FLIGHT TO EGYPT - Holy Family Sunday (Cycle A)

Homily for the Holy Family Sunday (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 2:13-15, 19-23(Gospel), Sir 3:1-6,12-14(First Reading) and Col 3:12-21(Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

FLIGHT TO EGYPT

The gospel narrative for this Holy Family Sunday (Cycle A) is Mt 2:13-15, 19-23.

Verse 13 says: After they had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’

Parallel text is Mt 1:20 that says: He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord^g appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because  she has conceived what is in her  by the Holy Spirit.  Footnote ^g says “The ‘angel of the Lord’ in the early texts (Gn 16:7+) means Yahweh himself. With the development of the doctrine of angels (cf. Tb 5:4+) their distinction from God becomes clearer; they retain their function as heavenly messengers and often appear as such in the narratives of the infancy (Mt 1:20,24; 2:13,19; Lk 1:11; 2:9; cf. also Mt 28:2; Jn 5:4; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 12:7,23).”

Verses 14 and 15 say: So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, late that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead.  This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “ I called my son out of Egypt.^f  Footnote ^f says “Israel, therefore, the ‘son’ of the prophet’s text, prefigured the Messiah.”

Parallel texts for verse 15 says:

1.       Nb 23:22 - God^h brings  him out of Egypt, he is like the wild ox’s horns to him.ⁱ Footnote ^h says “‘El’ and not ‘Elohim’ here. Similarly 24:4,8,16.”; and Footnote ^I says “A difficult text. Alternative translation ‘he (Jacob) has the strength of the wild ox.’”.

2.       Ho 11:1 - When Israel was a child^b I loved him, and I called my son^c out of Egypt. Footnote ^b  says “For Hosea, the history of Israel really begins the Exodus. This whole passage describes the golden age pf the desert journey, cf. 2:16+. Hose seems only to have known, or to have remembered, the less credible incidents of the patriarchal period, 12:4-5,13.”; and Footnote ^c  says “‘my son’ Hebr.; ‘his son’ Greek.”

Verses 19 and 20 says: After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.  and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.’

Parallel text is Mt 1:20 that says: He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord^g appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because  she has conceived what is in her  by the Holy Spirit. Footnote ^g  says “The ‘angel of the Lord’ in the early texts (Gn 16:7+) means Yahweh himself. With the development of the doctrine of angels (cf. Tb 5:4+) their distinction from God becomes clearer; they retain their function as heavenly messengers and often appear as such in the narratives of the infancy (Mt 1:20,24; 2:13,19; Lk 1:11; 2:9; cf. also Mt 28:2; Jn 5:4; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 12:7,23).”

Verses 21, 22 and 23 say:  So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus^h had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judea he was afraid to go there and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee.ⁱ There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets where to be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”^j

Footnote  ^h says “Son of Herod by Malthake (like Herod Antipas); ethnarch of Judaea from 4 BC to 6 AD.”;  Footnote ⁱ says “Territory of Herod Antipas, cf. Lk 3:1+.’;  and Footnote ^j  says “Nazoraios: this is the form used by Mt, Jn. and Ac. (translated Nazarene throughout this version). Nazarenos (‘of Nazareth’ in this version) is used by Mk. Lk. uses both forms. These two synonyms  were current transcriptions of an Aramaic adjective (nasraya) itself derived from the name of the town “Nazareth’ (Nasrath). Applied to Jesus, whose origin it indicated (26:69,71), and later to his followers (Ac. 24:5), the term became common in the semitic world for the disciples of Jesus; the name ‘Christian’ (Ac. 11:26) prevailed in the Graeco-Roman world. It is not clear  which prophetic oracles Mt. alludes to; possibly to the nazir of Jg. 13:5,7.”

Parallel text for verse 21 is  Ex 4:19 that says: Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, ‘Go, return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to fill you are dead’

The First Reading is Sir 3:1-6,12-14.  Verses 1 to 6 say:  Children, listen to me your father, do what I tell you, and so be safe; For the Lord honors the father in his children, and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons. Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,  he who honors his mother is like someone amassing a fortune. Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own, he shall be heard on the day when he prays. Long life comes to him who honors his father, he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.^a Footnote^a  says“Corr. Following Hebr.: Greek ‘he who shows obedience to the Lord sets his mother at ease’. Add. V. 7a ‘He who fears the Lord respects his father’.”

Parallel texts for verse 1 are:

1.       Ex 20:12 - Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that Yahweh your God has given to you.

2.       Ex 20:12 - Children, be obedient to your parents in the Lord^a- that is your duty (v. 1). The first commandment that has a promise attached to it is:   Honor your father and mother (v. 2), and the promise is: and you will prosper and have a long life in the land (v. 3).Footnote ^a says“Om. ‘in the Lord’.”

3.       Dt 5:16 - Honor your father and your mother, as the Yahweh your God, has commanded you, so that you may have a long life and may prosper in the land the Yahweh your God gives to you

Verses 12, 13 and 14 say: My son, support you father in his old age, do not grieve him during his life.Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy, do not despise him in your health and strength.For kindness to a father shall not be forgotten.

Parallel texts for verse 12 are:

1.       Mt 15:4-6 - For God said: Do your duty to your father and mother and: Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death (v. 4). But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother; Anything I have that I might have used to help you is dedicated to God’^d (v. 5), he is rid of his duty to father or mother; ^e In this way you have made God’s word null and void by means of your tradition.  Footnote ^d   says “ Vulg. Interprets ‘Every gift I make (to God) is useful to you’.”; and  Footnote ^e says “Because property thus made over by vow assumes a sacred character which precludes all claims made by the parents. Such a vow was in fact only a legal fiction involving no sacrifice of ownership: it was no more than a despicable way of escaping the duty of filial piety. Though the rabbis acknowledged its impiety they sustained its validity.”

2.       Pr 19:26 - He who dispossesses his father and drives out his mother is a son as shameless as depraved.

The Second Reading is from Col 3:12-21.

Verse 12 says: You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ep 4:1-2,32 - I, prisoner in the Lord, implore you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation (v. 1) Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience (v. 2). Be friend with one another, and kind. Forgiving each other as readily a God forgave your in Christ (v. 32).

2. 1 Th 5:15 - Make sure that people do not try to take revenge; you must all think of what is best for each other and for the community.

Verse 13 says: Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now must do the same.

Parallel texts are:

1. Mt 6:14;18:21-35 - Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours (v. 14);  Then Peter went up to him and said, ‘Lord. How often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times? (v. 21) Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.^k Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor. ‘And so the kingdom may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants (v. 23). When the reckoning began, the brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; (v. 24) ^l but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt (v. 25). At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. ‘Give e time’ he said ‘and I will pay the whole sum’ (v. 26). And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt (v. 27). Now, as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii;^m and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. ‘Pay what you owe me’ he said  (v. 28). His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, ‘Give me time and I will pay you’ (v. 29). But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt (v. 30). His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him (v. 31). Then the master sent for him . “you wicked servant”, he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me (v. 32). Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you? (v. 33)” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt (v. 34). And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart (v. 35).’ Footnote ^k  says “Others render ‘seventy-times-seven times’, cf. 6:9+.”; Footnote ^l says “About £3,000,000, $9,000,000: the amount is deliberately fantastic.”; and Footnote ^m  says “Less than £5, $15.”
2. 2 Co 2:7…and the best thing now is to give him your forgiveness and encouragement, or he might break down from so much misery.
3. Ep 4:32 - Be friend with one another, and kind. Forgiving each other as readily a God forgave you^r in Christ. Footnote ^r  says “‘you’: var. ‘us’. The same in 5:2.”

Verse 14 says: Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love.

Parallel texts are: 

1. Rm 13:8-10 - Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations^c (v. 8). All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal,^d you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: you shall love your neighbor^e as yourself (v. 9). Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbor; that is why it is the answer to very one of the commandments.^f Footnote ^c  says “Lit. ‘fulfilled the law’- apparently law in general, not only the Mosaic Law”;  Footnote ^d  says  “Add (Vulg.)’you shall not bear false witness’”; Footnote ^e  says “In Lv the ‘neighbor’ was a fellow countryman, here it is any member of the human family which is made one in Christ, Ga. 3:28; Mt 25:40. Footnote ^f  says “Lit. ‘that is why love is the law in all its fullness’; Footnote ^g  says “The thought is a fundamental one in Paul’s moral teaching. The ‘time’ (kairos) is apparently the eschatological era, called in the bible the ‘latter days’; introduced by Christ’s death and resurrection and coextensive with the age of the church on earth, the age of salvation, 2 Co 6:2. It is opposed to the era that preceded it by a difference not so much of time as of nature. The Christian, henceforward a ‘child of the day’, emancipated from the wicker world, Ga 1:4, and from the empire of darkness, belongs to the kingdom of God and of his Son, Col. 1:13; he is already a citizen of heaven, Phil. 3:20. This entirely new status dominates the whole moral outlook, cf. 6:3f.
2. 1 Co 13:1 - If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love…^a Footnote^a says “Love (agape) has no possessiveness and is not a desire for satisfaction it wants to satisfy the other. The supreme charity is God’s love for us, 1 Jn 4:19, that made him give his Son so that sinners might be reconciled, Rm 5:8; 8:32-39; 2 Co 5:18-21;  Ep:4-7; cf. Jn 3:16f; 1 Jn 4:9-10, and become not only Gos’s chosen ones, Ep 1:4, but God’s sons, 1 Jn 3:1. This love is attributed to God (the Father), Rom 5:5; 8:39; 2 Co 13:11,13; Ph 2:1; 2 Th 2:16; cf. 1 Jn 2:15, but as it is identical with God’s nature; 1 Jn 4:7f,16, it is found in the Son, Rm 8:35,37,39; 2 Co 5:14; Ep 3:19; 1 Tm 1:14; 2 Tm 1:13, so the Son loves the Father as the Son is loved by the Father, Ep 1:6; Col 1:13; cf. Jn 3:35; 10:17; 14:31, and as the Father loves us, so the Son loves the human race, Jn 13:1,34, 14:21; 15:9, which he was sent to save, 2 Co 5:14f; Ga. 2:20; Ep 5:2,25; 1 Tm 1:14f; cf. Jn 15:13; 1 Jn 3:16; Rv 1:5. This is the same love that the Holy Spirit, Rm 15:30; Col 1:8, gives Christians, Rm 5:5; cf. Ga 5:22; to help them to carry out, Rm 8:4, the essential commandment of the Law, which is love of God and neighbor, Mt 22:17-40p; Rm 13:8-10; Ga 5:14. To love friends, and enemies, Mt 5:43-48p, is not only the necessary consequence of God’s love, 1 Jn 3:17; 4:20f, and it is the new commandment laid down by Christ, Jn 13:34f; 15:12,17; 1 Jn 3:23, etc., and how they love him, Col 1:8; 1 Th 3:6; etc. Love presupposes sincerity, humility, selflessness and self-sacrifice , Rm 12:9f; 1 Co 13:4-7; 2 Co 6:6; Ph 2:2f; service, Ga 5:13; cf. Heb 6:10, mutual help, Ep 4:2, cf. Rm  14:15; 2 Co 2:7f. Love shows itself in the way we behave, 2 Co 8:8-11,24; cf. 1 Jn 3:18, and the way we obey the Lord’s command, Jn 14:15; 1 Jn 5:2f, etc. and give effect to our faith, Ga 5:6; cfHeb 10:2. Love holds the community together, Col 3:14, cf 2 P 1:7, and it covers up many sins’, 1 P 4:8; cf. Lk&;47. Since love of neighbor springs from love of God, its motive cannot be fear, Rm 8:28-39; cf. 1 Jn 4:17f. Nor can we be charitable without truth, Ep 4:15, cf. 2 Th 2:10, and it is this that enables us to make moral judgments, Ph 1:9, and gives us spiritual understanding of the divine mystery, Col 2:2; cf. 1 Jn 4:7, and spiritual knowledge of the otherwise unknowable love of Christ, Ep 3:17-19; cf. 1 Co 8:1-3; 13:8-12. Since Christ, Ep 3:17-, and the whole Trinity, 2 Co 13:13+; Cf. Jn 14:15-23; 1 Jn4:12, live in the soul that has his love. It fosters the theological virtues, cf. Rm 1:16+; 5:2+, in any person where it is the dominant characteristic, 1 Co 13:13. Love is the only eternal virtue, 1 Co 13:8, and will only be perfect in the vision, 1 Co 13:12; cf. 1 Jn 3:2, when God gives the lovers the gift he has promised, 1 Co 2:9; Rm 8:28; Ep 6:24; 2 Tm 4:8; cf. Jm 1:12; 2:5.”
3. Ep 2:16…through the cross, to unite them both in a single Body^o and reconcile them with God. In his own person he killed the hostility. Footnote ^o  says  “This ‘single Body’ is both the physical body of Jesus that was executed by crucifixion, Col 1:22+, and the Church or ‘mystical’ body of Christ in which, once they were reconciled, all the parts function in their own place, 1 Co 12:12+.”
4. Ep 4:3-4 - Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together (v. 3). There is one Body, one spirit, just as you were called into one and the same hope when you were called (v. 4).
5. Ph 4:7 - And that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts,^b in Christ Jesus. Footnote  ^bsays “Var. ‘your bodies’.”
6. 1 Co 12:12 - Just as a human body, it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ.^k Footnote ^k  says “The way a human body gives unity to all its component parts is the way Christ, as a unifying principle of the Church, gives unity to all Christians in his Body.”

Verses 15 and 16 say: And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ,^g in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other and advice each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God;^h Footnote ^g  say “Var. ‘of the Lord’, or ‘of God’ possibly the text originally read ‘the Word’, cf. Ph 1:4; 2:30”; and Footnote ^h  says “‘These ‘inspired songs’ could be charismatic improvisations suggested by the Spirit during liturgical assembly; cf. 1 Co 12:7f; 14:26.”

Parallel texts are:

1. Ep 4:29 - Guard against foul talk; let your words be for the improvement of others, as occasion offers, and do good to your listeners…
2. Ac 16:25 - Late that night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God’s praises, while the other prisoners listened.
3. Ep 5:19-20 - Sing the words and tunes of the psalms and hymns when you are together, and go on singing and chanting to the Lord in your hearts (v. 19), so that always and everywhere you are giving thanks to God who is your Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. 1 Co 10:31 - Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God.

Verses 17 and 18 say: and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.

Parallel texts are:

1. Ep5:21  -Give way to one another in obedience to Christ.
2. Ep 6:9 - And those of you who are employers, treat yourselves in the same spirit; do without threats, remembering that they and you have the same Master in heaven and he is not impressed by one person more than by another.
3. 1 P 3:1-7 - In the same way, wives should be obedient to their husbands. Then, if there are some husbands who have not yet obeyed the word, they may find themselves won over, without a word spoken, by the way their wives behave (1), when they see how faithful and conscientious they are (2). Do not dress up for show; doing up your hair, wearing gold bracelets and fine clothes (v. 3); all these should be inside, in a person’s heart, ^a imperishable: the ornament of a sweet and gentle disposition - this is what is precious in the sight of God (v. 4). That is how the holy women of the past dressed themselves attractively - they hoped in God and were tender and obedient to their husbands (v. 5); like Sarah, who was obedient to Abraham, and called him her lord. You are now her children, as long as you live good lives and do not give way to fear or worry (v. 6). In the same way, husbands must always treat their wives with consideration in their life together, respecting a woman as one who, though she may be the weaker partner, is equally anheir^b to the life of grace. This will stop anything from coming in the way of your prayers (v. 7). Footnote ^a  says  “Lit. ‘should be the hidden man (self) of the heart’”; and Footnote ^b  says “‘(she)’ is equally an heir’, var. ‘you are equally heirs’, ‘the life of grace’, lit ‘the grace of life’; var. ‘her own form of the grace of life’, cf. 4:10.”
4. Tt 2:5…how they are to be sensible and chaste, and how to work in their homes, and be gentle, and do as their husbands tell them, so that the message of God is never disgraced.

Verse 19 says:Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness.

Parallel text is Ep 5:2-6:9 that says: Try, then, to imitate God, as children of his that he loves (v. 1), and follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God (v. 2). Among you there must be not even a mention of fornication or impurity in any of its forms, or promiscuity: this would hardly become the saints! (v. 3). There must ne no coarseness, or salacious talk and jokes - all this is wrong for you: raise your voice in thanksgiving instead (v. 4). For you can be quite certain that nobody who actually indulges in fornication or impurity or promiscuity-which is worshipping a false god^a- can inherit anything of the kingdom of God (v. 5) Do not let anything deceive you with empty arguments: it is for this loose living that God’s anger comes down on those who rebel against him (v. 6). Make sure that you are not included with them (v. 7).  You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light (v.  8), for the effects  of the light are seen in complete good ness and right living and truth (v. 9). Try to discover what the Lord wants of you (v. 10); having nothing to do with the futile works of darkness but exposing them by contrast (v. 11). The things which are done in secret are things that people are ashamed even to speak of (v. 12); but anything exposed by the light will be illuminated (v. 13) and anything illuminated turns into light.^b That is why it is said:^cWake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you (v. 14) ^d  So be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people (v. 15). This may be a wicked age, but your lives should redeem it (v. 16). And do not be thoughtless but recognize what is the will of the Lord (v. 17). Do not drug yourselves with wine, this is simply dissipation; be filled with the Spirit (v. 18). Sing the words and tunes of the psalms and hymns when you are together, and go on singing and chanting to the Lord in your hearts (v. 19), so that always and everywhere you are giving thanks to God who is your Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 20). Give way to one another in obedience to Christ (V. 21). Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord (v. 22), since^e as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife (v. 23). And as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in everything (v. 24). Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her (v. 25), to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words (v. 26), so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless^f (v. 27). In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself (v. 28). A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church (v. 29). Because it is his body – and we are its living parts ^g (30). For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother – and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body (v. 31). This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church^h (v. 32). To sum up; you too, each one of you, must love his wife as he loves himself; and let every wife respect her husband (v. 33). Children, be obedient to your parents in the Lord^a- that is your duty (Ch 6, v. 1). The first commandment that has a promise attached to it is:   Honor your father and mother (v. 2), and the promise is: and you will prosper and have a long life in the land (v. 3). And parents, never drive your children to resentment but in bringing them up correct them and guide them as the Lord does (v. 4) Slaves, be obedient to the men who are called your masters in the world, with deep respect^b and sincere loyalty, as you are obedient to Christ (v. 5); not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please men, but because you are slaves of Christ and wholeheartedly do the will of God (v. 6). Work hard and willingly, but do it for the sake of the Lord and not for the sake of men (v. 7). You can be sure that everyone, whether a slave or a free man, will be properly rewarded by the Lord for whatever work he has done well (v. 8). And those of you who are employers, treat yourselves in the same spirit; do without threats, remembering that they and you have the same Master in heaven and he is not impressed by one person more than by another (v. 9).Footnote ^b says “The wrong sort of way to talk about sexual immorality is the way that leaves the subject in a dangerous obscurity, v. 3. To talk about it in such a way however that it is recognized for what it is will lead to its being corrected: this sort of light is the light of Christ that puts an end to darkness” Footnote ^c  says “This (like 1 Tm 3:16) seems to be an extract from an early Christian hymn. On baptism as an enlightening, cf. Heb. 6:4; 10:32 (cf. Rm 6:4+)”;  Footnote  ^d  says "Var. ‘and you will touch Christ’."; Footnote says ^e  says “By drawing a parallel between human marriage and the marriage of Christ to the Church, vv. 23-32, Paul makes these two concept illumine each other. Christ is the husband of the Church because he is her head and because he loves the Church as much as a man loves his own body when he loves his wife. Having established this, the comparison naturally suggests an ideal for human marriage. The symbol of Israel as the wife of Yahweh is common in the OT, Ho 1:2+”;  Footnote ^f says “It was customary in the middle east at the time this letter was written, for the ‘sons of the wedding’ to escort the bride to her husband after she had been bathed and dressed. As applied mystically to the Church, Christ washes his bride himself in the bath of baptism, and makes her immaculate (note the mention of a baptismal formula) and introduces her to himself”; and Footnote ^g says “Add. (Vulg.) ‘made from his flesh and blood’; and Footnote ^h says “Paul makes this Gn text a prophecy of the marriage of Christ and the Church: a mystery, like that of the salvation of the pagans, that has been hidden but is now revealed, cf. 1:9f; 3:3f.” Chapter 6: Verse 1, Footnote ^a  says “Om. ‘in the Lord.’; and Footnote ^b  says “Lit. ‘Fear and trembling’, cf. 1 Co 2:3+.”

Verse 20 says: Children be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord.

Parallel text is  Tt 2:5 that says:  how they are to be sensible and chaste, and how to work in their homes, and be gentle, and do as their husbands tell them, so that the message of God is never disgraced.

Verse 21 says: Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.

Parallel text is Ep 6:1 that says:Children, be obedient to your parents in the Lord ^a- that is your duty.  Footnote ^a says “Om. ‘in the Lord.’