Matthew 15:4 Meaning and Explanation
“For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus cites God's command to honor parents and the gravity of cursing them, establishing the weight of the law they neglect.
What Does Matthew 15:4 Mean?
Jesus grounds His rebuke in Scripture, quoting the command to honor father and mother and the severe sentence for cursing them. He chooses the very commandment that touches family duty, because the leaders' tradition, as He will show, undercut that duty. By citing both the positive charge and its solemn penalty, He shows how seriously God regards the bond between parent and child.
To honor parents is not a minor courtesy but a pillar of the moral law, carrying a promise and, when defied, a grave consequence. Jesus lifts this command up to expose how a human rule had quietly emptied it. The verse calls every reader back to the plain, weighty things God has commanded, the duties no clever custom should be allowed to dissolve.
Matthew 15:4 in the Original Language
timao (τιμάω), 'honour' -- to hold in high value and show practical respect, including provision and care, not mere feeling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 15:4
What does Matthew 15:4 mean?
Jesus cites God's command to honor parents and the gravity of cursing them, establishing the weight of the law they neglect.