Q65. What does the fifth commandment forbid?
The fifth commandment forbids neglecting or doing anything against the honor and duty we owe to others in their various positions.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Matthew 15:4–6
“For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”
Romans 13:8
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
Parent Guide
Discuss this question together
Discussion Questions
- 1
What does the fifth commandment forbid?
- 2
What does it look like to "neglect" the honor and duty you owe to someone?
- 3
Is there someone in your life you have been ignoring or treating with less respect than you should?
Illustration
Neglect is not always loud. Sometimes it is silent. Forgetting to say thank you to a teacher, ignoring a sibling who needs help, rolling your eyes when a parent speaks. The fifth commandment forbids not only acts of disrespect but also the failure to show the honor that is owed.
Application
This commandment forbids both active disrespect and passive neglect. Ask God to show you someone you have neglected and one specific way you can honor them tomorrow.