When was "father" first used as a title for a priest?

[JSRG]

First, I want to clarify what I’m asking. I’m not talking about when a priest was referred to simply as father. I mean the more specific case of using it as a title and referring to priests as "Father " as we do now. Does anyone know when the earliest cases of that was?

Someone asked this question (or something very much like it) a long time ago at When were priests first called "father"? but didn’t really get an answer, so I figured I’d try again and see if anyone knew.

 

[po18guy]

You can argue that Saint Paul began the practice, considering himself to be the father of both Timothy and Titus. Yet, since Saint Paul was celibate, we know that his fatherhood was spiritual in nature.

 

[anon91549587]

The anchorites of the desert called each other “abba”. Hope that helps.

 

[JerryZ]

It is actually in the Bible. Spiritual Fatherhood.

 

[Todd_Easton]

St Paul, writing to Timothy, said, “Do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father; treat younger men like brothers.” (1 Timothy 5:1)

St Stephen addressed the Jewish council in Jerusalem, saying, “Brethren and fathers, hear me.” (Acts 7:2)

St Paul addressed a Jewish crowd in Jerusalem in the same way, saying, “Brethren and fathers, hear the defense which I now make before you.” (Acts 22:1)

Because older men were often appointed/ordained as Christian church leaders (elders/presbyters/priests) (Titus 1:5), the same Greek word presbuterous is used for both groups in the New Testament. Thus, it is not surprising that both groups would also be addressed as “Father.”

 

[JSRG]

The anchorites of the desert called each other “abba”. Hope that helps.

Interesting–do you have any examples of such? And was this “abba” used in the same way I’m talking about, like one named John would be “Abba John”?

In regards to the other answers, I think people are misunderstanding my question. Yes, there were cases where people were referred to as fathers in the Bible, e.g. 1 John 2:13. That’s not what I’m asking about. I’m asking about when “father” was used as an explicit title. For example, if your priest is named Martin, you would say Father Martin. But that form of using father as a title isn’t used in the Bible (Paul, for example, is not referred to as “Father Paul”). So I’m asking when that form of father as a title (similar to Mr.) was first being used.

 

[anon91549587]

Hello dear friend,

There is a book on fifty homilies by macarius and a biography on st anthony of egypt.

In kings 2 2:12 “elisha saw it and he cried out , “ oh , father , father!

 

[Gorgias]

Interesting–do you have any examples of such? And was this “abba” used in the same way I’m talking about, like one named John would be “Abba John”?

I haven’t read the accounts of the desert fathers in years, but yes – it’s my recollection that they used this form of address! Check out a collection of sayings of the desert fathers, and I think you’ll find your answer there! (At the very least, you’ll be able to say, “well, at the very least, they were using this form of address by this point in time…”!)