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| Mt 23:9 | Jesus: Call no man "father" on earth [1]verse used to challenge Catholic teaching | This verse is used by some against the Catholic practice of calling priests "father," but conflicting verses (see sub-topics below) make such a hard prohibition nonsensical. Something else is going on.
In context (c.f., Mt 23:2-12), Jesus is decrying those who seek earthly honor and recognition. A comment in Haydock for Matthew 23:9 indicates that such honorifics were sought by some Jewish leaders. Jesus is warning against earthly pride. In other words, do not seek to become a "Father" for vainglory or to be the leader of a religious movement nor follow those who do so. Such behavior tries to place man above God in Heaven. Instead, cultivate a sense of service. A hard and fast prohibition against an otherwise innocent title just smacks of Old Testament prohibitions based on faulty understandings of the law. |
| Ep 3:14-15 | Source of Fatherhood | To our mind, this helps explain Mt 23:9. God the Father is the source of all paternity in heaven and on earth. Fatherhood here on earth is derived from God and is acceptable only to the extent it faithfully follows the example of God's love and discipline. We can, in effect, share in God's fatherhood. The warning of Mt 23:9 is directed at those who seek earthly glory and recognition for their own efforts (as apparently some Jewish leaders had done). Such behavior pushes God to the side. |
| He 12:9 | fathers in the flesh | Our earthly fathers reverenced for acting as fathers. Our heavenly Father to be reverenced even more. |
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| Lk 14:26 | Jesus: "his father..." | Here we see Jesus use "father" to describe others favorably. |
| Lk 16:24 | Jesus calls Abraham "father" | |
| Jn 8:56 | Jesus: "your father Abraham" | |
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| AA 7:2 | Stephen: "our father Abraham" | |
| AA 22:1 | Paul addresses some as "fathers" | The apostles also use "father" as a title of honor for others. |
| Rm 4:1 | Abraham, our forefather... | |
| Rm 4:16-17 | God, Paul: Abraham = "father" | |
| Rm 9:10 | Paul: "our father Isaac" | |
| 1 Cr 4:14-15 | Paul: "I have begotten you" | Even Paul uses the term "fathered" (or "begotten," depending on the translation) to describe himself. |
| Ep 6:1-2 | honor your father and mother | And do not forget that the title "Father" is found in the 10 Commandments. |
| Pp 2:22 | a son (Timothy) with father (Paul) | |
| 1 Th 2:11 | as a father treats his children | |
| 1 Tm 1:2 | my true child (Paul as "father") | |
| 1 Tm 5:1 | treat older men "as a father" | |
| Pm 1:10 | I've become father of Onesimus | |
| He 12:7-9 | earthly fathers to discipline us | |
| Ti 1:4 | Titus, my true beloved child | Implied fatherhood |
| Ga 4:19 | Paul: "my little children" | |
| 1 Tm 1:18 | my son (i.e., Paul=father) | |
| 2 Tm 2:1 | my son (i.e., Paul=father) | |
| 1 Pt 5:13 | Peter: "my son Mark" | |
| 1 Jn 2:1 | John: "my little children..." | |
| 1 Jn 2:12 | John: "my children..." | |
| 3 Jn 1:4 | John: "my little children..." | |
| 2 Cr 6:13 | Paul: you as my children | Paul puts the picture of himself as the "father" in the minds of the Corinthians. |
| Ep 6:4 | Paul: you that are fathers | Paul gives directions to fathers regarding children |
| 1 Jn 2:28 | John: my little children | John places himself in the father's role. |
| 1 Jn 2:13 | John: you, fathers | |
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| Sr 3:2-3 | Fathers made favored by God | |
| Gn 45:8 | Joseph a "father" to pharaoh | Figurative; at God's behest |
| Gn 45:9 | Jacob is father of Joseph | Literal |
| Ex 20:12 | Honor your father... | This commandment, with its root in the natural law, is in perpetuity. |
| Lv 19:3 | honor/revere your father | |
| Dt 5:16 | Honor thy father... | |
| Tb 10:13 | Honor thy father-in-law... | [Tobit 12:12 in RSV-CE] |
| Sr 3:9-10 | Blessings repay honor | Honor given to a father results in blessings. [Sirach 3:8 in RSV-CE] |
| Dt 6:10 | Fathers: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob | |
| Dt 27:16 | Curse for dishonoring father | |
