April 12, 2011
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Leaving and Cleaving, Filial Piety
For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5, Ephesians 5:31
The word of God is very clear about leaving and cleaving. The Confucius teachings of filial piety is important and a worthy teaching in that it is essential and important to respect and honor one's parents just as the commandment to "Honor one's parents" tell us, however quoting the commandment out of context and stretching its meaning illogically to the unintended realms of filial piety resembles a twisting of the scriptures and of God's divine design. All too often, some still heavily influenced by the teachings of Confucius attempt to blend, comport, and marry the two incompatible concepts of filial piety and "Honor[ing] one's parents." Some believe that the two unrelated concepts and ideas are equivalent.
A closer examination of the scriptures will clearly reveal that filial piety and "honoring one's parents" are two completely different concepts and to equate them together and talk about them as though they are one and of the equivalent is ignorant. First and foremost, filial piety requires not only honoring and respecting one's parents throughout one's lifetime, but even after they are dead. Wikipedia states the following regarding the definition of filial piety, "In Confucian ideals, filial piety (Chinese: 孝; pinyin: xiào) is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_piety)." Respect for the dead is not biblical. In fact, the requirement of respect for the dead under filial piety is not biblical because there exists sacrifices for the dead. Some burn incense for the dead and make sacrifices to them (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_piety). Such behavior is sin. Christians do not make sacrifices to the dead and they do not border on worshiping the dead in that way. The notion and ideals of filial piety as it is practiced in the ideal Confucian way is incompatible with Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. And, to use the commandment to "honor one's parents" as bridge into filial piety is a mockery of God's eternal word.
Secondly, the Bible clearly states that there are limits to the "honoring one's parents." There comes a time when a man must leave his mother and father and cleave onto his wife. No where in the teaching of filial piety does it teach that one should leave and cleave. Instead, filial piety teaches that one should continue to hold the virtue above all else (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_piety). Clearly, this is against what God clearly states, "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." We cannot say that God intends to hold the parent-child and "ancestor/descendant" relationship above all else based on these verses in the Bible. These clearly reveal to us that the Confucian utmost virtue of filial piety is against the word of God. God clearly states that the husband and wife relationship ranks above the parent and child relationship - to put it another way, God clearly states that the husband and wife relationship is of utmost importance, not the relationship of parent-child.
While it is clear what God clearly intends and writes to us in the Bible, in practice, it is difficult for some who are influence by Confucian ideals and traditions to move away from of them, but as we live lives sanctified by the Holy Spirit and as His word dwells in us, He will slowly shape us and conform us to His word and the ideals of His truth. What is not His truth cannot live and dwell near or by those who have His Spirit in them. What we see in Christians should be a slow process away from this practice.
Not only does God's word firmly speak up against filial piety on logical terms. God Himself also models the leaving and cleaving process to us through His Son Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2, we learn that Christ humble Himself to become man so that He could die for our sins and bring us eternal life. What also happened is that Christ also gave up this rights as the Son of God, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of servant, being in human likeness, And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- event death on the cross! (Phil 2:6-8)" Christ left His relationship with the Father, became our bridegroom through His death and resurrection on the cross. He in effect metaphorically marries and cleaves to us through His shed blood. This is indeed a mystery, but it is a wonderful mystery that provides us with life eternal. In fact, Saint Paul speaks about marriage and states that the mystery is about Christ and the church (Eph 5:32) to further emphasize this concept.
Thus, it is clearly Christianity, true Christianity that a husband, who is called to love as Christ loves the church, leave his parents to cleave onto his wife. To make this clear to us, Christ Himself gave up equality with God (a metaphor for leaving) by humbling Himself to become a man so that the Father can have a relationship with us through His Son's blood (a metaphor for cleaving). If God wants us to do something for Him, His Son, the perfect fulfillment of the law should have done everything that the law requires. Jesus Himself says that He fulfills the law. Therefore, if Christ does not fulfill the law, then the scriptures cannot be true. Here, we see that God tells us to leave and cleave and scripture is consistent -- revealing that Christ, the WAY, the truth and the life.
Copyright 2011 by Christenstein
Comments (1)
Yes, the Word of God always takes precedence over human teaching/traditions when the two are at odds. Also, though we are all born into our human families by our first birth, b/c of our second birth, we are born into a new, spiritual family ~ Mark 3:31-35.