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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 (Questions
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.
Objection 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 (Question
101, Articles 1,2). Therefore it was unfitting for this
precept to mention only the honoring of one's father and mother.
Objection 3: Further, we owe our parents not merely honor but also
support. Therefore the mere honoring of one's parents is unfittingly
prescribed.
Objection 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 to Objection 1: As stated above (Question 101, Article
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 to Objection 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 to Objection 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 (Question 101, Article 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 to Objection 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 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
(FS, Question 114, Article 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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