Honor Thy Parents
A command to honor parents, with a promised reward.
The command to honor one's parents appears in both the Old and New Testaments. In Exodus 20:12, it is part of the Decalogue, promising long life in the land given by God. In Ephesians 6:2, it is cited as the first commandment with a promise, reaffirming its enduring moral weight.
- appearances_in_scripture
- 2 (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:2)
- promise_attached
- long days upon the land (Exodus 20:12)
- designation_in_ephesians
- first commandment with promise (Ephesians 6:2)
- contrasting_instruction
- do not honor the person of the mighty in judgment (Leviticus 19:15)
Lore & Background
The motif of honoring parents is established in Exodus 20:12 as a direct divine command within the covenant code, linking filial respect to longevity in the promised land. This command is later quoted in Ephesians 6:2, where it is explicitly identified as the first commandment that carries a promise, reinforcing its priority in Christian ethical teaching.
A contrasting principle appears in Leviticus 19:15, which forbids honoring the person of the mighty in judicial settings. This shows that the concept of 'honor' in scripture is not absolute in all contexts—it is specifically commanded toward parents but prohibited when it would pervert justice. The passages together present honor as a duty with boundaries.
Reader's Guide
The passages portray honoring parents as a foundational moral obligation. Exodus 20:12 presents it as a direct command from God, embedded in the Ten Commandments, with a tangible reward: extended life in the land God gives. This frames the act as both a duty and a blessing. Ephesians 6:2 later reaffirms this command for a New Testament audience, explicitly noting its unique status as the first commandment with a promise, thereby elevating its importance in Christian family ethics.
Leviticus 19:15 provides a critical nuance: honor is not to be shown to the powerful when it would compromise righteous judgment. This indicates that the command to honor parents does not extend to all forms of honor in every situation. The passages together show that honoring parents is a specific, divinely sanctioned duty, distinct from the impartiality required in legal proceedings. No other details about the nature of honor or the consequences of disobedience are given in these verses.
Did You Know?
- Ephesians 6:2 explicitly calls this 'the first commandment with promise,' a designation not found in the Exodus version (Ephesians 6:2).
- The promise attached to this command is 'that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee' (Exodus 20:12).
- Leviticus 19:15 forbids honoring the person of the mighty in judgment, showing that 'honor' is not always commanded (Leviticus 19:15).
- The command to honor parents appears in both the Law (Exodus 20:12) and the Epistles (Ephesians 6:2), spanning the Old and New Testaments.