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I. WHO IS MEANT HERE BY "FATHER"?

1. The political father, the magistrate. These fathers are to be honoured; for,

(1)  Their place deserves honour.

(2)  God hath promoted kings, that they may promote justice.These political fathers are to be honoured: "honour the king." And this honour is to be shown by a civil respect to their persons, and a cheerful submission to their laws, so far as they agree and run parallel with God's law.

2. There is the grave ancient father who is venerable for old age, whose grey hairs are resembled to the white flowers of the almond-tree. There are fathers for seniority, on whose wrinkled brows, and in the furrows of whose cheeks is pictured the map of old age. These fathers are to be honoured: "thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man."

3. There are spiritual fathers, as pastors and ministers. The spiritual fathers are to be honoured.

(1)  In respect of their office (Malachi 2:7; 2 Corinthians 5:20).

(2)  Ministers, these spiritual fathers, are to be "honoured for their work's sake."

4. There is the economical father, that is, the master; he is the father of the family, therefore Naaman's servants called their master, "father." And the centurion calls his servant, "son."

(1)  In obeying his master in things that are lawful and honest (1 Peter 2:18).

(2)  In being diligent in his service.

(3)  By being faithful. That servant who is not true to his master, will never be true to God or his own soul.

(4)  The servant is to honour his master by serving him, as with love, for willingness is more than the work, so with silence, that is, without repining, and without replying: "exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, not answering again"; Greek, "not giving cross answers."

5. The natural father, the father of the flesh. Honour thy natural father. Children are the vineyard of the parent's planting, and honour done to the parent is some of the fruit of the vineyard.

II. WHEREIN ARE CHILDREN TO SHOW THEIR HONOUR TO THEIR PARENTS?

1. In a reverential esteem of their persons.

(1)  Inwardly, by fear mixed with love.

(2)  Outwardly, in word and gesture.

2. In a careful obedience.

(1)  In hearkening to their counsel.

(2)  In subscribing to their commands.

(3)  In relieving their wants.It is but paying the just debt. The young storks, by the instinct of nature, bring meat to the old storks, when by reason of age they are not able to fly. The memory of Eneas was honoured, for carrying his aged father out of Troy when it was on fire.

( T. Watson.)

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KJV: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

WEB: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.