Month: June 2021

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,

8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. EPH 6:5-9

Employers hold power over those who work for them. They hold the paycheck and the ability to hire and fire. But even slave masters who followed Christ were admonished to lead as servants of Christ—not threatening their slaves or abusing their power. Employers can take a more humble approach when they recognize they are accountable to God, who is sovereign over the lives of both employers and employees, who sees everyone’s heart and hard work, and who is not partial or plays favorites. When Paul wrote that masters are to do the same to them, what did he mean (Eph 6:5-8)?

14 You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.

John Gill

You shall not oppress a hired worker—That is hired by the day, as appears by Deu 24:15; though the law may include such as are hired by the week, or month, or year; neither of whom are to be oppressed by any means, and chiefly by detaining their wages; so the Jerusalem Targum explains the phrase,

“you shall not detain by force the hire of the hired servant”;

nor by fraud, as in Jas 5:4;

Who is poor and needy—And so cannot bear the lest oppression of this kind, nor to have his wages detained from him any time, and much less wholly to be defrauded of them:

Whether he is one of your brothers—An Israelite, and so a brother both by nation and religion:

Or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns—Jarchi interprets this, both of proselytes of righteousness, and of proselytes of the gate; which latter are plainly described by this clause, and the former must be included; for, if proselytes of the gate are not to be oppressed, much less proselytes of righteousness, who were in all respects as Israelites, the same law was to them both. Jarchi says, the phrase “in your land” is intended to comprehend the hire of beasts, and of vessels; and these in the Mishnah are said to be comprehended in this precept, as well as the hire of man.

15 You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin. DEU 24:14-15

John Gill

You shall give him his wages on the same day—At the close of the day, when his work is done, the hire agreed for must be paid him; and, by the same rule, all such that were hired by the week, month, or year, were to have their wages paid them at the day their time was up:

Before the sun sets—It was to be paid before sun setting, or at it; see Lev 19:13;

For he is poor and counts on it—Being poor, he cannot wait any longer for the payment of it; his personal and family wants are such as require immediate payment; and besides, he has been eagerly expecting it, and earnestly desiring it, that he may satisfy the craving necessities of himself and family; and therefore it would be a great balk and disappointment to him to have his wages detained:

Lest he cry against you to the Lord—Having none to apply to but him, who is the patron of the poor and needy, not being able to help himself, nor having interest in any to interpose on his behalf; and his cry, and the cry of his hire too, enter into the ears of the Lord of hosts, and is regarded by him (Jas 5:4);

And you be guilty of sin—Be imputed to him, the guilt charged on him, and punishment inflicted for it.

13 If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,

when they brought a complaint against me,

John Gill

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant—Whether it was a cause that related to any controversy or quarrel among themselves when it was brought before him, he did not reject it, because of the meanness of the contending parties, and the state of service they were in; but he received it and searched into it, heard patiently what each had to say, examined them thoroughly, entered into the merits of the cause, and either reconciled them, or passed a righteous sentence, punished the delinquent, and protected the innocent; or, if it was a cause relating to himself, any complaint of their work, or wages, or food, or clothing, as it seems to be from what follows:

When they brought a complaint against me—Had anything to complain of, or to object to him on the above account, or any other, where there was any show or colour of foundation for it; otherwise it cannot be thought he would indulge a saucy, impudent, and contradicting behaviour in them towards him: masters in those times and countries had an unlimited, and exercised a despotic power over their servants, and used them with great rigour, and refused to do them justice upon complaints; but Job behaved as if he had had the rules of the apostle before him to act by in his conduct towards his servants (Eph 6:9; Col 4:1); and even condescended to submit the cause between him and his servants to other judges or arbitrators, or rather took cognizance of it himself, heard patiently and carefully what they had to allege, and did them justice.

14 what then shall I do when God rises up?

When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

John Gill

What then shall I do when God rises up? That is, if he had despised and rejected the cause of his servants, or had neglected, or refused to do them justice; he signifies he should be at the utmost loss to know what to do, what excuse to make, or what to say in his own defence, when God should rise up to defend the cause of the injured; either in a way of Providence in this life, or at the great day of judgment in the world to come, when everything will be brought to account, and masters and servants must stand alike before the judgment seat of God, to receive for the things they have done, whether good or evil:

When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? When he makes a visitation among men, either in this world, even in a fatherly way, visits transgressions, and reproves and corrects for them; had he been guilty of ill usage of his servants, he must have silently submitted to such visitations and chastisements, having nothing to say for himself why he should not be thus dealt with; or in the world to come, in the great day of visitation, when God shall make inquisition for sin, and seek it out, and call to an account for it; and should this be produced against him, even contempt of the cause of his servants, he was sensible he could not answer him for it, nor for anyone sin of a thousand, as no man will be able to do; but must be speechless, unless he has a better righteousness than his own to answer for him in that time to come. This is Job’s first reason which deterred him from using his servants ill; another follows.

15 Did not he who made me in the womb make him?

And did not one fashion us in the womb? JOB 31:13-15

Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. MAL 3:5

John Gill

Then I will draw near to you for judgment—And so will manifestly appear to be the God of judgment they asked after (Mal 2:17) this is not to be understood of Christ’s coming to judgment at the last day, but of his coming to judge and punish the wicked Jews at the time of Jerusalem’s destruction; for the same is here meant, who is spoken of in the third person before, and who will not be afar off; there will be no need to inquire after him, when he will come he will be near enough, and too near for them:

I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers—Not only a judge, but a witness; so that there will be no delay of judgment, or protracting or evading it, for want of witnesses of facts alleged; for the Judge himself, who is Christ, will be witness of them, he being the omniscient God, before whom all things are manifest. The Targum is,

“my Word shall be among you for a swift witness.”

Mention is made of “sorcerers,” because there were many that used the magic art, enchantments, and sorceries, in the age of Christ and his apostles, and before the destruction of Jerusalem, even many of their doctors and members of the Sanhedrin (see Gill on Isa 8:19):

Against the adulterers—With whom that age also abounded; hence our Lord calls it an adulterous generation (Mat 12:39; Joh 8:3-9; Rom 2:22):

Against those who swear falsely—Who were guilty of perjury, and of vain oaths; who swore by the creatures, and not by the Lord, and to things not true; see Mat 5:33-37:

Against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless—Defrauding of servants of their wages, devouring widows’ houses, and distressing the fatherless, were sins the Jews were addicted to in those times, as appears from Jas 1:12; 5:4 who wrote to the twelve tribes; and from what our Lord charges them with (Mat 23:14):

Against those who thrust aside the sojourner—And so Kimchi supplies it,

“that thrust aside the judgment of the stranger”;

that do not do him justice in civil things; yea, persecuted those that became proselytes to the Christian religion:

And do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts—Which was the root and cause of all their sins; irreverence of Christ, disbelief of him, and contempt of his gospel.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. MAT 7:12

John Gill

So whatever—These words are the epilogue, or conclusion of our Lord’s discourse; the sum of what he had delivered in the two preceding chapters, and in this hitherto, is contained in these words; for they not only respect the exhortation about judging and reproving; but every duty respecting our neighbour; it is a summary of the whole. It is a golden rule, here delivered, and ought to be observed by all mankind, Jews and Gentiles. So the Karaite Jews say,

“all things that a man would not take to himself, ‘it is not fit to do them to his brethren.’ ”

And Maimonides has expressed it much in the same words our Lord here does;

“Whatever you wish that others would do to you (says he), do you the same to your brethren, in the Law, and in the commandments”:

only there seems to be a restriction in the word “brethren”; the Jews, perhaps, meaning no other than Israelites; whereas our Lord’s rule reaches to all without exception, “whatever”

You wish that others would do to you, do also to them—Let them be who they will, whether brethren, or kinsmen, according to the flesh, or what not;

For this is the Law and the Prophets—The sum of the Law and the Prophets; not the whole sum of them, or the sum of the whole law: but of that part of it which respects our neighbours. Remarkable is the advice given by Hillel to one who came to be made a proselyte by him;

“whatever is hateful to you, that do not you to your neighbour, ‘this is all the whole law,’ and the rest is an explication of it, go and be perfect”:

yea, this rule is not only agreeable to the law of Moses, and the prophets, but even to the law and light of nature. Aristotle being asked, how we ought to carry ourselves to our friends, answered, as we would wish they would carry it to us. Alexander Severus, a Gentile emperor, so greatly admired this rule of Christ’s, that he ordered it to be written on the walls of his closet.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. LUK 6:31

John Gill

And as you wish that others would do to you—In matters of justice and beneficence were they in your case, and you in theirs;

Do so to them—A golden rule this, agreeably to the light of nature, and divine revelation, and is the sum and substance of the law and prophets (see Gill on Mat 7:12).

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. EXO 20:12

Keritot 28a:29

Likewise, mention of the father precedes that of the mother almost everywhere in the law, as in the verse: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exo 20:12). One might have thought that itis due to the fact that the honor of the father takes precedence over the honor of the mother. Therefore, the verse states: “Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father” (Lev 19:3), with the order reversed, which teaches that both of them are equal. But the Sages said: Honor of the father takes precedence over honor of the mother everywhere, due to the fact that both the son and his mother are obligated in the honor of his father.

Kiddushin 30b:18

The Sages taught that it is stated: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exo 20:12), and it is stated: “Honor the Lord with your wealth” (Pro 3:9). In this manner, the verse equates the honor of one’s father and mother to the honor of the Omnipresent, as the term “honor” is used in both cases.

Rashi

That your days may be long—If you honor them your days will be long, and if not, they will be shortened—for the words of the law may be explained as concise statements: from what is included in a positive statement we may infer the negative and from what is included in a negative statement we may infer the positive (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 20:12:2).

You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.” LUK 18:20

“Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.” And all the people shall say, “Amen.” DEU 27:16

Rashi

מַקְלֶה means, “making light of,” it has the same meaning as Deu 25:3 “your brother be degraded.”

If one curses his father or his mother,

his lamp will be put out in utter darkness. PRO 20:20

Rashi

If one curses . . . his lamp will be put out in utter darkness—When the darkness becomes blacker and blacker—when evil befalls him.

4 For God commanded, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.”

5 But you say, “If anyone tells his father or his mother, ‘What you would have gained from me is given to God,’

6 he need not honor his father.” So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. MAT 15:4-6

3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. DEU 5:16

Kiddushin 40a:5

Rava cites the source for each of these assertions. With regard to honoring one’s father and mother, it is written: “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you” (Deu 5:16), which indicates that one is rewarded in this world. With regard to acts of loving kindness it is written: “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness shall find life, righteousness, and honor” (Pro 21:21), all of which apply in this world.

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. LEV 19:3

Rashi

Every one of you shall revere his mother and father—Every one of you shall revere his father and his mother. This is the literal sense. Its Midrashic explanation, however, is as follows: Since Scripture says, “Every one of you shall revere . . .” we know only that this law applies to a man, whence do I know that this applies also to a woman? Because Scripture states, תִּירָאוּ you shall revere, using the plural form, it is evident therefore that it speaks here of two (man and woman). But if this be so, why does it say, “Every one of you . . . ?” Because it is the man who has the means to do it, whilst the woman is under the control of others namely her husband (Kiddushin 30b; Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 3).

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father—Here Scripture mentions the mother before the father because it is manifest to him that the child fears the father more than the mother and therefore by mentioning the mother first Scripture stresses the duty of fearing her. In the case of honoring one’s parents, however, Scripture mentions the father before the mother because it is manifest to him that the child honors the mother more than the father because she endeavors to win him over by kindly words. Therefore by mentioning the father first Scripture emphasizes the duty of honoring him (Kiddushin 30b-31a).

And you shall keep my Sabbaths—Scripture places the commandment of observing the Sabbath immediately after that of fearing one’s father in order to suggest the following: “Although I admonish you regarding the fear due to your father, yet if he bids you: ‘Desecrate the Sabbath,’ do not listen to him”—and the same is the case with any of the other commandments. This, it is evident, is the meaning since Scripture adds—

I am the Lord your God (the plural)—Both you and your father are bound to honour me! Do not therefore obey him if it results in making my words of no effect (Bava Metzia 32a; Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 10).—Now, what constitutes “fear”? That one should not sit in his seat, nor speak in his stead (when he is expected to speak), nor contradict his words. And what constitutes “honor”? One must give the parents food and drink, clothe them and put on their shoes, and accompany them when they enter or leave (Kiddushin 31b).

25 You shall not eat it, that all may go well with you and with your children after you, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

Makkot 23b:2

Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says that as the verse states: “Only be steadfast to not eat the blood, as the blood is the soul” (Deu 12:23), it can be derived a fortiori: And if with regard to the blood, which a person’s soul loathes, one who abstains from its consumption receives a reward for that action, as it is written in a subsequent verse: “You shall not eat it, that all shall go well with you and with your children after you” (Deu 12:25); then concerning robbery and intercourse with forbidden relatives, which a person’s soul desires and covets, one who abstains from their performance and overcomes his inclination, all the more so that he and his children and the children of his children until the end of all generations will merit a reward.

Rashi

You shall not eat it—This is a prohibition against eating of the blood contained in the limbs (Keritot 4b).

That all may go well with you . . .—Go and learn how great is the grant of reward for keeping the divine commandments: if in the case of blood for which the soul of man feels a loathing, he who keeps aloof from it obtains merit for himself and for his children after him, how much the more is it so in the case of robbery or forbidden sexual relations for which the soul of man may feel a longing (Makkot 23b).

28 Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. DEU 12:25, 28

3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

John Gill

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love—Not that their continuance in the heart’s love and affection of Christ depended upon their observation of his commands; for as the keeping of them is not the cause or reason of the saints having an interest in the love of Christ, so it is not the cause or reason of their abiding in it; but to such that observe the commandments of Christ he will continue to make further discoveries of his love, and let them see more clearly and largely what a value he has for them, and how much he loves them: or the sense is, that by keeping the commandments of Christ, his disciples and followers show that they love him, and continue in their affection to him:

Just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love—The commandments of the Father kept by Christ were not only the precepts of the moral law, and the rites of the ceremonial one, which he strictly observed; but the preaching of the gospel, and submitting to the ordinances of it, doing of miracles, and laying down his life for his people; in performing which, as his Father testified his approbation of them, and how strongly he was affected to him, what an abiding he had in his love; so Christ hereby showed his constant and continued love to his Father; and which was done by him, that the world, as well as his disciples, might know how much he loved him; see Joh 14:31.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. JOH 15:3, 10, 14

John Gill

You are my friends—This is an application of the foregoing passage, and more, clearly explains it. The character of “friends,” is applied to the disciples of Christ; and belongs, not only to his apostles, but to all that love him, believe in him, and obey him; to whom he has showed himself friendly, by laying down his life for them: for this clearly shows, that Christ had respect in the former words, to his own laying down his life for his people, in consequence of his great love to them; whereby he has made them friends, and who appear to be so by their cheerful obedience to him:

If you do what I command you—Not that their doing of the commandments of Christ interested them in his favour; or made them his friends; or was the reason and motive of his laying down his life for them, and showing himself in such a friendly manner to them: but the sense is, that by observing his commands from a principle of love, they would make it appear that they were his friends, being influenced by his grace, and constrained by a sense of his love in dying for them, to act such a part.

28 Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. DEU 12:25, 28

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. COL 3:20

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. EPH 6:1-4

Continuing from how a husband and wife should relate with each other, the apostle Paul turns to children and parents. He focuses particularly on fathers. If we have believed the gospel and our lives have been transformed by Christ, all our relationships, including with our parents and our children, should reflect this. Even amidst brokenness and relational dysfunctions, the Bible gives instructions and promises for obedience. This can result in discipling godly generations to follow Christ.

. . . submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. EPH 5:21

John Gill

Submitting to one another—Which may be understood either in a political sense, of giving honour, obedience, and tribute, to civil magistrates, since they are set up by God for the good of men, and it is for the credit of religion for the saints to submit to them; or in an economical sense; thus the wife should be subject to the husband, children to their parents, and servants to their masters, which several things are afterwards insisted on, as explanative of this rule; or in an ecclesiastic sense, so the Ethiopic version renders it, “subject yourselves to your brethren”: thus members of churches should be subject to their pastors, not in the same sense as they are to Christ, the head, nor are they obliged to believe or do everything they say, right or wrong; yet honour and esteem are due to them, and submission and obedience should be yielded to their doctrines, precepts, and exhortations, when they are agreeably to the word of God; since God has set them in the highest place in the church, called them to the highest service, and most honourable work, and bestowed on them the greatest gifts; the younger members should also submit to the elder, and the minority to the majority; one member should submit to another, to the superior judgment of another, and to the weakness of another, and to the admonitions of others, and so as to perform all offices of love: and the manner in which this duty is to be performed, is

Out of reverence for Christ—Which may be considered as the moving cause of submission, or, as the rule of it; submission should be on account of reverence for Christ, and so far as is consistent with it; and indeed, reverence for Christ is that which should influence and engage to every duty; and which should be before our eyes, and in exercise in our hearts, in all concerns, civil and religious: the Alexandrian copy and some others, the Complutensian edition, and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read, “in the fear of Christ”; who is the head of the church, and King of saints, and as such to be feared and reverenced; and for his sake there should be a submission to one another; the Syriac version reads, out of love for Christ, which should force the saints to this duty.

My son, fear the Lord and the king,

and do not join with those who do otherwise, PRO 24:21

Rashi

My son, fear the Lord and the king—Fear the Lord and fear the mortal king, but only if he does not turn you away from the fear of the Lord, for the fear of the Lord is always first.

Do not join with those who do otherwise—Heb. שונים, who say that there are two powers governing the world.

The apostle Paul charged the Ephesian church to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) by worshiping and giving thanks to God as well as by submitting to one another.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit . . . EPH 5:18

4 Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

5 So I will bless you as long as I live;

in your name I will lift up my hands.

Rashi

So I will bless you as long as I live—Heb. כן, like אָז, then, because אָז is translated ובכן. That is to say: So, when I come before you, I will bless you all the days of my life.

In your name I will lift up my hands to pray and laud.

6 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, PSA 63:4-6

Berakhot 16b:17

The Gemara cites an aggadic statement concerning prayer and the recitation of Shema. Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “So I will bless you as I live, to your name I will raise my hands” (Psa 63:5)? So I will bless you as I live, refers to the recitation of Shema, and to your name I will raise my hands, refers to the Amida prayer, which is characterized as lifting one’s hands to God. And if one does so, recites Shema and prays, the verse says about him: “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food” (Psa 63:6). And not only does he receive this reward, but he inherits two worlds, this world and the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “My mouth will praise you with lips of joys” (Psa 63:6). The plural, joys, refers to two joys, that of this world and that of the World-to-Come.

Draw me after you; let us run.

The king has brought me into his chambers.

We will exult and rejoice in you;

we will extol your love more than wine;

rightly do they love you. SON 1:4

Rashi

Draw me after you; let us run—I heard from your messengers a hint that you said to draw me, and I said, “Let us run after you,” to be as a wife to you.

The king has brought me into his chambers—And even today, I still have joy and happiness that I cleaved to you.

We will extol your love—Even today, in living widowhood, I extol your first love more than any banquet of pleasure and joy.

Rightly do they love you—A strong love, a straightforward love, without deceit or intrigue, (in accordance with the expression of the verse, “the uneven ground shall become level, and the rugged places a valley” Isa 40:4.) that my ancestors and I loved you in those days. This is its simple meaning according to its context. According to its allegorical meaning: They mention before him the loving kindness of their youth, the love of their nuptials, their following him in the wilderness, a land of drought and darkness, and they did not even prepare provisions for themselves, but they believed in him and in his messenger. And they did not say, “How will we go into the wilderness, which is not a land of seed or food?” But they followed him, and he brought them into the midst of the chambers of the envelopment of his clouds. With this, they are still joyful today and happy with him despite their afflictions and distress; and they delight in the law, and there they recall his love more than wine, and the sincerity of their love for him.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! LUK 11:13

The Holy Spirit empowers us to live humbly, in a way that reveres Christ. Why do you think Paul taught about mutual submission before going into specific relationships, like marriage and family? What do you think Eph 5:21 would look like in a home and what could its effects be?

He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive . . . 1TI 3:4

John Gill

He must manage his own household well—His family, wife, children, and servants; and is not to be understood of his body, and of keeping of that under, and of preserving it chaste and temperate, as appears from what follows:

With all dignity keeping his children submissive—Keeping a good decorum in his family; obliging his children to observe his orders, and especially the rules of God’s word; and not as Eli, who did not use his authority, or lay his commands upon his sons, nor restrain them from evil, or severely reprove them for their sins, but neglected them, and was too mild and gentle with them; 1Sa 2:23; 3:13 but like Abraham, who not only taught, but commanded his children and his household, to keep the way of the Lord (Gen 18:19); and so should those act who are in such an office as is here treated of; and should not only rule well in their families, preside over them, go before them, and set an example to them, and keep their children in obedience and subjection; but this should be “with all dignity”: not only in the master of the family, but in the children; who as their father is, or should be, should be brought up in, and used to dignity in words and in dress; and in the whole of their deportment and conversation. This may he observed against the Papists, who forbid marriage to the ministers of the gospel.

For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. GEN 18:19

Rashi

For I have chosen him—An expression denoting “affection,” as (Rth 2:1) “a relative (מוֹדַע) of her husband’s,” and (Rth 3:2) “Boaz our relative (מֹדַעְתָּנוּ),” and (Exo 33:17) “and I shall know you (וָאֵדָעֲךָ) by name.” Still the primary meaning of these terms is none other than an expression of knowing, for whoever holds a person in affection attaches him to himself, so that he knows him and is familiar with him. And why do I hold him dear?

That he may command—For he may command his children concerning me, to keep my ways. If, however, you explain it as the Targum, “I know about him that he will command his children etc.,” the word לְמַעַן does not fit into the sense.

That he may command—This form of the verb (the imperfect) expresses frequentative action, as (Job 1:5) “Thus Job did (יַעֲשֶׂה).”

So that the Lord may bring—Thus will he ever command his children saying “Keep the way of the Lord so that the Lord may bring to Abraham etc.” Since it does not say here “to the house of Abraham,” but to Abraham himself, we may infer that he who trains up a righteous son is as though he never dies (Bereishit Rabbah 49:4).

Yevamot 79a:3

David said: There are three distinguishing marks of this nation, the Jewish people. They are merciful, they are shamefaced, and they perform acts of kindness.
They are merciful, as it is written: “And give you mercy and have mercy on you and multiply you” (Deu 13:18); not only will God have mercy on you, but he will bestow the attribute of mercy on you.

They are shamefaced, as it is written: “That the fear of him shall be before you” (Exo 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame.

They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, to practice righteousness and justice” (Gen 18:19), i.e., to perform acts of kindness.

Whoever has these three distinguishing marks is fit to cleave to this nation. Those who lack these qualities, however, are unfit to be part of the Jewish people. When David saw the cruelty of the Gibeonites, he decreed that they may never enter into the congregation of Israel.

Yoma 38b:10

Rabbi Elazar said: From the blessing of the righteous you infer a curse for the wicked; and conversely, from the curse of the wicked you infer a blessing for the righteous. How so? From the blessing of the righteous you infer a curse for the wicked, as it is written with regard to Abraham: “For I have chosen him, that he will command his children and his household after him” (Gen 18:19), and it is written thereafter: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is very great” (Gen 18:20). The righteousness of Abraham underscores the relative wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, exacerbating their punishment.

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),

John Gill

Honor your father and mother—This explains who parents are, and points at some branches of obedience due to them; for they are not only to be loved, and to be feared, and reverenced, their corrections to be submitted to, offences against them to be acknowledged, their tempers to be bore with, and their infirmities covered; but they are to be honoured in thought, word, and gesture; they are to be highly thought of and esteemed; they are to be spoken to, and of, very honourably, and with great veneration and to be behaved to in a very respectful manner; and they are to be relieved, assisted, and maintained in comfortable way when aged, and in necessitous circumstances; and which may be chiefly designed. So the Jews explain, “the honor” due to parents, by, “giving them food, drink,” and “clothing,” unloosing their shoes, and leading them out and in. Compare with this 1Ti 5:4, 17 (see Gill on Mat 15:4);

This is the first commandment with a promise—It is the fifth commandment in the decalogue, but the first that has a promise annexed to it: it is reckoned by the Jews the weightiest of the weightiest commands of the law; and the reward bestowed on it, is length of days, as follows.

3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” EPH 6:1-3

If children obey and honor their parents, God promises to bless and reward them. They will experience and enjoy full and long lives. This is because obedience to parents is right. While many of us are no longer children who are dependent on our parents, the command to honor them remains. We can honor them in how we relate with them and how we talk about them with others. How does honoring your father and mother look like for you? How have you experienced the benefits of this commandment?

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. LEV 19:3

Rashi

Every one of you shall revere his mother and father—Every one of you shall revere his father and his mother. This is the literal sense. Its Midrashic explanation, however, is as follows: Since Scripture says, “Every one of you shall revere . . .” we know only that this law applies to a man, whence do I know that this applies also to a woman? Because Scripture states, תִּירָאוּ you shall revere, using the plural form, it is evident therefore that it speaks here of two (man and woman). But if this be so, why does it say, “Every one of you . . . ?” Because it is the man who has the means to do it, whilst the woman is under the control of others namely her husband (Kiddushin 30b; Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 3).

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father—Here Scripture mentions the mother before the father because it is manifest to him that the child fears the father more than the mother and therefore by mentioning the mother first Scripture stresses the duty of fearing her. In the case of honoring one’s parents, however, Scripture mentions the father before the mother because it is manifest to him that the child honors the mother more than the father because she endeavors to win him over by kindly words. Therefore by mentioning the father first Scripture emphasizes the duty of honoring him (Kiddushin 30b-31a).

And you shall keep my Sabbaths—Scripture places the commandment of observing the Sabbath immediately after that of fearing one’s father in order to suggest the following: “Although I admonish you regarding the fear due to your father, yet if he bids you: ‘Desecrate the Sabbath,’ do not listen to him”—and the same is the case with any of the other commandments. This, it is evident, is the meaning since Scripture adds—

I am the Lord your God (the plural)—Both you and your father are bound to honour me! Do not therefore obey him if it results in making my words of no effect (Bava Metzia 32a; Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 10).—Now, what constitutes “fear”? That one should not sit in his seat, nor speak in his stead (when he is expected to speak), nor contradict his words. And what constitutes “honor”? One must give the parents food and drink, clothe them and put on their shoes, and accompany them when they enter or leave (Kiddushin 31b).

15 Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

Rashi

Whoever strikes his father or his mother—Because Scripture has taught us that he who inflicts a wound upon his fellow-man is liable for damages (cf. Rashi on Exo 21:24) but is not subject to death, it was compelled to state that whoever strikes his father is subject to the death penalty (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 21:15:3). He is, however, not punishable with death except for a blow which causes a wound (Sanhedrin 85b).

His father or his mother—Either this one or that one (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 21:15:2).

Shall be put to death—By strangulation (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 21:15:4).

17 Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death. EXO 21:15, 17

Rashi

Whoever curses his father or his mother—Why was this said? Since Scripture says (Lev 20:9), “anyone, anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” From there I know only that if a man curses his father he is punishable with death. Whence do I know that this is also the case if a woman curses his father? Scripture therefore states here, “Whoever curses his father or his mother”—whoever generally—intimating that it applies to both man and woman (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 21:17:1). But if this be so why is it said (Lev 20:9), “anyone who curses”? To exclude a minor.

Shall be put to death—By stoning. Wherever it says: “his blood is upon him,” it means that he is to be put to death by stoning. The following in the passage from which this is evident (Lev 20:27): “with rocks they shall stone them; their blood shall be upon them”—and as regards whoever curses his father (Lev 20:9), Scripture indeed uses the words: “his blood is upon him” (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 21:17:3; Sanhedrin 66a).

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them . . . DEU 21:18

Rashi

Stubborn—סוֹרֵר (from the root סָר to deviate) means, one who deviates from the proper path of life.

Rebellious—מוֹרֶה means, one who is disobedient to the words of his father, of the same meaning as מוֹרֶה in the word מַמְרִים meaning “to rebel” (see Deu 9:7).

They shall discipline him—Warn him in the presence of three people, and then they must have him lashed through the court (Sanhedrin 71a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 218:11). The stubborn and rebellious son is not liable to the death penalty until he proves to be a thief and eats at one meal a “tartemar” (a weight of half a maneh) flesh and drinks half a log of wine, as it is said of him (v. 20), “a glutton and a drunkard (זוֹלֵל וְסֹבֵא),” and in another passage (Pro 23:20) it says: “Be not among drunkards (בְסֹבְאֵי-יָיִן) or among gluttonous eaters of meat” (Sanhedrin 70a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 219:4). The stubborn and rebellious son is put to death on account of the final course his life must necessarily take—the law has fathomed his ultimate disposition: in the end he will squander his father’s property and seeking in vain for the pleasures to which he has been accustomed, he will take his stand on the crossroads and rob people, and in some way or other make, himself liable to the death penalty. Says the law, “Let him die innocent of such crimes, and let him not die guilty of them” (Sanhedrin 72a; Sifrei Devarim 220:3).

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,

and forsake not your mother’s teaching . . . PRO 1:8

Berakhot 35b:2

Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said: Anyone who derives benefit from this world without a blessing, it is as if he stole from God and the community of Israel, as it is stated: “Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, ‘That is no transgression,’ he is a companion to a man who destroys” (Pro 28:24). The phrase, his father, refers to none other than God, as it is stated: “Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you” (Deu 32:6). The phrase his mother refers to none other than the community of Israel, as it is stated: “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching” (Pro 1:8). The mention of the teaching as emanating from the mouth of the mother, apparently means that your mother is the community of Israel.

Pesachim 50b:11

As the mishna discusses the requirement to observe local customs, the Gemara relates: The residents of Beit She’an were accustomed not to travel from Tyre to market day in Sidon on the Sabbath eve. In deference to the Sabbath, they adopted a stringency and would not interrupt their Sabbath preparations even for a short sea voyage. Their children came before Rabbi Yohanan to request that he repeal this custom. They said to him: Due to their wealth, it was possible for our fathers to earn a living without traveling to the market on Friday; however, it is not possible for us to do so. He said to them: Your fathers already accepted this virtuous custom upon themselves, and it remains in effect for you, as it is stated: “Hear, my son, your father’s rebuke and abandon not your mother’s teaching” (Pro 1:8). In addition to adhering to one’s father’s rebuke, i.e., halakha, one is also required to preserve his mother’s teaching, i.e., ancestral customs.

Rashi

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction—What the Holy One, blessed be he, gave Moses in writing and orally.

Your mother—Heb. אמך like אמתך, your nation, the nation of Israel, as in (Eze 19:2): “What a lioness was your mother meaning your nation!” These are the words of the scribes, which they innovated and added and made safeguards for the law.

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. LUK 2:51

John Gill

And he went down with them—From the temple, and from Jerusalem, which were on high ground:

And came to Nazareth—Where he, and his parents, had lived ever since their return from Egypt:

And was submissive to them—For though he thought fit to let them know, or, at least, put them in mind, that he had a Father in heaven, whose business he came about, and must do, and therefore did not judge it necessary to ask their leave to stay at Jerusalem on that account; yet, as man, and willing to set an example of filial subjection to parents, he went along with them, and showed all dutiful respect to them, yielding a ready and cheerful obedience to their commands, living with them, and working under them, and for them: and so he continued till he was about thirty years of age:

And his mother treasured up all these things—For this relates not only to the words of Christ, but to the whole history of his staying behind them at Jerusalem, of his sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, to the astonishment of all. These things she treasured up, and preserved,

In her heart—That is, in her memory; so the word is used in Jewish writings. It is reported of R. Meir, that

“he went to intercalate the year in Asia, and there was no Megillah (the book of Esther) there, and he wrote it, “out of his heart,” (i.e. out of his memory), and read it.”

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 1TI 5:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. EPH 6:4

Interestingly, Paul singled out fathers and their relationships with their children. He tells them to lead, train, and relate with their sons and daughters in God’s ways. Fathers are to discipline their children without exasperating them, and direct them without discouraging them. In practical ways, how should a father instruct his children? What can future fathers do today in preparation for this?

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children . . . DEU 4:9

Berakhot 22a:4

As it was taught in a baraita: It is written: “Make them known to your children and your children’s children” (Deu 4:9), and it is written thereafter: “The day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb” (Deu 4:10). Just as below, the Revelation at Sinai was in reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling, so too here, in every generation, the law must be studied with a sense of reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling.

John Gill

Only take care—To walk according to this law, and not swerve from it:

And keep your soul diligently—From the transgressions and breaches of it:

Lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen—Either the statutes and judgments set before them, and the circumstances of the delivery of them; or the punishment inflicted on the breakers of them; or the favours bestowed on those that observed them:

And lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life—Out of your mind and memory, and have no place in your affections, through a neglect and disuse of them:

Make them known to your children and your children’s children—their children and grandchildren, that they may be trained up in them in their youth, and so not depart from them when grown up, and in years; see Deu 6:7.

Kiddushin 30a:5

The Gemara asks: But is one’s father’s father obligated to teach him the law? But isn’t it taught in a baraita, that the verse: “You shall teach them to your children” (Deu 11:19), indicates: But not your children’s children? And how do I realize, i.e., understand, the meaning of the verse: “Make them known to your children and your children’s children” (Deu 4:9)? This serves to say to you that whoever teaches his son the law, the verse ascribes him credit as though he taught him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the end of all generations.

19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Bava Batra 21a:2

What was this ordinance? As Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: Truly, that man is remembered for the good, and his name is Yehoshua ben Gamla. If not for him the law would have been forgotten from the Jewish people. Initially, whoever had a father would have his father teach him the law, and whoever did not have a father would not learn the law at all. The Gemara explains: What verse did they interpret homiletically that allowed them to conduct themselves in this manner? They interpreted the verse that states: “You shall teach them [otam] to your children” (Deu 11:19), to mean: You yourselves [atem] shall teach, i.e., you fathers shall teach your sons.

Kiddushin 29b:8

The baraita teaches that a father is obligated to teach his son the law. The Gemara asks: From where do we derivethis requirement? As it is written: “You shall teach them [velimadtem] to your children” (Deu 11:19). And in a case where his father did not teach him he is obligated to teach himself, as it is written, i.e., the verse can be read with a different vocalization: You shall study [ulmadtem].

Rashi

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them—From the moment when your son knows how to speak, teach him (Deu 33:4) “Moses commanded us a law”—so that this should be the means of teaching him to speak (Sukkah 42a). From this they (the Rabbis) derived their teaching: When the babe begins to speak, his father should speak with him in the holy tongue, and should instruct him in the law. If he does not do this, it is as though he buries him, as it is said here, “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them . . .” that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied.

20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. DEU 11:19-21

John Gill

That your days . . . may be multiplied—Long life being a very desirable blessing, and which is promised to those that obey and keep the law; see Deu 30:19-20; Psa 91:16

And the days of your children—Which are dear to parents, and the continuance of whose lives, next to their own, is most desirable, yea, as desirable as their own; and especially it is desirable that they might have a posterity descending from them, to enjoy for ever their estates and possessions; as it was to the people of Israel, that they might have a seed always to dwell

In the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them—The land of Canaan, so often spoken of as the promise, oath, and gift of God:

As long as the heavens are above the earth—That is, as long as the heavens and the earth shall be, and the one shall be over the other, as they will be to the end of time.

Rashi

That your days and the days of your children may be multiplied—If you do so, they will increase, but if not, they will not increase, for the statements of the law may be expounded so as to derive from the negative the positive, and from the positive, the negative (Sifrei Devarim 46).

The land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them—It is not written here “to give you,” but “to give them.” From this we are able to derive that the tenet of the resurrection of the dead has its basis from the law (Sifrei Devarim 47:2).

9 And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

John Gill

And you, Solomon my son—Who was present in this assembly, and presented to them by David as his successor, and their future king: and having addressed them, he turns himself to him, and exhorts him, saying,

Know the God of your father—Who was his Father and covenant God, and whom he served and worshiped, and who had bestowed upon him many favours, both temporal and spiritual; and having had such an experience of his goodness, he exhorts his son to seek to know more and more of him, and to own and acknowledge him as his God, and to love and fear him:

Serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind—Cordially and sincerely, cheerfully and freely, neither in an hypocritical manner, nor through force and constraint, nor with loathing and weariness:

For the Lord searches all hearts—The hearts of all men, even of kings, and knows from what principles and with what views and in what manor they serve him:

And understands every plan and thought—Not only the thoughts of the heart, when regularly formed and ranged in order, hut even the very beginning of them, the first motions of the mind, and before they are well formed, see Gen 6:5; Psa 139:2

If you seek him—By prayer and supplication in his house and ordinances:

He will be found by you—Grant his presence and bestow his favours, see Isa 4:6

But if you forsake him—His word, his ways, his worship:

He will cast you off forever—From being king, or enjoying that peace, prosperity, and happiness, which otherwise would be enjoyed.

Rashi

And serve him with a whole heart—Heb. בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם. It is not stated בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, which would mean two hearts, but בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, that you shall have but one heart for our Father who is in heaven. And so did the liturgical poet set down (in the Kedushah of Musaph of the first day of the Feast of Trumpets): “You have two hearts like one for the One.” Similar to this, we find in 1KI 8:61: “Let your heart therefore be wholly true (שָׁלֵם) to the Lord our God.” It is not written שְׁלֵמִים but שָׁלֵם: your two hearts will be one whole heart. And so it is explained (Gen 18:5): “. . . and refresh your heart (לִבְּכֶם), and after that you may pass on.” This teaches us that the angels have only one heart, and also in the future it will be so, as it is written: (Psa 48:14): “Consider well (לִבְּכֶם lit., your heart) her ramparts.”

For the Lord searches all hearts—Here it is appropriate to say לְבָבוֹת; the Lord searches all hearts, whether good or bad.

And understands every plan and thought—In Bereishit Rabbah 9:3, we learned: “Before a creature is created, the Holy One, blessed be he, understands what the person is destined to think.”

If you seek him, he will be found by you—Therefore, I say, (v. 8): “and seek out all the commandments of the Lord.”

He will cast you off forever—Heb. יַזְנִיחֲךָ. It is not written here: He will forsake you (יַעַזָבְךָ), but he will cast you off (יַזְנִיחֲך), which is a harsher term like Isa 19:6: “And they will abandon (הֶאֶזְנִיחוּ) its canals”; (Lam 2:7): “The Lord abandoned (זָנַח) his altar.”

10 Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.

Rashi

For the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary not to build it for him to dwell therein, for the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain him, but for the sanctuary, for the requirement of the ark, which is called מִקְדָּשׁ, as it is written (Num 10:21): “And the Kohathites, the bearers of the מִקְדָּשׁ traveled,” and that is the ark. He did not choose you because you are more praiseworthy than other men, but for his sake and for the sake of his mercies; therefore be strong and do it.

20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.” 1CH 28:9-10, 20

Rashi

Be strong and courageous in order that your kingdom endure as the Holy One, blessed be he, has promised you, (verse 7): “. . . I will prepare his kingdom to eternity if he continues strong in keeping my commandments, etc.”

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. COL 3:21

John Gill

Fathers, do not provoke your children—(See Gill on Eph 6:4).

Lest they become discouraged—Or disheartened and dispirited; their spirits be broke through grief and trouble, and they become indolent, sluggish, and unfit for business; or, despairing of having any share in the affections of their parents, disregard their commands, instructions, and corrections, and grow obdurate, stubborn, and rebellious.

. . . and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2TI 3:15