What is the meaning of Leviticus 19:3? Each of you must respect his mother and father • This echoes the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16), showing that honoring parents is foundational to covenant life. • “Respect” involves: – Listening to their instruction (Proverbs 1:8). – Speaking to them with dignity (Proverbs 30:17). – Providing for them in their later years (Mark 7:9-13; 1 Timothy 5:4). • The command covers both parents equally, elevating the mother’s place alongside the father’s—remarkable in the ancient world. • For believers today, Paul repeats this call: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1-3). Honoring parents remains a direct expression of honoring God. And you must keep My Sabbaths • “Sabbaths” includes the weekly Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11) and the festival Sabbaths (Leviticus 23). God guards times of rest and worship for His people’s good. • Keeping the Sabbath meant: – Ceasing from ordinary work (Exodus 31:13-15). – Gathering for holy assembly (Leviticus 23:3). – Trusting God to provide even when one does not work (Exodus 16:22-30). • Jesus affirmed the life-giving purpose of the Sabbath: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). • While believers differ on the day’s observance, the principle of rhythmic rest and worship continues (Hebrews 4:9-11). It stands as a weekly reminder that God, not our labor, sustains us. I am the LORD your God • The verse ends by anchoring both commands in God’s character. He alone has the authority to direct family life and worship (Leviticus 11:45). • “I am” recalls His covenant name revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:14). His unchanging nature guarantees the relevance of His commands. • Because He redeemed Israel, obedience was the grateful response (Deuteronomy 7:9-11). The same applies to believers today who have been redeemed by Christ (1 Peter 1:14-16). summary Leviticus 19:3 links family honor and Sabbath observance, tying both to the Lord’s own identity. Respecting parents trains hearts to submit to God-given authority, while keeping the Sabbaths shapes a rhythm of trust and worship. Together they express lived-out holiness under the watchful care of “the LORD your God.” |
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