Honoring parents

8 passages · search this phrase →

Often appears with: justice as a virtue · promise of long life · marriage and betrothal · duty, conscience, and obligation · crime and punishment · the position of women · the fear of death · spiritual vs bodily children · spiritual service and obedience · separation from evil · scripture and its interpretation · sabbath instruction

Usually: argument (5) · exhortation (4) · law or decree (2) · injustice endured (2) · detachment (2) · speech or oration (1) · the stranger's arrival (1) · censure (1) · curiosity (1) · reverence (1)

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) secondary

G. Margoliouth (George) · 610-632 CE (revelations compiled progressively; book published after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries-that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul-that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras-that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call-and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,-naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born-according to the traditions-of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book of our decrees, until the time when our messengers,7 as they receive their souls, shall say, "Where are they on whom ye called beside God?" They shall say: "Gone from us." And they shall witness against themselves that they were infidels. (23/66)

The passage addresses eating rules, livestock pairs, debates about what is forbidden, and legal-ethical injunctions such as honoring parents, not killing children for poverty, and fair measures and judgments.

foolishly slain their children, and have forbidden that which God hath given them for food, devising an untruth against God! Now have they erred; and they were not rightly guided. He it is who produceth gardens of the vine trellised and untrellised, and the palm trees, and the corn of various food, and olives, and pomegranates, like and unlike. Eat of their fruit when they bear fruit, and pay the due thereof on the …

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) primary

Muhammad (Al-Qur'an content traditionally attributed; Rodwell as translator) · c. 610–632 CE (revelations compiled into the Qur'an after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries–that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul–that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras–that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call–and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,–naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born–according to the traditions–of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book is no other than a warning and a clear Koran, (21/104)

It gives ethical commandments—honoring parents, fair giving, limits on waste, prohibition of adultery and killing children, protections for orphans, honesty in measure and judgment—and condemns idolatry and mockers of revelation.

Set not up another god with God, lest thou sit thee down disgraced, helpless.11 Thy Lord hath ordained that ye worship none but him; and, kindness to your parents, whether one or both of them attain to old age with thee: and say not to them, "Fie!" neither reproach them; but speak to them both with respectful speech; And defer humbly to them12 out of tenderness; and say, "Lord, have compassion on them both, even as…

The Confessions of St. Augustine primary

Augustine, of Hippo, Saint · Composed during Augustine’s episcopate at Hippo, largely 397–400 (Book I opens with prayer typical of the initial composition).
BOOK I > BOOK XIII (11/23)

Augustine urges readers to cleanse their souls and live out commandments—honor parents, love neighbor, and care for fatherless and widows—using Christ’s teaching about selling possessions to bear spiritual fruit.

God, in Thy Book, Thy firmament; that we may discern all things, in an admirable contemplation; though as yet in signs and in times, and in days, and in years. But first, wash you, be clean; put away evil from your souls, and from before mine eyes, that the dry land may appear. Learn to do good, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow, that the earth may bring forth the green herb for meat, and the tree bearing fr…

Leviathan primary

Thomas Hobbes · 1651
PART I. > CHAPTER XXX. OF THE OFFICE OF THE SOVERAIGN REPRESENTATIVE (4/11)

Hobbes argues that people must be taught their duties at set times, likening this to the Jewish Sabbath with law readings; he also links child obedience and honoring parents to sovereign power and commands against injuring others’ persons, honor, and property.

And To Have Dayes Set Apart To Learn Their Duty Fourthly, seeing people cannot be taught this, nor when ’tis taught, remember it, nor after one generation past, so much as know in whom the Soveraign Power is placed, without setting a part from their ordinary labour, some certain times, in which they may attend those that are appointed to instruct them; It is necessary that some such times be determined, wherein they…

Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) primary

Thomas, Aquinas, Saint · c. 1271–1273 (Part II-II written within this period)
PART II-II ("Secunda Secundae") > Part (Q. 85, A. 4). (75/104)

Aquinas argues that charity requires special love for kin by ties of blood, while noting that other forms of friendship (like comradeship) may take precedence in certain chosen actions, because blood relations are more stable.

share of happiness. And this regards the species of love; for there are different species of love according to the different goods that we wish for those whom we love. On the other hand, the intensity of love is measured with regard to the man who loves, and accordingly man loves those who are more closely united to him, with more intense affection as to the good he wishes for them, than he loves those who are bette…

Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) primary

Thomas, Aquinas, Saint · c. 1271–1273 (Part II-II written within this period)
PART II-II ("Secunda Secundae") > i.e. "to burden oneself with sin." Taken literally it is a ceremonial precept, for it is written (Ex. 31:13): "See that you keep My (5/17)

Shifting to the fourth commandment, Aquinas argues it is fitting to command honor to father and mother first because it is the debt due to one’s parents as the particular principle of one’s being, including support within honor.

the well-wishers of our country, as stated above (Q. 101, AA. 1, 2). Therefore it was unfitting for this precept to mention only the honoring of one's father and mother. Obj. 3: Further, we owe our parents not merely honor but also support. Therefore the mere honoring of one's parents is unfittingly prescribed. Obj. 4: Further, sometimes those who honor their parents die young, and on the contrary those who honor t…

Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) primary

Thomas, Aquinas, Saint · c. 1271–1273 (Part II-II written within this period)
PART II-II ("Secunda Secundae") > i.e. contemplations, "on invisible things, to the Godlike unity and the perfection beloved of God." Therefore seemingly no religious order should be established for the works of the active life. (29/38)

The text concludes that children are not allowed to enter religion against their parents’ duty when parents are in real need of their help, but after puberty they may enter against parental command when necessity is not severe.

vow cannot be annulled by the authority of his parents; though if he has not the full use of reason, he would not be bound in the sight of God. The other is the solemn vow which makes a man a monk or a religious. Such a vow is subject to the ordinance of the Church, on account of the solemnity attached to it. And since the Church considers what happens in the majority of cases, a profession made before the age of pu…

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter VIII. An Exposition Of The Moral Law (33/47)

Calvin interprets the promise attached to honoring parents as a pledge of God’s favor to Israelites and then to believers, arguing that even early death still fulfills God’s promise.

be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”(885) And whenever Paul mentions this commandment, he explains it as a requisition of obedience.(886) XXXVII. In order to recommend it, a promise is annexed, which is a further intimation how acceptable to God that submission is which is here enjoined. Paul employs that stimulus to arouse our inattention, when he says, “This is the f…