Exod 20:12

“And God said, "Honor your father and your mother," teaching that the child should pay the honor which is due to his parents. Of this honor to parents one part was to share with them the necessaries of life, such as food and clothing, and if there was any other thing in which it was possible for them to show favor toward their own parents.”

“The formation of the children is then the prerogative of the parents. Therefore honor your father, that he may bless you. Let the godly man honor his father out of gratitude and the ingrate do so on account of fear. Even if the father is poor and does not have plenty of resources to leave to his sons, still he has the heritage of his final blessing with which he may bestow the wealth of sanctification on his descendants. And it is a far greater thing to be blessed than it is to be rich.”

“[The Lord] declares that [this commandment] is to be interpreted not of mere words, which while offering an empty show of regard may still leave a parent's wants unrelieved, but by the actual provision of the necessaries of life. The Lord commanded that poor parents should be supported by their children and that these should pay them back when old for those benefits which they had themselves received in their childhood.”

“So if you are afraid your son won't take care of you once he has his hands on the money, you are in fact making filial piety a commodity for sale, not a quality to be loved. How much better a poor man's son, the son, for instance, of an old man in the direst poverty, who expects nothing from his father because he hasn't got anything he can leave him but who all the same supports his father with his labor and the sweat of his brow. Sometimes, of course, the children of rich people too take the fear of God seriously, and that's why they show consideration to their parents, not because they expect something from them but because they are their parents who brought them into the world and brought them up, and God gave a commandment which says "Honor your father and your mother." But where the reward is there for all to see, the genuineness of their sentiments is not so obvious.”

“למען יארכון ימיך THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG — If thou honourest them they will be long, and if not, they will be shortened — for the words of the Torah may be explained as concise statements: from what is included in a positive statement we may infer the negative and from what is included in a negative statement we may infer the positive (Mekhilta).”

“HONOR THY FATHER. Having finished all that we are obligated towards the Creator Himself and His glory, He turns now to command us about those matters which concern created beings. He begins with the father, for in relation to his offspring, he is akin to a creator, being partner with Him in the forming of the child. G-d is our first Father, and he who begets it [i.e., the child] is our last male parent. This is why He said in the Book of Deuteronomy, [Honor thy father… as the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee]. That is, “just as I have commanded you concerning My honor, so do I command you concerning the honor of those who have joined Me in your formation.” Now Scripture has not explained [the nature of the honor we are to give our parents], for it may be derived from the honor mentioned above that we owe to our first Father, blessed be He. Thus, one is to acknowledge [his male parent] as his father and not deny him, saying of another man that he is his father. Nor should he serve him because of his estate or any other benefit he hopes to derive from him. Nor should he take his father’s name and swear “by the life of my father” in vain or falsely. There are other matters which are included within the term “honor,” for we are commanded in every aspect thereof, and they are explained in the words of our Rabbis. The Sages have already said, 30b. that honoring parents has been likened to honoring G-d. Now since this commandment refers to creatures on the earth, He has designated its reward to be prolongation of life on earth which He will give us. But in the opinion of our Rabbis,, 39b. the purport of the verse is “that thy days may be long and upon the Land.” [It thus expresses two declarations]: He promises that our lives will be prolonged by observing this commandment — i.e., that G-d will fulfill our days in this world and they will be prolonged in the World to Come, which is unending — and that our dwelling will forever be on the good earth which He will give us. And in the Book of Deuteronomy, He expressly stated it: that thy day may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the Land which the Eternal thy G-d giveth thee. Thus they are two promises.”

“But because the neighbor is an image of the Trinity, and to him, insofar as he bears the image of the Father, piety is owed: insofar as he bears the image of the Son, truthfulness is owed, insofar as he bears the image of the Holy Spirit, benignity is owed: hence it is that there are seven commandments which pertain to the second tablet. For with respect to piety there are two: one which commands piety, namely concerning honoring one's father: the other which forbids impiety, namely concerning not killing.”

“The precepts are ordered according to their nobility; and beneficence is better than innocence: therefore the commandment of beneficence is placed before the commandment of innocence; and it was handed down to the Jews synecdochically thus: Honor your father and your mother. And here is set forth first the form of the commandment, when he says: Honor, etc. Second, the promise is added, where it says: That you may be long-lived upon the earth. Understand according to the literal sense that father designates the person of the one who begets, the person of the one who instructs, and the person of the one who rears, because a father, having a son, begets him, instructs and nourishes him, and it belongs to the father to bequeath his goods to his son: and according to these three things, the father in relation to the son holds the character of origin, the character of governance, and the character of benefactor. And accordingly a threefold honor is owed to the father: the honor of reverence, the honor of obedience, and the honor of beneficence. First, I say, to the father, insofar as he holds the character of origin, the honor of reverence is owed; whence in Ecclesiasticus: He who fears God will honor his father and his mother, and will serve as masters those who begot him. Second, by reason of governance, the honor of obedience is owed to the father; whence the Apostle to the Ephesians: Children, obey your parents, for this is just. Honor your father and your mother: which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with you, and that you may be long-lived upon the earth. Third, the honor of beneficence is owed to the father, because he holds the character of benefactor: whence in Ecclesiasticus: Son, support your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life. It is therefore commanded that a threefold honor be rendered to parents, namely the honor of reverence, obedience, and beneficence. And this is the first commandment that you must keep on account of the promise, namely that it may be well with you, and that you may be long-lived upon the earth. But is it always true that they live longer? For we see that this sometimes fails: therefore God is deceitful in his promise. I say that long life is considered not only according to the length of passing days, but according to their value. And according as there is a threefold honor which is shown to parents, so there corresponds to this threefold honor a threefold reward: because to the one who honors his father with the honor of reverence is owed a glorious or honorable life; to the one who honors his father with the honor of obedience is owed a joyful life; to the one who honors his father with the honor of beneficence is owed an abundant life. First, I say, to the one who honors his father with the honor of reverence is granted a glorious or honorable life; whence in Ecclesiasticus: The glory of a man is from the honor of his father; likewise in the same place: Glory not in the dishonor of your father, for his shame is not glory to you. For it is natural that a son should love his father most ardently, and that he should be indignant when someone does injury to his father. Second, to the one who honors his father with the honor of obedience is granted a joyful life; whence in Ecclesiasticus: He who honors his father shall find joy in his children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard. He who honors his father shall live a longer life; and he who obeys his father shall bring comfort to his mother. The highest joy is that a man not be rebellious toward his superior; because he who is rebellious toward his superior will find his inferior rebellious toward him, and the despiser of higher powers will be despised by those beneath him: just as Adam, when he was disobedient to his superior, found all the lower creatures which had been subject to him turned against him. Third, to the one who honors his father with the honor of beneficence is granted an abundant life; whence in Ecclesiasticus: Honor your father and your mother, and blessing shall come upon you, and your blessing shall remain to the last. This blessing is called the multiplication of goods. Behold, the precept, and behold the promise. We are obliged to obey our parents as long as we make use of their goods; and we ought to comply with them in the exercise of virtuous or salutary acts, in the dispensation of temporal goods, and in the rendering of services: because we ought to live according to their counsel and spend according to their command and, when they require it, render service. If, however, parents should wish, say, or command something that is against the advancement of our salvation, piety is not to be shown to them in such matters. And this is what the Lord says in the Gospel: He who does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers, and even his own soul, cannot be my disciple. The Lord wills that on account of paternal affection a man should not cease to do what pertains to his salvation. And this is what the Lord says: Let the dead bury their dead; but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God. And Jerome says: 'If your father should lie across the threshold, if your mother should bare the breasts with which she nursed you, trample over your father, trample over your mother, and fly to the standard of the cross. For the only kind of piety in this matter is to be cruel.'”

“Beneficence toward every kind of person is commanded. Father names the person in whom there is a preeminent character of authority, seniority, and amiability. In natural being, the son is not coequal with the father. First I say, in the father there is authority: and in this commandment a precept is given that the father be obeyed, because he has authority. Moreover, everyone who presides over public affairs, or political affairs, or monastic affairs has authority. First I say that he who presides over public affairs is called father by reason of authority, such as a prince, baron, count, and the like, and is called father by guardianship or defense; and we ought to honor him as a father. Whence blessed Peter: Fear God, honor the king. Second, he who presides over political or ecclesiastical affairs is called father by reason of authority. And we ought to honor him according to what the ecclesiastical ordering requires, and the people ought to obey him: whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch as those who will render an account for your souls. Third, he who presides over monastic affairs is called father by reason of authority. And we ought to honor him and obey him, according to the rule and the promise that has been made. Whence Jerome: 'Love the superior of the monastery as a father, fear him as a lord, hear him as a master, believe that whatever he says to you is salutary.' It is clear, therefore, that we ought to obey these according to what authority requires. Second, in the father is understood old age and frailty; for the elderly become weakened. And he who honors his father by reason of old age and frailty honors every person who is in need of assistance, or who lacks understanding, or strength, or who is harassed by another. And on account of this we ought to help another through instruction, or through sustenance, or through protection. And for this purpose prelates especially exist: if a person lacks understanding, they ought to help him through instruction: if he lacks strength, they ought to help him through sustenance: if he is harassed by another, they ought to help him through protection. Third, in the father is understood the notion of friendliness: and in this we understand that by reason of origin every person is lovable and ought to be loved, and every person is bound to honor another. Whence the Apostle: In honor anticipating one another; and again: Render to all what is owed; to whom honor, honor. Owe no one anything, except to love one another. For a person ought to love another, willing good to each one with respect to affection, with respect to deed, and with respect to outward expression. Moreover, this love has an order, because we ought to love according to the reason of proximity, according to the reason of likeness, and according to the reason of obligation. First, I say, we ought to love according to the reason of proximity; and according to this we owe greater love to those of our household than to strangers, and ought to serve friends more than enemies. Second, this love has an order according to the reason of likeness, because to some we owe by reason of likeness greater love than to others: thus by reason of likeness in specific form we are bound to love a human being; yet according to likeness by reason of agreement in faith we ought to love a Christian more than a Saracen; likewise by reason of profession in a community a religious is more bound to love a brother of his order, and one canon another canon. Third, we ought to love by reason of obligation: and thus we are more bound to some than to others. For I am bound to love another and to honor him by reason of precept; yet I am more bound by reason of precept and benefit, if I have received a benefit; I am most bound to love another and to honor him by reason of precept and by reason of benefit and by reason of promise, that is, him concerning whom there is a precept for me, and from whom I have received a benefit, and to whom I have made a promise—such a one I ought to love and honor more.”

“So that you may better retain this in mind, I shall tell you two examples: one good, about a man who honored his mother, and another evil and cruel, about a man who did not honor his father. There was a certain great and famous master at Paris, known and beloved by many. His mother, hearing of this, who was a poor woman, resolved to go to her son; she took a staff and in a little tunic of coarse cloth came to Paris and inquired of certain ladies about this master. Those matrons said: what do you want from him? She replied: I am his mother. Then those matrons brought her into their house and refreshed her. Afterward they considered that the good man would be ashamed if he saw her in such a state; and they clothed her well and gave her a mantle and brought her to the master. Then she said: I am your mother. The master replied: I do not believe it, because my mother was a poor woman and was not accustomed to wear anything but a little tunic of coarse cloth. And since the master would not accept her words, the matrons brought her back to their house and returned to her the little tunic and the staff. Then she approached her son in the assembly of many people; and he recognized his mother in such garb, and removing his hood, he embraced her saying: now I know well that you are my mother. This was spread throughout the city and was reckoned to him as a great good. And afterward he was made Bishop of Paris. I saw the man who knew him to whom this happened. There was a certain poor man who through his own industry had acquired many goods, and he had an only son. Certain nobles, seeing this, arranged that the son should contract marriage with the daughter of a certain nobleman. And then she, who was young, beautiful, and noble, began to abhor the father of her husband and prevailed so much upon her husband that the father was driven from the table and from the house; and he had nothing to eat but bad beans. One day he was famished and came to the house of his son and asked for food, and bad beans were given to him, and he was driven from the house. Then she said to her husband: now we can eat in peace. Go to the chest and take out the cooked capon. And when he opened the chest, the capon was changed into a toad. Which, suddenly leaping onto his face, placed two feet on his chin and two on his forehead and covered his entire face, and there was no physician who knew how to remove it. At length a certain smith came who tried to remove it with his pincers. Then the toad looked at him with so horrible a countenance that he fell to the ground and dared do nothing more; and there was no one who knew how to give counsel; but that man died an evil death.”

“In the second tablet are contained seven commandments ordering us toward neighbor, which are signified by two precepts of the natural law, namely: do to another what you wish to be done to you; do not do to another what you do not wish to be done to you. And according to these two precepts of the natural law a twofold justice is received, of which one is of innocence, the other of beneficence. The commandment of beneficence is: "Honor thy father and thy mother." This commandment, however, is not only one of reverence, but is also one of service and obedience; and it pertains not only to one's father, but indeed to all who proceed from one's father.”

“And because the lower portion of the soul is informed by the higher and is given to it as a help, it is necessary that the lower have commandments by which it would be conformed to the higher, so that it behave piously, truly and holily. Piously toward superiors, most of all parents, hence, Honor your father and your mother. Truly and justly toward equals, hence: You shall not kill, which precludes any harm. Holily toward inferiors, hence, You shall not commit adultery, which forbids any act of impudicity.”

“Perfection for man consists in the love of God and of neighbor. Now, the three Commandments which were written on the first tablet pertain to the love of God; for the love of neighbor there were the seven Commandments on the second tablet. But we must "love, not in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth" [1 Jn 3:18]. For a man to love thus, he must do two things, namely, avoid evil and do good. Certain of the Commandments prescribe good acts, while others forbid evil deeds. And we must also know that to avoid evil is in our power; but we are incapable of doing good to everyone. Thus, St. Augustine says that we should love all, but we are not bound to do good to all. But among those to whom we are bound to do good are those in some way united to us. Thus, "if any man does not take care of his own, especially of those of his house, he has denied the faith" [1 Tim 5:8]. Now, amongst all our relatives there are none closer than our father and mother. "We ought to love God first," says St. Ambrose, "then our father and mother." Hence, God has given us the Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother." The Philosopher also gives another reason for this honor to parents, in that we cannot make an equal return to our parents for the great benefits they have granted to us; and, therefore, an offended parent has the right to send his son away, but the son has no such right [Ethics V]. Parents, indeed, give their children three things. The first is that they brought them into being: "Honor your father, and forget not the groanings of your mother; remember that through them you were born" [Sir 7:29-30]. Secondly, they furnished nourishment and the support necessary for life. For a child comes naked into the world, as Job relates (1:21), but he is provided for by his parents. The third is instruction: "We have had fathers of our flesh for instructors" [Hb 12:9]. "Do you have children? Instruct them" [Sir 7:25]. Parents, therefore, should give instruction without delay to their children, because "a young man according to his way, even when he is old will not depart from it" [Prov 22:6]. And again: "It is good for a man when he has borne the yoke from his youth" [Lam 3:27]. Now, the instruction which Tobias gave his son (Tob 4) was this: to fear the Lord and to abstain from sin. This is indeed contrary to those parents who approve of the misdeeds of their children. Children, therefore, receive from their parents birth, nourishment, and instruction. Now, because we owe our birth to our parents, we ought to honor them more than any other superiors, because from such we receive only temporal things: "He who fears the Lord honors his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world. Honor your father in work and word and all patience, that a blessing may come upon you from him" [Sir 3:8,10]. And in doing this you shall also honor yourself, because "the glory of a man is from honor of his father, and a father without honor is the disgrace of his son" [Sir 3:13]. Again, since we receive nourishment from our parents in our childhood, we must support them in their old age: "Son, support the old age of your father, and grieve him not in his life. And if his understanding fail, have patience with him; and do not despise him when you are in your strength... Of what an evil fame is he who forsakes his father! And he is cursed of God who angers his mother" [Sir 3:14-16]. For the humiliation of those who act contrary to this, Cassiodorus relates how young storks, when the parents have lost their feathers by approaching old age and are unable to find suitable food, make the parent storks comfortable with their own feathers, and bring back food for their worn-out bodies. Thus, by this affectionate exchange the young ones repay the parents for what they received when they were young" [Epist. II]. We must obey our parents, for they have instructed us. "Children, obey your parents in all things" [Col 3:20]. This excepts, of course, those things which are contrary to God. St. Jerome says that the only loyalty in such cases is to be cruel [Ad Heliod]: "If any man hate not his father and mother... he cannot be My disciple" [Lk 14:26]. This is to say that God is in the truest sense our Father: "Is not He your Father who possessed you, made you and created you?" [Deut 32:6]. "Honor your father and your mother." Among all the Commandments, this one only has the additional words: "that you may be long-lived upon the land." The reason for this is lest it be thought that there is no reward for those who honor their parents, seeing that it is a natural obligation. Hence it must be known that five most desirable rewards are promised those who honor their parents. The first reward is grace for the present life, and glory in the life to come, which surely are greatly to be desired: "Honor your father... that a blessing may come upon you from God, and His blessing may remain in the latter end" [Sir 3:9-10]. The very opposite comes upon those who dishonor their parents; indeed, they are cursed in the law by God [Deut 27:16]. It is also written: "He who is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in what is greater" [Lk 16:10]. But this our natural life is as nothing compared with the life of grace. And so, therefore, if you do not acknowledge the blessing of the natural life which you owe to your parents, then you are unworthy of the life of grace, which is greater, and all the more so for the life of glory, which is the greatest of all blessings. The second reward is a long life: "That you may be long-lived upon the land." For "he who honors his father shall enjoy a long life" [Sir 3:7]. Now, that is a long life which is a full life, and it is not observed in time but in activity, as the Philosopher observes. Life, however, is full inasmuch as it is a life of virtue; so a man who is virtuous and holy enjoys a long life even if in body he dies young: "Being perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time; for his soul pleased God" [Wis 4:13]. Thus, for example, he is a good merchant who does as much business in one day as another would do in a year. And note well that it sometimes happens that a long life may lead up to a spiritual as well as a bodily death, as was the case with Judas. Therefore, the reward for keeping this Commandment is a long life for the body. But the very opposite, namely, death is the fate of those who dishonor their parents. We receive our life from them; and just as the soldiers owe fealty to the king, and lose their rights in case of any treachery, so also they who dishonor their parents deserve to forfeit their lives: "The eye that mocks his father and despises the labor of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens pick it out, and the young eagles eat it" [Prov 30:17]. Here "the ravens" signify officials of kings and princes, who in turn are the "young eagles." But if it happens that such are not bodily punished, they nevertheless cannot escape death of the soul. It is not well, therefore, for a father to give too much power to his children: "Do not give to a son or wife, brother or friend, power over you while you live; and do not give your estate to another, lest you repent" [Sir 33:20]. The third reward is to have in turn grateful and pleasing children. For a father naturally treasures his children, but the contrary is not always the case: "He who honors his father shall have joy in his own children" [Sir 3:6]. Again: "With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you again" [Mt 7:2]. The fourth reward is a praiseworthy reputation: "For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father" [Sir 3:13]. And again: "Of what an evil fame is he who forsakes his father?" [Sir 3:18]. A fifth reward is riches: "The father's blessing establishes the houses of his children, but the mother's curse roots up the foundation" [Sir 3:11]. "Honor your father and your mother." A man is called father not only by reason of generation, but also for other reasons, and to each of these there is due a certain reverence. Thus, the Apostles and the Saints are called fathers because of their doctrine and their exemplification of faith: "For if you have ten thousands instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you" [1 Cor 4:15]. And again: "Let us now praise men of renown and our fathers in their generation" [Sir 44:1]. However, let us praise them not in word only, but by imitating them; and we do this if nothing is found in us contrary to what we praise in them. Our superiors in the Church are also called fathers; and they too are to be respected as the ministers of God: "Remember your prelates,... follow their faith, considering the end of their conversation" [Hb 13:7]. And again: "He who hears you, hears Me; and he who despises you, despises Me" [Lk 10:16]. We honor them by showing them obedience: "Obey your prelates, and be subject to them" [Hb 13:17]. And also by paying them tithes: "Honor the Lord with your substance, and give Him of the first of your fruits" [Prov 3:9]. Rulers and kings are called fathers: "Father, if the prophet had commanded you do some great thing, surely you would have done it" [2 Kg 5:13]. We call them fathers because their whole care is the good of their people. And we honor them by being subject to them: "Let every soul be subject to higher powers" [Rm 13:1]. We should be subject to them not merely through fear, but through love; and not merely because it is reasonable, but because of the dictates of our conscience. Because "there is no power but from God" [Rom 13:1]. And so to all such we must render what we owe them: "Tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honor, to whom honor" [Rom 13:7]. And again: "My son, fear the Lord and the king" [Prov 24:21]. Our benefactors also are called fathers: "Be merciful to the fatherless as a father" [Sir 4:10]. He, too, is like a father who gives his bond, of whom it is said: "A good man will be surety for his neighbor, but a man who has lost his sense of shame will fail him" [Sir 29:14]. On the other hand, the thankless shall receive a punishment such as is written: "The hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's ice" [Wis 16:29]. Old men also are called fathers: "Ask your father, and he will declare to you; your elders and they will tell you" [Deut 32:7]. And again: "Rise up before the grey head, and honor the person of the aged man" [Lev 19:32]. "In the company of great men take not upon you to speak; and when the ancients are present, do not speak much" [Sir 32:13]. "Hear in silence, and for your reverence good grace shall come to you" [Sir 32:9]. Now, all these fathers must be honored, because they all resemble to some degree our Father who is in heaven; and of all of them it is said: "He who despises you, despises Me" [Lk 10:16].”

“Honour. Love, respect, feed, if requisite; support the infirmities of parents. See Numbers xxiv. 1; 1 Timothy v. 3, 17. They are ministers of God, in the production of children; and those who offer an affront to his minister, irritate God. (Philo) — Land of Chanaan. The promises are of a temporal nature; but they should bring to our reflection the eternal rewards which attend the virtuous. The duties of parents are not specified, as nature would shew their extent, and as the obligations of parents and children are reciprocal. (Calmet)”

“The Fifth Word, "Honour thy father and thy mother," does not refer to fellow-men, but to "those who are the representatives (vicarii) of God. Therefore, as God is to be served with honour and fear, His representatives are to be so too" (Luther decem. praec.). This is placed beyond all doubt by Lev 19:3, where reverence towards parents is placed on an equality with the observance of the Sabbath, and תּירא (fear) is substituted for כּבּד (honour). It also follows from כּבּד, which, as Calvin correctly observes, nihil aliud est quam Deo et hominibus, qui dignitate pollent, justum honorem deferre. Fellow-men or neighbours (רע) are to be loved (Lev 19:18): parents, on the other hand, are to be honoured and feared; reverence is to be shown to them with heart, mouth, and hand - in thought, word, and deed. But by father and mother we are not to understand merely the authors and preservers of our bodily life, but also the founders, protectors, and promoters of our spiritual life, such as prophets and teachers, to whom sometimes the name of father is given (Kg2 2:12; Kg2 13:14), whilst at other times paternity is ascribed to them by their scholars being called sons and daughters (Psa 34:12; Psa 45:11; Pro 1:8, Pro 1:10, Pro 1:15, etc.); also the guardians of our bodily and spiritual life, the powers ordained of God, to whom the names of father and mother (Gen 45:8; Jdg 5:7) may justly be applied, since all government has grown out of the relation of father and child, and draws its moral weight and stability, upon which the prosperity and well-being of a nation depends, from the reverence of children towards their parents. (Note: "In this demand for reverence to parents, the fifth commandment lays the foundation for the sanctification of the whole social life, inasmuch as it thereby teaches us to acknowledge a divine authority in the same" (Oehler, Dekalog, p. 322).) And the promise, "that thy days may be long (thou mayest live long) in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee," also points to this. There is a double promise here. So long as the nation rejoiced in the possession of obedient children, it was assured of a long life or existence in the land of Canaan; but there is also included the promise of a long life, i.e., a great age, to individuals (cf. Deu 6:2; Deu 22:7), just as we find in Kg1 3:14 a good old age referred to as a special blessing from God. In Deu 5:16, the promise of long life is followed by the words, "and that it may be well with thee," which do not later the sense, but merely explain it more fully. As the majesty of God was thus to be honoured and feared in parents, so the image of God was to be kept sacred in all men. This thought forms the transition to the rest of the commandments.”