Verse 2
Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise).
Some have been puzzled by this reference to "the first commandment with promise."
It is asked, Does not the second commandment contain a promise, too? Or, if the reference there to the mercy of God being shown to thousands of generations is to be regarded as a statement rather than as a promise, then is not the fifth the only one of the ten with a promise[5]
Perhaps the best understanding of this is to take "with promise" not to be a modifier of "first commandment," thus being parenthetical. This would leave the flat declaration that "this is the first commandment," meaning, "This is the first commandment for children." This would make Paul's meaning to be, "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for that is the first commandment for children; also, there is a promise connected with it." Certainly, Paul was not saying here that the Fifth Commandment in the Decalogue is the first, except in the sense indicated. For more complete discussion of the Fifth Commandment, please see my Commentary on the Ten Commandments, pp. 58-70.
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