---

How significant a sentence! God, whom the angels obey, is subject to Joseph and Mary I Children, behold your model, and learn from the example of Jesus to be obedient to your parents.

I. BY REVERENCE. Reverence is required —

1. By the law of nature.

(1)  God has planted in the hearts of men a reverential feeling towards those to whom they owe their lives. Hence, even the heathen honour their parents.

(2)  Reverence is due to every superior from his subjects; consequently due to parents from their children, because they are the God-given superiors and guardians.

2. By the duty of gratitude. The parents are, next to God, the greatest benefactors of their children; it is from them that they receive food, clothing, education.

3. By an explicit commandment of God (Exodus 20:12).

(1)  The first commandment with promise (Ephesians 6:1-8).

(2)  The most dreadful, because of the threats imposed upon its violation (Deuteronomy 27:16).

II. BY LOVE. Love is required —

1. By God Himself (Proverbs 30:17).

2. By reason. Parents love their children, wherefore they deserve to be loved in return. The children of the Gentiles loved their parents, AEneas carried on his shoulders his old father out of Troy.

3. Love is excited by the example of good children. Joseph. Jesus.

III. BY DEEDS.

1. Obedience, which is required

(1)  by nature;

(2)  by God Himself.

2. By active charity in their necessities. Children must

(1)  bear their imperfections and infirmities;

(2)  console them in their adversities and relieve their wants if necessary;

(3)  assist them in their advanced age;

(4)  in time of dangerous illness provide for spiritual and medical help;

(5)  pray for them. Conclusion: If children would comply with these duties towards their parents, their reward would be temporal and eternal happiness.

(Wansidal.)

---

---

KJV: And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

WEB: They didn't understand the saying which he spoke to them.