7/23/11

<sup>Devotional on the Ten Commandments- with attention to the New Testament.  Fifth Commandment: "Honor your Father and Mother." 

9</sup> And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. ¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:9-13)

 ¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ (Mark 10:18,19)

Thoughts: Jesus shows He respects God's commands and respects Parents.  However, He did not have resepct for those who tried to find a way around God's commands.  Today there are many who want to get their way even if it means breaking God's commands.  But then they rationalize it away by redefinitions of the command and watering them down to nothing.  Here, Jesus brings revival not by neglecting the law, or avoiding it- but by embracing it.  He does the same with the Rich Young Ruler.  Jesus reiterates the Law. 
     In a recent book by George Barna ("The Un-Christian: What a Generation Really Thinks about Christianity" (2007), Christian point to their keeping the Law ("being good, doing the right thing") as their priority.  However, the same survey found that those who call themselves "born again" still do the same things as though who do not believe (including gambling, looking at pornography, driving drunk).  So in many ways we are like the Pharisees who speak of the Law, but look for ways around it.  We need to heed Jesus' words of admonition to respect God and to listen to those over us in the Lord.

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to have ears to hear, and a heart adn courage to obey. 

John Calvin Abridged: The God established degrees of preeminence should be inviolable to us.  This command means we are to look up to those placed over us by God and treat them with honor, obedience, and gratefulness.  We should not detract from their dignity by contempt, stubborness or ungratefulness. God's titles of honor are shared with earthly leaders.  The universal rule is to him whom the Lord has placed over us we should render reverence obedience and gratefulness, whether he is worthy or unworthy of that honor.  The length of earthly life is not a blessing in itself, but it is a symbol of God's blessing.  We should obey parents only as long as they do not incite us to violate the Law.