"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

What exactly does this promise entail? First, what it does not mean. It does not mean that the more we honor the longer we will live. Too many who have honored their parents have died relatively young, and too many who have not honored their parents have lived quite long for that to be the correct interpretation.

In context for Israel, the promise was not for long lives for individuals, but for the nation to inhabit the Promised Land for a long time. Paul’s New Testament application seems to indicate a literal long life. Again, as the previous paragraph states, that cannot be true, because it isn’t! What then?

Note that Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:3 add a phrase (that I have underlined) that is not in Exodus: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” This phrase appears to be more directed to quality of life than a literal duration of life.

This reminds us that the “eternal life” of salvation (John 3:16) is also to be understood as an “abundant life” (John 10:10). So “eternal life” does not mean living on the earth eternally, but living on the earth abundantly, and in Heaven eternally. It is, therefore, a mistake to force a literalistic interpretation of the promise attached to the fifth commandment. Rather, let us understand God’s promise of blessing on those who honor their parents.