EP. 254 The Purpose of the Ten Commandments – Honoring Parents
- timscott
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
To View the Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pEs4BS95WS0
SHOW NOTES
We’re continuing our series on the purpose behind the Ten Commandments, and this week we turn to the fifth commandment: Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
This commandment sits at a pivotal place in the Ten Commandments. The first four deal with our relationship to God, while this one shifts to our relationship with others—starting with the family. The health of the family directly impacts the health of society, and God designed it this way.
The Crisis of Fatherlessness in Our Culture
When we look around today, it’s not hard to see the devastating impact of neglecting God’s design for the family:
Fatherless families are four times more likely to live in poverty than married-couple families.
Fatherless children are far more likely to abuse drugs and engage in delinquent behavior.
The single most significant predictor of crime in society is the absence of fathers in the home.
Children who feel a closeness to their fathers are 80% less likely to spend time in jail.
75% of adolescents in substance abuse centers come from fatherless homes.
This is not just sociology—it’s theology. When families break down, it tears at the fabric of how God ordered creation. The fifth commandment protects the sanctity of family because family is the foundational building block of society.
What Does It Mean to Honor?
Paul expounds on this command in Ephesians 6:1–3:"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’” Notice Paul distinguishes obedience from honor:
Children are called to obey because they are under the training and authority of their parents.
Adults are called to honor their parents throughout life, but that does not mean blind obedience once they have left their parents’ authority.
The Greek word for “obey” (hupakouo) literally means “to listen under” or “to submit.” The word for “honor” (timao) means “to value, respect, or revere.” In other words, children are to obey while under their parents’ care, but all of us—no matter our age—are called to honor our parents by valuing and respecting them.
How Do We Honor Our Parents?
Speak well of them: Choose to emphasize what they did right, not just their failures.
Express gratitude: Thank them directly for their sacrifices, big or small.
Protect their dignity: When talking to others, be careful not to tear them down publicly.
Care for them as they age: Honoring includes showing compassion and responsibility when they are in need.
This doesn’t mean ignoring real wounds or pretending brokenness doesn’t exist—but it does mean entrusting our hurts to God and seeking to reflect Christ in how we treat our parents.
Even Jesus, the eternal Son of God, submitted to earthly parents. Luke 2:51 tells us: “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.” If the sinless Son of God could humble Himself to honor Mary and Joseph, how much more should we strive to honor our parents in whatever season of life we are in?
The purpose of this commandment is clear: when families honor God’s design and children honor their parents, society flourishes. When the family breaks down, society collapses. God’s call to honor parents is not only for the good of the family but for the good of His people as a whole.
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