Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse and explication 1 – Verse and explication 2
Vers. 1. CHildren, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
THe Apostle doth now fall upon the duties of parents and children. And, first, beginneth with children: the word rendered children, signifieth these who are begotten, even though now come to perfect age. See upon Col. 3. ver. 20. doct. 2. These he enjoyneth to obey their parents: where, by parents are meaned not only the immediate, but also the mediate parents, as grand-fathers, &c. Gen. 50. 23. yea, and those also, who are in the place of parents, Luk. 2. 48, 51. Now, the obedience here enjoyned, is as comprehensive, as that honour enjoyned to be given unto parents by children in the fifth command, which is cited, ver. 2. to enforce the obedience here spoken of: and it implyeth, first, inward reverence, or acknowledgement of that eminency, in which God hath placed parents above their children, joyned with fear, Lev. 19. 3. and love, 1 Tim. 5. -4- to be testified, as by other outward signes, so by reverent speaking of them, and to them, Prov. 30. 17. 2. Obedience, more strictly taken, so as that children receive the instruction of their parents, Prov. 1. 8. execute their lawfull commands and directions, even though they be burthensome and hazardous, Gen. 37. 13. 1 Sam. 17. 20. and accept with patience their reproof and correction, Prov. 15. 5. even though their parents be in some respects faulty therein, Heb. 12. 9, 10. And, thirdly, gratitude and thankfulnesse, so as that they help parents, when their necessity requireth, 1 Tim. 5. 4. and bear with, and cover their infirmities, Gen. 9. 22, 23. Prov. 23. 22. Now, this duty of obedience in children, is first explained from the manner, motive, and rule of it, while he saith in the Lord. See this phrase explained upon chap. 5. ver. 22. Secondly, it is urged by two arguments, the first whereof, is in this verse, and taken from the equity and righteousnesse which is in it, even that children should do all the forementioned duties unto their parents, to whom under God they owe their very being: The Laws of all Nations, even of the most barbarous, do enjoyn it; an… all creatures, who have life and sense, are carried in some measure by a kind of instinct unto it. Hence Learn, 1. The great and main duty, which a childe, as a childe, ought to learn, and so to learn as to practise, is to obey his parents, even to receive their instructions, and execute their lawful commands; this being a duty, which of any other, proud and rebellious nature is most averse from, and yet such as nature it self doth plead for its equity: so, that whatever children be otherwise for beauty, for strength, for quicknesse, wisdom, activity, learning, preferment or honour; yet this being inlacking, they fight against the very law and light of nature, and so are a reproach to their parents, Prov. 19. 26. and do accelerate the judgement of God upon themselves, 1 Sam. 2. 25. for, though the obedience here enjoyned, doth draw with it all those other duties, which children owe to their parents, as was shown in the exposition; yet, it doth, in the first place, signifie a submissive hearkening unto, and obeying of their lawfull commands, as the word in the Original doth imply, which he doth mainly presse upon children; Children obey your parents. 2. This duty of obedience to parents, belongeth unto all children whatsoever, so that neither age, sexe, place, honour, or condition, do exempt them wholly from it, 1 King. 2. 19. for, he speaketh indefinitly unto all children, and of both sexes; Children obey your parents. 3. Children are bound to obey not only one, but both their parents, the mother as well as the father: yea, the holy Ghost doth expresly provide for the mother, giving her the precedency, Lev. 19. 3. because, her sexe being weaker, she is the more subject to be despised: for, he useth a word common to both father and mother, while he saith, Children obey your parents. 4. It is not sufficient that children obey their parents, either from a natural instinct or fear of their displeasure, or hope of great things to be received from them and enjoyed by them; but their obedience must flow from conscience of duty towards God, who doth enjo… it, and be regulated by, and subordinated to, that obedience, which they owe to Him; otherwise their obedience is only heathenish and naturall, but not Christian: for, he commandeth, Children, obey your parents in the Lord. 5. The nature of man, is, since the fall, become so perverse and backward, that there is need of a spur of earnest exhortation, inforced with strong and evident reason, to stir us up, even to those duties which are written in broadest letters upon every mans heart by nature: for, the Apostle seeth it necessary, not only to exhort unto this duty of obedience to parents, but also to enforce his exhortation by arguments; For this is right, saith he. 6. The first and chief motive, which ought to set us on work to any duty, is not so much the advantage, which may redound to us by the practice of it, as the equity and righteousnesse which is in the thing it self, as being commanded by God, and well pleasing in His sight: for, he enforceth obedience to parents, from the equity of it, before he mention (ver. 3.) the profit, which should accresce unto children by it; For, this is right, saith he.
Vers. 2. Honour thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise.)
THe Apostle (passing-by all other reasons to prove the equity of the former injunction) doth pitch upon one, to wit, the Law of God enjoyning this duty in the fifth Command. The scope of which Command, is, to prescribe all those duties which inferiours owe to their superiours, and, by consequence, which superiours owe to their inferiours; where all superiours are expressed by the name of father and mother, because the authority of parents is most natural, and the yoke of it most easily comported with; and therfore all other authority goeth under the name of that, to render it lesse invidious to those who are to be subject unto it. And the duty enjoyned to inferiors, is their giving honour to superiors, which implyeth (as was shown, ver. 1.) reverence, obedience and gratitude. Now, this command is described from its precedency, as being the first and most weighty command in all the second table; and from the manner of propounding it, not nakedly, but with a speciall promise of a particular mercy subjoyned to this command in particular, and expressed, ver. 3. which cannot be said of any other command: for, the promise annexed to the second, is a generall promise of mercy, made to such as keep all the commands. Hence Learn, 1. Whatever God hath commanded in His Word, is most righteous, equitable and just: for, he proveth that it is right for children to obey their parents, because the Law of God enjoyneth honour thy father and mother. 2. Though the Law of Ceremonies, given by Moses, doth not oblige Christians, (Christ, the substance of those shadows, being come, Col. 2. 17.) nor yet the judiciall Law, which was given to the Jewish Commonwealth, and to stand and fall with it, Numb. 36. 6, 7. yet, the moral Law, or the Law of the ten Commandments, as being never yet repealed by God, doth stand in force, and is binding unto Christians: for, Paul doth urge this duty of obedience unto parents upon children, because the morall Law enjoyneth it; Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. 3. So far is God from abolishing different ranks, degrees and states among men, that He taketh speciall care to have those, and publick order in those inviolably preserved, while He not only enjoyneth the respective duties of superiors and inferiors, but also giveth them the first and chief place among all those other duties which man doth owe to man: for, saith he, honour thy father and mother, by whom, as we shew, are meaned all lawfull superiors; and he addeth, which is the first commandment, to wit, in the second table. 4. Though God, as absolute Lord, might enjoyn us obedience to His commands without giving any promise of a reward; yet, so backward are we to our duty, and so mercifull is God, that, to overcome our backward unwillingnesse, He is pleased sweetly to allure us by His gracious promise of a free reward unto our obedience: for, here is a commandment with promise.