Honrar os pais: o que a Bíblia ensina sobre cuidar deles
O que significa honrar pai e mãe
Honrar pai e mãe significa reconhecer o valor deles, tratá-los com respeito e assumir o cuidado prático com suas vidas. No hebraico do Antigo Testamento, a palavra usada para honrar (kabed) vem de uma raiz que significa "ter peso" — o oposto de tratar com leviandade, desprezar ou ignorar a presença de alguém.
Esse mandamento aparece no centro do Decálogo entregue a Moisés e é o primeiro da Lei acompanhado de uma promessa explícita: estabilidade e preservação da vida na terra dada por Deus.
"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.(Exodus 20:12)
‘Honor your father and your mother, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well for you on the land which the Lord your God is giving you.(Deuteronomy 5:16)
No Novo Testamento, o apóstolo Paulo retoma o preceito ao instruir a igreja em Éfeso e Colossos, apontando que o respeito filial agrada ao Senhor e sustenta a ordem familiar.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.(Ephesians 6:1-4)
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.(Colossians 3:20)
Ouvir a instrução e acolher o conselho
Na infância e na juventude, a honra aos pais se expressa principalmente na obediência e na disposição para aprender. O livro de Provérbios ensina que os conselhos do pai e a instrução da mãe servem de proteção contra caminhos destrutivos e formam o caráter do filho.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
And do not ignore your mother’s teaching;
For they are a graceful wreath for your head
And necklaces for your neck.(Proverbs 1:8,9)
Listen, my sons, to the instruction of a father,
And pay attention so that you may gain understanding,(Proverbs 4:1)
A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.(Proverbs 13:1)
Listen to your father, who fathered you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.(Proverbs 23:22)
Cuidar dos pais na velhice
A honra não se encerra quando o filho cresce e se torna independente. Com o passar dos anos, o dever de obediência dá lugar ao dever de amparo, gratidão e assistência material aos pais na velhice.
Jesus confrontou duramente os líderes religiosos que usavam pretextos espirituais para reter recursos e deixar os próprios pais desassistidos:
And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother is tobe put to death.’But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,"he is not to honor his father or mother.’ And by this you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.(Matthew 15:3-6)
Nas cartas pastorais, Paulo trata o sustento dos parentes mais velhos como teste básico da integridade da fé cristã:
but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show proper respect for their own family and to give back compensation to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.(1 Timothy 5:4)
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.(1 Timothy 5:8)
Esse respeito prático aos mais velhos reflete o princípio da Lei de Moisés, que associa a consideração com a idade avançada ao temor a Deus:
Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep My Sabbaths; I am the Lord your God.(Leviticus 19:3)
‘You shall stand up in the presence of the grayheaded and honor elders, and you shall fear your God; I am the Lord.(Leviticus 19:32)
As advertências bíblicas contra a desonra
As Escrituras tratam o desprezo, a zombaria e a agressão contra os pais com severidade. Menosprezar a autoridade paternal ou abandonar pai e mãe na fraqueza é apontado na Bíblia como sinal de ruptura moral e endurecimento do coração.
"And one who curses his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.(Exodus 21:17)
He who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.(Proverbs 19:26)
He who curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will go out in time of darkness.(Proverbs 20:20)
The eye that mocks a father
And scorns a mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.(Proverbs 30:17)
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,(2 Timothy 3:1-3)
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