Rendering Honors

Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Psalm 27:4, NASB)

The verb here translated as “render” is significant. Some translations use “give” or “pay,” but the Greek verb used in the original text <apodidōmi> is the same verb used to denote the following words of Jesus:

“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:31, ESV)

This verb denotes relinquishing that which rightfully belongs to its owner.

Military Funeral Honors are rendered to our service members in this way. It is their right and their due for giving their life to this country. Chaplains are members of the Honor Guard when these respects are paid.

This summer, I had the honor of conducting my first Military Funeral Honors at Quantico National Cemetery. The request for a chaplain came all but too late during a season with a high degree of turnover. But being a new chaplain, having been rerouted to Joint Base Andrews (JBA), I was available to make the one-hour drive to our nation’s largest Marine Corps base to join the JBA Honor Guard in rendering honors.

The family was deeply grateful, and I was struck by the thought that though funerals are for the living, the honors belong to those that have crossed over to eternity.

Godspeed,

Troy Robertson, Chaplain
Chapel Corps