Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 129
Question 129
What is required of superiors towards their inferiors?
It is required of superiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to love, pray for, and bless their inferiors; to instruct, counsel, and admonish them; countenancing, commending, and rewarding such as do well; and discountenancing, reproving, and chastising such as do ill; protecting, and providing for them all things necessary for soul and body: and by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God, honor to themselves, and so to preserve that authority which God hath put upon them.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Colossians 3:1919Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Titus 2:44In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,
1 Samuel 12:2323As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
Job 1:55And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
1 Kings 8:55-5655And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:
56“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.
Hebrews 7:77And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
Genesis 49:2828These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.
Deuteronomy 6:6-76These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
7And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Ephesians 6:44Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
1 Peter 3:77Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
1 Peter 2:1414or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
Romans 13:33For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.
Esther 6:33The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.
Romans 13:3-43For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.
4For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Proverbs 29:1515A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
Job 29:12-1712because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
Isaiah 1:1010Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
Isaiah 1:1717Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
1 Timothy 5:88If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Timothy 4:1212Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
Titus 2:3-53Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good.
4In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,
5to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.
1 Kings 3:2828When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
Titus 2:1515Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Source and edition
Westminster Larger Catechism. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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