FUN FACT:

The Vulcan “salute” was devised by Leonard Nimoy, who portrayed the half Vulcan character Mr. Spock on the original Star Trek television series. Nimoy said in that interview that he “decided that the Vulcans were a “hand-oriented” people”.  In his 1975 autobiography I Am Not Spock, Nimoy, who was Jewish, wrote that he based it on the Priestly Blessing performed by Jewish Kohanim with both hands, thumb to thumb in this same position, representing the Hebrew letter Shin (ש in Square Script, or Paleo Hebrew 𐤔‎), which has three upward strokes similar to the position of the thumb and fingers in the gesture. The letter Shin here stands for El Shaddai, meaning “Almighty (God)”, as well as for Shekhinah and Shalom. Nimoy wrote that when he was a child, his grandfather took him to an Orthodox synagogue, where he saw the blessing performed and was impressed by it.

Paul also takes us back to what the Jews then should know well—the original Ten Commandments given to Moses by God.  He reminds his readers that one particular commandment comes with a promise— “so that you will live well and have a long life.”  In other words, “live long and prosper” by honoring your father and mother!

To honor someone generates from our deep love for them.  Respect for who they are follows our love and grows an admiration for who they are becoming to us and to others.  We regard those we honor as important to our lives, placing great value on the ways they contribute to our wellbeing.

God gives us the commanding order to honor the ones who gave us life on this earth.  We are to hold our parents in high esteem “so we live long and proper.” Life is much harder and heartbreaking when parents and children frustrate each other in ways that destroy loving relationships that God wants us to have and to hold. 

Paul will close his letter with how to resist evil by knowing the Enemy exists to destroy our relationship with God. Know the attacks will come and be prepared. Know the weak spots of our Enemy—he knows ours!  What Satan hates most are believer in Jesus, crying out in the Name of Jesus.  God answers this prayer with the power to resist evil.  We are promised this power, the same power that raised Jesus from death to life! Tap into it.  Satan cannot handle this power that God have given us full access to in our battle with evil.  We cannot defeat the Enemy of God by ourselves or by sheer will power—only in the Name of Jesus who is our Victor over the Enemy.

Believers who trust in God as our Source of strength with unlimited Power are overcomers with Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!

Ephesians 6, The Message

^1-3 Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. “Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, “so you will live well and have a long life.”

⁴ Fathers, don’t frustrate your children with no-win scenarios. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.

^5-8 Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.

⁹ Masters, it’s the same with you. No abuse, please, and no threats. You and your servants are both under the same Master in heaven. He makes no distinction between you and them.

A Fight to the Finish

^10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

^13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

^19-20 And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.

^21-22 Tychicus, my good friend here, will tell you what I’m doing and how things are going with me. He is certainly a dependable servant of the Master! I’ve sent him not only to tell you about us but to cheer you on in your faith.

^23-24 Good-bye, friends. Love mixed with faith be yours from God the Father and from the Master, Jesus Christ. Pure grace and nothing but grace be with all who love our Master, Jesus Christ.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We respond with love that gives honor to our parents, no matter who they are or what they have done, we honor and give respect to those who gave us birth.  As children our command is to love, honor, and respect our parents. As parents we lead our children with love to the Father God who so loved us He sent His Son to save us.  To honor is hold each other in high esteem with value for their existence.

God, our Father, demonstrates this holy relationship to us through Jesus, His Son.  If we need to know how to honor our parents, look to Jesus who honored His Father in Heaven consistently with high esteem and praise!  Look to Jesus with how to treat each other so all will go well with parents, children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends and even our enemies!  Be led in all relationships by His love in us.  Look to Jesus with a desire to love like He loves us and everyone else in the world!

We respond to the Enemy who hates all loving relationships that begin with Jesus at the center, by being prepared for his attacks.  The Enemy has limited power with the same old tools of distraction by shiny objects of self, deception with lies of destruction with efforts to destroy our loving, faithful relationship with God and others. 

Paul reminds us that we are given God’s “weapons” to sustain us in battle and give us the victory over the Enemy of God.  We respond with knowing full well that we will need God’s unlimited strength and power to help us when the attacks on our faith will come.  We must encourage each other in the battle to overcome with Christ! 

Lord,

Thank you for reminding us of the power you offer us in our daily battles with evil. Thank you for “arming” us for the war you have already won!  Thank you for teaching us to not love only each other but to honor the ones who gave us birth with respect for their existence by your command.  May we live long and prosper in your love, mercy, and grace!

In Jesus Name, Amen