Topical Bible: Children: should Honor the Aged

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Bible places significant emphasis on the respect and honor that children should show to the elderly. This principle is deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition and is reflected in various passages throughout the Scriptures. Honoring the aged is not merely a cultural expectation but a divine command that underscores the value of wisdom, experience, and the continuity of faith across generations.

Biblical Foundation

The command to honor the aged is first seen in the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:32 states, "You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD." This verse explicitly links the respect for the elderly with the fear of God, suggesting that honoring the aged is an expression of reverence for God Himself. The act of rising in the presence of the elderly is a physical demonstration of respect and acknowledgment of their wisdom and life experience.

Proverbs 16:31 further reinforces this idea: "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness." Here, gray hair symbolizes the honor and dignity that come with a life lived in accordance with God's will. The aged are seen as bearers of wisdom and righteousness, deserving of respect from the younger generation.

New Testament Perspective

The New Testament continues this theme, emphasizing the importance of honoring those who have come before us. In 1 Timothy 5:1-2, Paul advises Timothy, "Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." This passage highlights the familial respect that should be extended to the elderly, treating them with the same honor and care as one would their own family members.

Role of the Family

The family unit is central to the biblical mandate of honoring the aged. Ephesians 6:1-3 instructs, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' (which is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.'" While this passage specifically addresses parents, it extends to the broader principle of respecting all elders within the community.

Cultural and Spiritual Implications

In biblical times, the community was structured around extended families and tribal affiliations, where the elderly played a crucial role in teaching and guiding the younger generations. This cultural context underscores the spiritual and practical importance of honoring the aged. The wisdom and experience of the elderly were seen as vital for maintaining the faith and traditions of the community.

Practical Application

For children today, honoring the aged can take many forms, including listening to their accounts, seeking their advice, and providing care and support as needed. It involves recognizing the dignity and worth of the elderly, valuing their contributions, and learning from their experiences. In a society that often prioritizes youth and innovation, the biblical call to honor the aged serves as a countercultural reminder of the enduring value of wisdom and experience.

In summary, the biblical mandate for children to honor the aged is a timeless principle that reflects the character of God and the structure of a godly community. It is a call to recognize the inherent dignity of the elderly and to uphold the values of respect, reverence, and familial love.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 19:32
You shall rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Domestic Relation.
... The demand made of the aged wives is that they ... "Honor thy father and mother."
Eph.6:2. Children should attend to the faithful instruction of their parents: "My ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter xiii the domestic relation.htm

The Character and Supports of Widows Indeed.
... Leave thy fatherless children, and I ... Such was the aged Anna, who met the infant Savior ...
and discharge with faithfulness every duty"that we should honor thee in ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xxiv the character and.htm

John i. 1
... in civil matters, displaying in youth the qualities of the aged. ... Ye are Gods, and
all of you are children of the ... xiv.9.) And, "That all men should honor the Son ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily iii john i 1.htm

As a Child
... All should find something to do that will be beneficial ... that He is the pattern for
all children and youth. ... He lived to please, honor, and glorify His Father in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 7 as a child.htm

Lions Lacking --But the Children Satisfied
... a large field is laid before the children of God ... the drawing up of this description
we should have made ... died," and put crowns of eternal unfading honor upon his ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/lions lackingbut the children satisfied.htm

An Appeal to Children of Godly Parents
... the Lord, and so bring up your children that they ... our great anxiety is that you should
know the ... to have lives consecrated to learning and crowned with honor. ...
/.../spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/an appeal to children of.htm

Saint Helena and the Time of Constantine
... the emperor to "consider well lest he should incur the ... find his mother installed
in great honor and dignity and ... in jealousy for the rights of her own children. ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/iv saint helena and the.htm

A New Year's Benediction
... ordinance; and, therefore, as nearly all children are now ... called to that very glory
and honor with which God ... is it not necessary that I should be strengthened ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/a new years benediction.htm

Home-Education.
... the cardinal moral virtues, such as justice, honor, chastity, veneration ... for
home-culture,"to send our children to such ... at an age when they should he trained ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xvi home-education.htm

Marvellous Increase of the Church
... that I doubt not that many of our aged members, who ... give the honor and the glory
to thy God, and to ... does it not seem hard that the children should be in the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/marvellous increase of the church.htm