What does honor thy father and mother mean?

Answer 1

This is the fifth Commandment. A study of each Commandment reveals deep spiritual understanding that God's Children need to develop in order to grow in righteous Godly wisdom, knowledge and honorable character.

"...for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be (become) perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (II Tim.3:16-17)

The Commandments are summarized in two categories: Man's relationship with his Creator; and man's relationshipwith his fellowman.

Honoring one's parents is the first Commandment listed that deals with our relationship with our fellowman... beginning with the first people we meet in life (if life proceeds normally for us), our parents. Paul writes to the Ephesians:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first Commandment with promise;) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Eph.6:1-3)

One of God's purposes of this first phase of life we are granted, is to learn about "relationships." How to relate to and with one another. He's offering us Eternal Life. That's a long time to live... and it only makes sense that we desperately need to develop certain "people skills" to get along with one another. Once He grants us Eternal Life... we won't die anymore. And if we are changed into immortal Children of God and can't get along with one another - well... that smacks of a perfect recipe for "hell in the making."

That's one reason why God is giving us this time in the flesh... to introduce His Children to one another... to develop their social skills. He's teaching us that we must be obedient to His Commandments or the system goes bust. You know... like this disrespectful, dishonorable, hate-filled world is going bust.

Honoring our parents is life's first steps in relationship development. They are the child's first view of "God." They are to be revered, feared and obeyed. This makes it incumbent upon the parents, whose role it is to set an example for their children, to BE HONORABLE. To conduct themselves in a manner worthy of respect.

And when children grow up and become parents... the cycle starts anew. Everyone was once a child... and almost everyone becomes a parent (at least that was God's original command to the first man and woman):

"...God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply..." (Gen.1:28).

And so... since parents are recycled children, themselves... ultimately, the Commandment to honor your father and mother means to respect your fellowman... and BE personally honorable and respectable yourself.

God will not grant Eternal Life to any rebellious, disobedient, incorrigible child, no matter how old he is... nor allow such a Child into His Kingdom, into His House.

"...in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE: among whom also we all had our conversation (conduct) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the CHILDREN OF WRATH, even as others." (Eph.2:2-3)

"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh wrath of God upon THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE. Be not ye therefore partakers with them." (Eph.5:6-7)

Children, honor your parents in Christ. Parents, be worthy of honor in Christ.

Answer 2

Honor thy father and thy mother in The Bible means;

• to love your father and mother. To love your father and mother is to obey and respect them.

Additionally:

It also means to conduct yourself outside of the home in such a way that it brings no shame on your parents.

"Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first Commandment with Promise;) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Eph.6:2-3)

Almost everyone wants to live a long time. And it would be a strange person indeed who doesn't want his life to go well for him.

The Bible says a man will leave his father and mother, and that home one day for marriage -- at which time he and his wife become a father and mother. This expands on the Commandment [as since almost all people become parents eventually] to "honor and respect one another" [fathers and mothers and people] wherever you go.

This is the big lesson that the Ten Commandments would get across to man, if he were receptive to them. The sum total of them is to LOVE and RESPECT our Creator with every fiber of your being... and LOVE others as much as we love ourselves.

If mankind is to Live Eternally with one another in the universe [which man is to inherit]... he first needs to learn to get along with his brothers and sisters here on earth.

It begins in the home with the children "honoring and obeying" their parents.

But that puts the burden on the parents to conduct themselves in such a loving and honorable way as to be an example for the children to emulate.

The Commandment is not a one-way road.