I guess I am trying to learn more and go past the “canned answers” so to speak.
Maybe this is not as easy as I thought.
What about disecting common rebuttals? Like “call no man father” worshiping Mary, infant baptism, why do non denoms baptise at older ages, confession and such.
Here’s how I deal with the supposed quote “call no man father”.
The text in question is Matt 23:9. It reads, “Call no one on earth your father (
patera umon); you have one Father in heaven.” This is construed to mean Jesus, in this passage, prohibits priests from being addressed as “Father.” Is this valid?
Three biblical arguments suggest otherwise.
First, the preceding passage used the title “Rabbi” in an unqualified sense: “do not be called ‘Rabbi.’”
This passage, however, says call no one your (
umon) father. It does not say: “call no one on earth ‘father.’” Jesus is using hyperbole to stress the uniqueness, sovereignty, and commonality of our heavenly Father with reference to earthly fatherhood.
Second, the above comports with other instances of hyperbole (exaggeration) in Christ’s teaching which are not followed literally even by those who want to follow the text in question literally.
Jn 6:27 – “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.” No one says this text means we should not work for a living.
Lk 21:17 // Mt 10:22 – “You will be hated by all
panton] because of my name,” Clearly each and every last person will not hate a given Christian individual or the church.
Mt 18:8-9 // Mk 9:43-48 – No one holds one should literally cut off ones hand if it is a cause of sin, etc.
Mt 23:8,10 – within the passage in question we read: “Avoid being called
kathegetes teacher/leader/guide/master.” Are these titles rejected just like “your father”? NO!
Third, there are numerous instances in the New Testament where people on earth are called “father” using the same Greek word
pater. St. Paul, a religious leader, is included. Below is a list.
Lk 15:12, 20, 22, 29 – In narrating the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus himself uses the word “father” four times when referring to the prodigal son’s . . uh . . dad.
Acts 7:2 – “. . . our father Abraham . . .”
Rom 4:12, 16, 17, 18 – for a total of five times Abraham is referred to as our “father” in faith
*1 Cor 4:15 – St. Paul describes himself as the Corinthian’s father in Christ Jesus
1 Cor 4:17 – St. Paul calls Timothy his “son.”
*1 Thess 2:11 – St. Paul says he treats the Thessalonians as a father treats his children
See also Gal 4:19.
Philemon 10 – In his imprisonment, St. Paul is the [spiritual] father of Onesimus.
Heb 7:9-10 – Levi’s “father” Abraham
Heb 12:7, 9 – fathers discipline their sons
James 2:21 – “. . . Abraham our father . . .”
*1 John 2:13-14 – John writes to “fathers” and calls his readers “children”
1 Tim 1:2, 18 – to Timothy, my true child in faith [which means Paul sees himself as a Father]
2 Tim 1:2; 2:1; Titus 1:4 – my true child (in faith) [which means Paul sees himself as a Father]
