have complete unity with one another. He then spells out practical applications of this unity in the household—between husbands and wives, children and parents, and slaves and masters
Meaning: Paul’s first command to obedience is directed towards children specifically. The word for obey literally means “listen under” and has the idea of one standing at a door who, upon hearing a knock, is quick to respond. When children hear the voice of their parents they should be quick to both listen and obey. This concept is then generalized to the whole church with the concept of honor. Children are to obey their parents with the qualification “in the Lord.” There are times when "in the Lord" obedience is not possible; yet, Christians must always honor their parents. Holding someone in honor means placing high value on them. While honor does not necessarily require obedience in all circumstances, honoring one’s parents means holding their opinion in high regard, treating them with the utmost dignity and respect.
Life Application: Paul ties the dual commands of honor and obedience not to culture, but to morality. Obedience is simply the right thing to do. Honor is just obeying the Law of God. While our culture today places a premium on personal freedom and “finding your own way in life,” the Word of God calls us to instead submit ourselves to the authorities in our lives and recognize the wisdom of those who are our elders.
For Further Study: The command to honor one’s father and mother finds its root in the Law of Moses and is indeed the first commandment given that also has a promise attached. This promise can be found in Deuteronomy 5:16.