⁴For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ⁵But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

15:4

For God commanded, saying,

Jesus quoted the fifth of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:12).

‘Honor [respect] your father and your mother’;

This is a quotation from Exodus 21:17. “Honor” is more than “obey.” The idea is to have respect for authority. The issue here is not love but authority. Children are to honor their parents, whether parents love them or not.

and, ‘He who curses [speaks evil of] father or mother, let him be put to death.’

The Old Testament commanded honor of parents. The penalty for not honoring parents was death.

15:5

But you [emphatic—in conflict with the Bible] say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift [Corban] to God”—

God said one thing but the belief system of the delegation said something else. The religious leaders did not honor their parents by financially supporting them when they grew old. They devised a religious plan to avoid supporting their parents by saying their money was dedicated to God. This was the practice of “Corban” (Mark 7:11). Corban was a gift specially dedicated to God. This gift obviated the need to support parents. The person making the dedication could keep the money until he decided to use it. By establishing this practice they countervailed the Word of God.

15:6

then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

Jesus said in effect that by manipulating their money as dedicated to God they avoided supporting their parents. This religious manipulation rendered the Bible ineffective. How could they develop as believers with this approach to life?

PRINCIPLE:

As goes the nation, so goes the family.

APPLICATION:

The family is a divine institution under God’s economy for the world. We live in a day where our society challenges the idea of one man and one woman in marriage. God launched this institution for the stability of society. He designed the man to meet the needs of the woman and the woman to meet the needs of the man. The institution of the family is the basis for stability in the national entity. As goes the family, so goes the country.

Successive generations who do not honor their parents will ultimately produce a weak nation. Challenge of family authority will produce challenge to the school, the coach, the business, and any number of other organizations.