Apr 13
22

This Week’s Catechism – 4/21

Doctrinal Standard #64 & 65

Q. What does the fifth commandment require?
A. The fifth commandment requires us to respect and treat others, whether above, below, or equal to us, as their position or our relationship to them demands.
Q. What does the fifth commandment forbid?
A. The fifth commandment forbids being disrespectful to or not treating others as their position or relationship to us demands.

Memory Verses

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6, ESV).

Scripture

Study Passage: Psalm 78
Support Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 119:97-104; Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 7:6 12; Ephesians 6:1-4; II Timothy 3:12-17
Bible Story: 1 Samuel 2:12-17,22-36, 3:12-13

Thoughts

Below is commentary from “Training Hearts, Teaching Minds” by Starr Meade.
“The duties that children have toward their parents are: listening to their teaching, obeying them, accepting and learning from their discipline, and honoring them when they are older. Children will do all these things when they have a right attitude toward their parents. The right attitude to have toward parents is an attitude of respect. Children who respect their parents are afraid to displease them. This is nor a fear of getting caught and of punishment. It is a sincere desire to do what would please the parent and to keep from doing what would make the parent unhappy. Of course, both parents and children are sinners. Sometimes parents sin and do things that make it hard for children to respect them. Sometimes children sin and do not feel like showing respect for their parents. This commandment calls us to always respect our parents, no matter how we feel.
In some countries, older people receive a great deal of respect. In those places, the older a person is, the more he or she is respected for his or her wisdom. In our country, older people do not receive much respect. Younger people receive more respect because they are stronger or prettier. In our country, people value physical attractiveness and strength more than wisdom! These values are not God’s values. God commands us to show respect to people who are older than we are.” [1]

Discussion Questions

Who is valued more importantly in our country, younger or older people? Explain.
Who has more wisdom, younger or older people?
What does scripture tells us about wisdom?
“Do you show respect to adults, even adults you don’t know?” (questions from Pg. 216)
“Do you greet them, let them go ahead of you, hold doors open for them, and other things that would show them respect?” (questions from Pg. 216)
“If an adult, who is not your parent, tells you to do something (or stop doing something), do you respond with respect?” (questions from Pg. 216)

[1] Meade, Starr (2000). Training Heart, Teaching Minds. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.

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