Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 2/6/2012

Question
Hello and thak you for your time!

What does the reference to Honour thy Father and Mother in Mt 15:1-11 and Mark 7:5-16 mean?

Are they teaching that there is a Biblical mandate to provide for your parents when they are old and the scribes and pharisees were saying that if you give a gift to the temple than you were not obligated to provide for your parents and Jesus said
they made the Word of God of none effect by their actions.

What if the child is married and has their own family now?

Thanks again

Answer
Hi Zeek,
  Thank you for writing and your question.   The Lord's statement means to "honour" (tima meaning to succor and support, as in 1 Tim. 5:3, "Honour widows that are widows indeed;" and in 1 Tim. 5:17, where timh means "stipend."
   You are correct in God's view honour to parents is not shown only in outward salutations, obedience, and respect, but also in material assistance, help provided for their needs, alms freely bestowed when necessary.   Verse 6 can be render, "That wherewith, thou mightest have been benefited by me is Corban" meaning given, and dedicated to God. The vow to consecrate one's savings, even at death, to the temple absolved a man from the duty of succouring his parents. This is what Jesus so strongly condemned.   It was further ruled that if a son for any reason, pronounced any aid to his parents to be corban, he did not have to them help. Thus by their evil tradition and false piety, they made the commandment and of natural affection and charity being superseded by the vow. He seems this allowed the Jew to expend the money saved on himself, or anything else he desired except his father and mother.
    This is way the Lord rebuked them saying "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." #Matthew 15:7-9#
    There are no exceptions to obey the commandments of God.   One's parents are always their parents, married or not, and to obey God would should willingly, out of love and respect, honor our parents and not because we are commended to do so.
    Thank you for writing.
Cooper Abrams
Romans 12:1-2
http://bible-truth.org
"You cannot serve God without serving others."

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity"  #1 Corinthians 16:13-14 #
For a clear explanation of God's plan of salvation please go to: http:bible-truth.org/gospel.html