The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q66. What is the reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment,
is a promise of long life and prosperity
(as far as it shall serve for God’s glory and their own good) to all such as
keep this commandment.[1]
[1] Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians 6:2–3.
The Fifth Commandment is the first particular commandment which is attached with a promise to encourage all to keep it: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” (Ex 20:12); “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise)” (Eph 6:2).
It is true that there is a promise of God’s showing mercy unto thousands,
annexed unto the Second Commandment. But note that the promise there is not
with respect to those who keep the commandment only, but with respect to those
who love God; whereas here, the promise of long life is particularly applied
unto the keepers of this Fifth Commandment.
We must remember that this promise of long life is not only about the bare
continuance of life for a long time. A long life may be so accompanied with
miseries that death may be more desirable. So, the answer to our catechism
rightly includes in the promise, the blessing and prosperity of life in
accordance to Paul’s encouragement: “That it may be well with thee” (Eph
6:2–3).
It may be asked whether statistically, it is true that all who honour their
parents live long and prosper upon the earth? Thomas Vincent answers most
succinctly:
(1) Many that honour their parents, and are faithful in all relative duties, do now attain long life and prosperity in the world, and that by virtue of this promise; and those that do otherwise, are many of them cut off in their youth, or in the midst of their days, and bring the curse of poverty and want upon themselves whilst they live: yet withal, we may observe that temporal promises and judgments were fulfilled more in the letter formerly in the Old Testament times, than in the latter gospel-days, wherein they are often exchanged into spiritual. (2) This promise is to be understood with this exception—so far as it may serve for God’s glory and the real good of all those that keep this commandment; and oftentimes God is glorified, and they are benefited, when they are exercised with affliction, and God sees it best to take some of them home in their youth, or strength of their years, to Himself; to hide them from the miseries that befall them that survive, and, instead of long life on the earth, He giveth them eternal life in heaven [Ps 119:71; Isa 57:1; 1 Jn 2:25].