Topical Bible: Children: Sometimes Devoted Their Property to Avoid Supporting Parents

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In biblical times, the responsibility of children to care for their aging parents was a well-established expectation rooted in the commandments and cultural norms of ancient Israelite society. The fifth commandment, "Honor your father and your mother," as stated in Exodus 20:12, underscores the importance of this duty. However, some individuals sought to circumvent this obligation through a practice known as "Corban."

The term "Corban" is derived from the Hebrew word "qorban," meaning a gift or offering dedicated to God. This practice is addressed in the New Testament, where Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and scribes for allowing individuals to declare their possessions as Corban, thereby exempting them from using those resources to support their parents. In Mark 7:11-13 , Jesus states, "But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift committed to God), he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

This practice was a legalistic loophole that allowed individuals to appear pious by dedicating their property to God while neglecting their familial responsibilities. By declaring their assets as Corban, they effectively placed them beyond the reach of their parents, who might have needed financial support or assistance. This manipulation of religious tradition to avoid fulfilling the commandment to honor one's parents was condemned by Jesus as hypocritical and contrary to the spirit of God's law.

The issue of Corban highlights the tension between human traditions and divine commandments. Jesus' rebuke serves as a reminder that true obedience to God's law involves genuine love and care for one's family, rather than mere adherence to ritualistic practices. The misuse of Corban reflects a broader theme in Jesus' teachings, where He emphasizes the importance of the heart's intent over external observance.

In the broader context of Scripture, the duty of children to care for their parents is reinforced in various passages. For instance, 1 Timothy 5:4 instructs, "But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and to repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God." This verse underscores the expectation that children should provide for their parents as an expression of godliness and gratitude.

The practice of declaring property as Corban to avoid supporting parents serves as a cautionary example of how religious practices can be misused to evade moral responsibilities. It challenges believers to examine their own lives and ensure that their actions align with the true spirit of God's commandments, prioritizing love, honor, and care for family above all else.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 15:5
But you say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Mark 7:11,12
But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; he shall be free.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Chaldaean Civilization
... a single master to whom he devoted himself, the ... and were successful in it, their
savings sometimes permitted them ... to pay the ransom of their wife and children. ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Conclusion --Repent Ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.
... he is specially and exclusively devoted to the ... by little, imperceptibly from childhood,
sometimes during years ... majority of persons"all the children, all the ...
/.../the kingdom of god is within you/chapter xii conclusionrepent ye for.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1832 to the Beginning ...
... It has continued, though sometimes embarrassed for want of ... as one of the most devoted
and active ... had married native females, and their children were growing up ...
/.../chapter 12 from the close.htm

The Religious Revolution
... On his return to Germany he devoted himself once ... published two catechisms for the
instruction of the children. ... accepting the civil rulers as their head, and ...
/.../chapter ii the religious revolution.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... The kinsfolk of the Hebrews, the children of Ishmael and Edom ... beach to avoid a
projecting spur, and sometimes to climb ... with the help of a few devoted men, upon ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Chapter xlix
... The facts are these: tribes may sometimes in a ... one son of promise; Isaac had two
children; Jacob had ... that word may mean "one consecrated, devoted," but since ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlix.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... Their tribes, less devoted to the manner of living of the ... the person is sometimes
named and sometimes not ... and confiding the care of his children and possessions ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... The bulk of the people devoted themselves to the ... ephod or teraphim; afterward shall
the children of Israel ... who till then had vacillated in their decision now ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

part ii
... Do you live as the children of God ought ... God; by the despondency, weariness, and
sometimes unbearable anguish ... is, to humble themselves before their Creator, to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

part i
... Holy Ghost, and at last from their extreme dryness ... heart, with which you love your
children, your father ... Sometimes during a long-continued prayer only a few ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm