Apologetic Tracts: Call No One Father
Call No One
Father
Have you ever been confronted as a Catholic with the
question: “Why do you call your priest Father? Doesn’t Jesus say in Matthew’s
Gospel ‘do not call anyone Father?’”
Before I begin to respond to this misinterpretation
of what Jesus meant, it is necessary to remember two important principles in
regards to the Scriptures. First, Scripture texts are never to be taken out of
context or, to say it positively, texts should be seen not in isolation but in
the full context in which they are found.
Secondly, there is no contradiction between texts. Thus, interpretation
of a particular text must be seen in relationship to the rest of the
Scriptures.
What did Jesus say in the 23rd chapter of Matthew?
"The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their
seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever
they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach, but they do
not practice. They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on
people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their
works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen
their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in
synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you,
do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be
called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you
must be your servant. Whoever exalts
himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.“ (Mt 23:2-12)
What is the context in which he made the statement
“Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven”? (v6).
Jesus was addressing His disciples but talking about the pride of some of the
Pharisees and Scribes who were always looking for places of honor and titles of
importance. In contrast, Jesus emphasizes the need for true humility. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever
humbles himself will be exalted.” (v12)
The Pharisees and Scribes
were fond of recognition and honor because they pride themselves as being set
apart, a class above others. Jesus was rejecting this attitude and external
show. He was telling them to humble themselves and stop putting themselves on
pedestals.
In the same passage and context, Jesus says not to
call anyone teacher but Himself. And yet, we use this term, teacher, regularly
for others than Jesus. In fact, Jesus commissioned the apostles as teachers in
one of his final words to them. "All power in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, until the end of the age." (Mt 28:118-20)
Paul would recognize this as one of the roles that is
found in the Church as a ministry of the Spirit. “Some people God has
designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third,
teachers.” (1 Cor 12:28) Is Paul or
others in the Scriptures violating Jesus’ intention when he calls himself and
others as teachers? By no means!
But let us return to the question of calling another
person father in the biological sense, legal sense or spiritual sense.. Do the
rest of the Scriptures uphold the literal interpretation of this prohibition?
No. The Fourth Commandment states: “Honor your Father and your Mother.” It
doesn’t say “honor your male and female parents.”
There are many other texts in the Scriptures that
clearly use the title father, addressed to human fathers.
Jesus said: “If anyone comes to me without hating his
father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own
life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Lk 14:26)
The parable of the Prodigal Son used by Jesus is replete with the title father. (Lk
15:11-32) Is Jesus contradicting
Himself?
“And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am
suffering torment in these flames.’” (Lk 16:24)
“And Peter replied, ‘My brothers and fathers, listen.
The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia,
before he had settled in Haran, and said to him, “Go forth from your land and
(from) your kinsfolk to the land that I will show you.” (Acts 7:2-3)
“I am writing you this not to shame, but to admonish
you as my beloved children. Even if you should have countless guides to Christ,
yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus
through the gospel.” (1 Cor 4:14-15)
In referring to Timothy, Paul writes: “But you know
his worth, how as a child with a father he served along with me in the cause of
the gospel.” (Phil 2:22.)
Paul was very conscious of his role as a spiritual
father. In his Letter to Philemon, he
writes: “I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become
in my imprisonment…”(v 10). There are
many other Scripture passages that use the title father in reference to human
beings.
Paul’s statement in his letter to the Corinthians cited
above gives the real understanding of why we, as Catholics, call our priest
father. This title indicates the role of the priest as a spiritual father to
us. What the human father does for his children on the natural level, the
priest, as father, does for the people under his pastoral care on the spiritual
level.
If we took the words of Jesus literally, then we would have
to delete the title father from the Bible, except when it specifically refers
to God the Father. In doing so, we would have to rewrite the Scriptures to fit
a human interpretation rather than receive the Word of God in the context and
understanding given us. That would then give us a human “bible” not the
revealed Word of God.
We would have to refrain from addressing our human
parent as father. That would again establish our vision of creation and
relationship, not God’s. He is Father
and he calls men to reflect His fatherhood to those they beget naturally. When
we don’t, we risk the reverse happening, as it is in fact taking place. Because
some people don’t want to recognize the human father, they have a difficulty
addressing God as Father. They prefer a non-relational or nondescript term like
the Great Spirit.
When we call a priest by the title “father,” we are
recognizing our spiritual relationship with him in Christ. It is Christ who
baptizes us normally through the ministry of the priest. It is Christ who
forgives our sins, again through the ministry of the priest in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. It is Christ who feeds us with His Body and Blood through the ministry
of the priest. There is a spiritual relationship with the human person, the
priest, which is established and ordained by God himself.
If we follow the two principles cited at the beginning,
then there is no basis for questioning calling a priest “father”, nor calling
someone teacher. Instead, there is enough evidence to validate this practice
that has been part of the life of the Church from apostolic times. I think I am
more comfortable following Jesus and an apostle like St. Paul than one of
lesser authority.
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