“Question 65: What is the forbidden in the Fifth Commandment?
Answer: The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.”
Dear Neighbor,
The great commandment, Matthew 22:36-40 is the bases for the whole Law and the Prophets:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
The Ten commandments are subcategories of the great and second commandments. The fifth commandment deals with the category of human authority and the beginning authority in everyone’s life is their parents.
The apostle Paul wrote: “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” (Rom. 13:1)
God has established human authority on the earth and we are all to be subject to the human authority that has been put over us. We should not see this as oppression and should serve as though they were Christ because all authority comes from God, even authority that seems to hurt us. Pilot had been given authority to release or crucify Jesus. Jesus acknowledge that Pilot’s authority came from God. Jesus did not resist authority, but was subject to it even though Pilot was using the authority granted him in a sinful way. (Jn. 19:10-11)
Colossians 3:23-25
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
Michael Peek
Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake
