PS, you're really making me work here lol but it's all good, cz I'm learning aswell.
8. Why does it forbid us to address religious leaders as "father"? (Matt. 23:9).
Matthew 23:9
New King James Version (NKJV)
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
The above quote from the Gospel of St. Matthew must be read in the context of the whole of chapter 23, in which our Lord Jesus Christ denounces the pride and hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, the contrast between their words and actions (v. 3), the heavy burdens they placed of the shoulders of the people without giving any assistance (v. 4) and their love to be seen and praised (vv. 5-7).
Our Lord used this hyperbole to provide a lesson in humility, exhorting His followers to realise that only the Heavenly Father is the genuine Father, while all others simply partake, or reveal a part, of His Fatherhood. Those in positions of power are not to lord it over others, imposing impossible burdens while seeking public recognition and praise, Christ concluded His admonitios, saying, " whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (v. 12).
A literal understanding of our Lord's words would lead to an absurd conclusion, prohibiting us from calling our natural fathers "father," while allowing us to call our mothers "mother." Yet, such an interpretation would go against scripture itself, where Our Lady says to the Child Jesus: "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously" (St. Luke 2:48). It would also prevent us from calling anyone "teacher" for Our Lord warned equally against the use of this title as well: "But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all bretheren" (St. Matt. 23:8)
St. Paul confirms that there are various types of fatherhood, all of which are based on the Fatherhood of God: "For this cause I bow my kneesto the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom all paternity in heaven and on earth is named" (Eph. 3:15). Abraham is acknowledged as the father of allwho have faith in numerous passages, even in the New Law:
Luke 16:30
New King James Version (NKJV)
[SUP]30 [/SUP]And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
John 8:56
New King James Version (NKJV)
[SUP]56 [/SUP]Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Acts 7:2
New King James Version (NKJV)
[SUP]2 [/SUP]And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
Romans 4:11
New King James Version (NKJV)
[SUP]11 [/SUP]And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,
James 2:21
New King James Version (NKJV)
[SUP]21 [/SUP]Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
AND!!!
St. Paul addressed a crowd in Jerusalem as follows:
Acts 22:1New King James Version (NKJV)
22 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”
St. Paul also applies the term "father" to himself, while on more than one occasion he writes to his own as if they were his children- 1Cor. 4:14-15, 2Cor. 12:14, Phil. 2:22, 1 Thes. 2:11, 1Tim. 1:2, Tit. 1:4, Phile. 1:10.
From these verses it is evident that the title "father" was used not with any sense of pride, but rather to engender tenderness and affection within spiritual relationships. The Catholic Church wishes her children to act in the same way when addressing those who partake in God's Fatherhood through preaching the Gospel and sanctifying the faithful.
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