9He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10For Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother';[d] and, "He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'[e] 11But you say, "If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"--' (that is, a gift to God), 12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."
At what point does a person’s duty to his parents end? When he is grown up and can stand up on his own? When he finds a job and leaves the family home? Or when he gets married and builds his own family? God has always exhorted His people to be kind to the poor. If he can hand down commandments for the poor, isn’t a poor parent included in this? Some would claim that when the Bible says that “a man should cleave to his wife”, he stops being a son and starts being a husband. A pathetic excuse to cover up for the sin of ingratitude! And modern culture seems to endorse the practice that when a child is grown-up and self-reliant, he is free to go his merry way and not look back.
I have seen elderly people who are so poor ply the streets of Manila, begging for a little money from pedestrians and motorists, oblivious to the danger of being ran over. I have interviewed some of them, and they have sad stories to tell. I have asked an 83 year old woman why she was taking chances with her life in the middle of the traffic begging for alms, and if she didn’t have any family she can stay with. She said she has a son, a government employee, but he is married and earning just enough for his family. Why do we have this notion that we are only able to help if we have excess resources? “Is there no one else?” I asked. I have a daughter who is married to a doctor,” she replied. “But he is well-known in society and doesn’t want it known that he married someone from a poor family, so my daughter cut herself off from us.” She sounded so resigned, so accepting of her plight I couldn’t help feeling indignant on her behalf. “Do your children go to church?” I couldn’t help asking. “They do. They are devout Roman Catholics,” she proudly said. Wow. Probably give tithes, too, if they are that devout. But I didn’t say that aloud in case she gets offended. I handed her a 100 peso bill when the traffic light turned green. The delight on her face was a sight to see. But how long will 100 pesos last? Where will she sleep at night? Under the skyway, behind a giant concrete pillar? What if it rains? What if she gets sick? Who will take care of her? What if she gets run over by a car, or dies in her sleep? Will anyone mourn her? Will her body be buried with honor, or will it be sold to medical students to be studied in their anatomy class?
For those who have not deigned to look back where they came from, I leave you with this thought. You stopped being a son or daughter, and you have concentrated on being husband or a wife. If you are lucky, you will become a dad or a mom, too. Be careful. Our children learn by our example. You might just end up like that old woman on the street.
One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law; and to make way for this, he rejects the ceremonies men added to the law of God's making. Those clean hands and that pure heart which Christ bestows on his disciples, and requires of them, are very different from the outward and superstitious forms of Pharisees of every age. Jesus reproves them for rejecting the commandment of God. It is clear that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them. But if a man conformed to the traditions of the Pharisees, they found a device to free him from the claim of this duty. (Mk 7:14-23)
Matthew Henry’ Concise Commentary
