What other scriptures emphasize honoring parents, and how do they relate to Mark 7:11? Command Rooted in the Law • Exodus 20:12 — “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” • Deuteronomy 5:16 — Echoes the same charge, adding, “that it may go well with you.” • Leviticus 19:3 — “Each of you must respect his mother and father…” These passages establish honoring parents as a non-negotiable command from God Himself. Any later interpretation must line up with this foundational mandate. Wisdom Literature’s Voice • Proverbs 1:8-9 — Honoring parents adorns a child “with a garland of grace.” • Proverbs 23:22 — “Do not despise your mother when she is old.” Wisdom literature shows the command is more than rule-keeping; it is the path of blessing and beauty throughout life. New Testament Reinforcement • Matthew 15:4 — Jesus quotes Exodus, linking parental honor to the death penalty for blatant dishonor under the Law. • Luke 18:20 — Jesus recites the commandment among the essentials of moral life. • Ephesians 6:2-3 — Paul calls it “the first commandment with a promise… that you may have a long life on the earth.” • Colossians 3:20 — “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.” • 1 Timothy 5:4, 8 — Providing for parents is a matter of godliness; neglect is “denying the faith.” Connecting to Mark 7:11 Mark 7:11 — “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is Corban (that is, a gift committed to God),”’” • Jesus confronts a loophole that let people sidestep tangible support for parents by labeling resources “Corban.” • Every text above stresses active care, provision, and respect; the Corban tradition directly violated that unified witness. • By exposing the contradiction, Jesus defends the literal command of God over human tradition, reaffirming that honoring parents includes financial and practical responsibility. Practical Takeaways • God’s Word consistently links honoring parents to covenant blessing—Old and New Testament alike. • Honor is expressed through obedience in youth, respect in speech, and provision in parents’ later years. • No spiritual practice or vow can invalidate the clear command; true devotion to God always includes tangible care for one’s parents, precisely what Mark 7:11 safeguards. |