An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism Part 11

"_Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself._" [Matt. 22:39]

OUR NEIGHBOR means every one. We are to love all men as we love ourselves; [Matt. 7:12] not only our relatives, friends, and acquaintances, but strangers, enemies, and people of all nations and climes. We must be ready to do good to all who are in need of our help and kindness. Compare the Parable of the Good Samaritan. [Luke 10:30-37]

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

OUR PARENTS AND SUPERIORS.

Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy G.o.d giveth thee.

EXPLANATION.

_What is meant by this Commandment?_

We should so fear and love G.o.d as not to despise nor displease our parents and superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them.

PARENTS are G.o.d's representatives in the family for the maintenance of law and order in it. They are charged by G.o.d with the care and training of their children, and are clothed by Him with authority over them.

Their will is law for their children, so long as it does not conflict with the law of G.o.d.

SUPERIORS are those who are placed over us in a position of authority in the Family, Church, School, or State; e. g., guardians, step-parents, grand-parents, pastors, teachers, rulers, etc. They also are G.o.d's representatives to maintain order, and are to be honored and obeyed as such. In every case of a conflict of authority, we must "obey G.o.d rather than men." [Acts 5:29]

This commandment _forbids_ us to despise or displease our parents and superiors, and _commands_ us to honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem them.

OUR DUTY TO OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, GUARDIANS, ETC.

I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.

We must not

DESPISE them, mock at them, [Prov. 39:17+] make light of them, think ourselves wiser or above their authority, nor speak disrespectfully of them or to them. [Deut 27:16+]

We must not

DISPLEASE them by lack of affection, grumbling, disobedience, stubbornness, rebelliousness, or wickedness. [Exod. 21:15+]

II. WHAT IS COMMANDED.

We should

HONOR them as those who are placed over us by G.o.d's appointment, look up to them, and always treat them with proper respect [Lev. 19:3, Eph 6:2, 3+] and consideration.

SERVE them, be helpful to them, lighten their burdens, and antic.i.p.ate their wishes. [I Tim. 5:4]

OBEY them by cheerfully and promptly doing their will, even when it is not to our liking. [Eph. 6:1, Col. 3:20+, Prov. 1:8]

LOVE them, and show our love by a constant desire and effort to please them. We should call to mind what they have done and still do for us, that our love for them may grow deep and tender. [John 19:26, 27]

ESTEEM them. We should regard and appreciate them as a precious gift of G.o.d. Children who have lost father or mother have met with a great loss.

IN LATER YEARS. We should honor, love and _obey_ our parents while we are young; and we should still _love_ and _honor_ them when we are older. We must not despise or be ashamed of them if we happen to rise to a higher position in life than they. When they have grown old and feeble, we should care tenderly for them; and after they are dead, we should treasure their memory.

OUR DUTY TO OUR SUPERIORS. [Rom. 13:7+]

The Pastor is to be honored for the sake of the office which he holds.

He is the amba.s.sador of Christ; [II Cor. 5:20] and when he preaches the Gospel, or speaks words of admonition and counsel in private, the Saviour speaks through him. Those who hear him hear Christ; those who despise him despise Christ. [Luke 10:16] We should heed his admonitions, [Heb. 13:17+, I Thess. 5:12, 13] and, as far as we are able, help and encourage him in his work.

Our Teachers in Sunday-school and in other schools are placed over us in a position of authority, and must therefore be respected and honored.

Rulers and the Government. The State is G.o.d's servant to regulate temporal affairs and to maintain law and order in the land. Rulers and officials of the government must be respected and honored. [Matt.

22:21+, Rom. 13:1-4+] Christians must be good citizens. They must always obey the law, so long as it does not conflict with the law of G.o.d. [I Pet. 2:13, Acts 5:29] They should be patriotic, pray for their country, be ready to defend it, pay their taxes, and be concerned that it shall be a Christian land. Every voter shares in the responsibility of securing righteous government, and should cast his vote conscientiously.

OLD PERSONS in general are to be treated with respect and honor. [Lev.

19:32+]

A special blessing is promised to those who keep this commandment.

QUESTIONS.--1. What does the Second Table of the Law teach? 2. What is meant by "our neighbor"? 3. What is the position of parents in the family? 4. What is meant by "superiors"? 5. To whom is our highest obedience due? 6. What does this commandment forbid, and what does it command? 7. In order to avoid despising or displeasing our parents, what should we not do? 8. Why and how should we honor them? 9. How should we serve them? 10. How should we obey them? 11. How should we show our love to them? 12. What should we always remember concerning our parents? 13.

What is meant by esteeming them? 14. How should we regard and treat them when we have grown older? 15. What is our duty to our pastor? 16. What is our duty to our teachers? 17. Why should we honor our rulers? 18.

What are a Christian's duties to his country? 19. How must we treat old persons in general? 20. What special blessing is promised to those who keep this commandment?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 30:17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

Deut. 27:16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother: and all the people shall say, Amen.

Exod. 21:15. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Eph. 6:2, 3. 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.

Col. 3:20. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Rom. 13:7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Heb. 13:17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Matt. 22:21. Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's.

Rom. 13:1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of G.o.d: the powers that be are ordained of G.o.d.

Lev. 19:32. Thou shall rise up before the h.o.a.ry head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy G.o.d: I am the LORD.