Colossians 3:20

Children Cp. Ephesians 6:1-3.

obey The same word as that below, Colossians 3:22. The wife "submits herself" as to a guiding friend; the child, and the servant, recognize in parent and master a lawful commander.

Disobedience to parents, as a definite act of rebellion against God (Exodus 20:12; Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 19:3; Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 5:16), is always noted in Scripture as a grave crime, and a symptom of general moral mischief. Cp. Deuteronomy 21:18-21; Proverbs 20:20; Proverbs 30:17; Matthew 15:4-6; Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2. It is in the school of the well-ordered Christian home that the true idea of the Christian's position, filial in its freedom, yet (1 Corinthians 9:21) "law-abidingunto Christ," should be first illustrated as well as taught.

parents Mothers as well as fathers. Scripture uniformly upholds the authority of the mother. See reff. in last note, and Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 6:20.

in allthings] with the sole limitation of the supreme claims of the Heavenly Father, which may conceivably collide with those of the earthly parents. Cp. Matthew 10:37. But let the child be slow indeed to apply this principle in practice. The case can scarcely arise save where the parent directly and positively requires the child to renounce the Lord.

well pleasing unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Quesnel beautifully says, "Why does He seem here specially to delight in filial obedience? Because it was His own universal virtue, the soul and law of all His actions."