“Paul said, ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for
this is right’ (Ephesians 6:1), and then immediately thereafter adds, ‘Honour
thy father and mother’ (v. 2). This time, however, he added no qualifying
statement, describing it only as the ‘first commandment with promise’. To obey
one’s parents in the Lord means to obey them in righteousness (see McConkie,
Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 2:521). Anytime a child lives righteously
he brings honor to his parents, whether those parents are themselves righteous
or wicked. The opposite is also true. Anytime a child lives wickedly he brings
shame to his parents, whether or not the parents are righteous. (Old Testament
Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel [Church Educational System manual, 2003],
131).
