The Sunday Sermon

The Ten Commandments Part 4b
By Martin Luther

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother.
Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16;

Notice how great, good, and holy a work is here assigned children, which is alas utterly neglected and disregarded, and no one perceives that God has commanded it or that it is a holy, divine Word and doctrine. (Numbers 15:40; Deuteronomy 5:29; Psalm 119:172; ) For if it had been regarded as such, every one could have inferred that they must be holy men who live according to these words. Every child would have abided by this commandment, and could have directed his conscience to God and said: "If I am to do good and holy works, I know of none better than to render all honor and obedience to my parents, because God has Himself commanded it. For what God commands must be much and far nobler than everything that we may devise ourselves, and since there is no higher or better teacher to be found than God, there can be no better doctrine, indeed, than He gives forth.(Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 55:8-9; Psalm 119:168) Now, He teaches fully what we should do if we wish to perform truly good works, and by commanding them, He shows that they please Him. If, then, it is God who commands this, and who knows not how to appoint anything better, I will never improve upon it." (Proverbs 3:12-17;)

Behold, in this manner we would have had a godly child properly taught, (Proverbs 22:6;) reared in true blessedness, and kept at home in obedience to his parents and in their service, so that men should have had blessing and joy from the spectacle. However, God's commandment was not permitted to be thus with such care and diligence commended, but had to be neglected and trampled under foot, so that a child could not lay it to heart, and meanwhile gaped like a panting wolf at the devices which we set up, without once consulting or giving reverence to God. (Isaiah 24:17;) Let us, therefore, learn at last, (Isaiah 1:18-20;) for God's sake, that, placing all other things out of sight, our youths look first to this commandment, (Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20;) if they wish to serve God with truly good works, that they do what is pleasing to their fathers and mothers, or to those to whom they may be subject in their stead. For every child that knows and does this has, in the first place, this great consolation in his heart that he can joyfully say and boast (in spite of and against all who are occupied with works of their own choice): "Behold, this work is well pleasing to my God in heaven that I know for certain." Let them all come together with their many great, distressing, and difficult works and make their boast, we will see whether they can show one that is greater and nobler than obedience to father and mother, to whom God has appointed and commanded obedience next to His own majesty; so that if God's Word and will are in force and being accomplished nothing shall be esteemed higher than the will and word of parents; yet so that it, too, is subordinated to obedience toward God and is not opposed to the preceding commandments. (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21;)

Therefore you should be heartily glad and thank God that He has chosen you and made you worthy to do a work so precious and pleasing to Him. Only see that, although it be regarded as the most humble and despised you esteem it great and precious, not on account of our worthiness, but because it is comprehended in, and controlled by, the jewel and sanctuary, namely, the Word and commandment of God. (Proverbs 4:1-5;)