Whether the Fourth Precept, About Honoring One's Parents, Is
Fittingly Expressed?
Objection 1: It seems that the fourth precept, about honoring one's
parents, is unfittingly expressed. For this is the precept pertaining
to piety. Now, just as piety is a part of justice, so are observance,
gratitude, and others of which we have spoken (QQ. 101, 102, seq.).
Therefore it seems that there should not have been given a special
precept of piety, as none is given regarding the others.
Obj. 2: Further, piety pays worship not only to one's parents, but
also to one's country, and also to other blood kindred, and to the
well-wishers of our country, as stated above (Q. 101, AA. 1, 2).
Therefore it was unfitting for this precept to mention only the
honoring of one's father and mother.
Obj. 3: Further, we owe our parents not merely honor but also
support. Therefore the mere honoring of one's parents is unfittingly
prescribed.
Obj. 4: Further, sometimes those who honor their parents die young,
and on the contrary those who honor them not live a long time.
Therefore it was unfitting to supplement this precept with the
promise, "That thou mayest be long-lived upon earth."
_On the contrary,_ stands the authority of Scripture.
_I answer that,_ The precepts of the decalogue are directed to the
love of God and of our neighbor. Now to our parents, of all our
neighbors, we are under the greatest obligation. Hence, immediately
after the precepts directing us to God, a place is given to the
precept directing us to our parents, who are the particular principle
of our being, just as God is the universal principle: so that this
precept has a certain affinity to the precepts of the First Table.
Reply Obj. 1: As stated above (Q. 101, A. 2), piety directs us to pay
the debt due to our parents, a debt which is common to all. Hence,
since the precepts of the decalogue are general precepts, they ought
to contain some reference to piety rather than to the other parts of
justice, which regard some special debt.
Reply Obj. 2: The debt to one's parents precedes the debt to one's
kindred and country since it is because we are born of our parents
that our kindred and country belong to us. Hence, since the precepts
of the decalogue are the first precepts of the Law, they direct man
to his parents rather than to his country and other kindred.
Nevertheless this precept of honoring our parents is understood to
command whatever concerns the payment of debt to any person, as
secondary matter included in the principal matter.
Reply Obj. 3: Reverential honor is due to one's parents as such,
whereas support and so forth are due to them accidentally, for
instance, because they are in want, in slavery, or the like, as
stated above (Q. 101, A. 2). And since that which belongs to a thing
by nature precedes that which is accidental, it follows that among
the first precepts of the Law, which are the precepts of the
decalogue, there is a special precept of honoring our parents: and
this honor, as a kind of principle, is understood to comprise support
and whatever else is due to our parents.
Reply Obj. 4: A long life is promised to those who honor their
parents not only as to the life to come, but also as to the present
life, according to the saying of the Apostle (1 Tim. 4:8): "Piety
[Douay: 'godliness'] is profitable to all things, having promise of
the life that now is and of that which is to come." And with reason.
Because the man who is grateful for a favor deserves, with a certain
congruity, that the favor should be continued to him, and he who is
ungrateful for a favor deserves to lose it. Now we owe the favor of
bodily life to our parents after God: wherefore he that honors his
parents deserves the prolongation of his life, because he is grateful
for that favor: while he that honors not his parents deserves to be
deprived of life because he is ungrateful for the favor. However,
present goods or evils are not the subject of merit or demerit except
in so far as they are directed to a future reward, as stated above
(I-II, Q. 114, A. 12). Wherefore sometimes in accordance with the
hidden design of the Divine judgments, which regard chiefly the
future reward, some, who are dutiful to their parents, are sooner
deprived of life, while others, who are undutiful to their parents,
live longer.
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