Father

Meena_Ameen

Ive heard a lot of protestant pastors and stuff talk about how the Orthodox Church and Catholic Church both call their priests Father, while in the Bible Jesus says "call no man father on earth, for you have only one father in heaven."

Are we wrong in calling our priests father?

minatasgeel

[quote author=Meena_Ameen link=topic=7044.msg93787#msg93787 date=1218654906]
Ive heard a lot of protestant pastors and stuff talk about how the Orthodox Church and Catholic Church both call their priests Father, while in the Bible Jesus says "call no man father on earth, for you have only one father in heaven."

Are we wrong in calling our priests father?


of course not. that's a lame excuse to use against the apostalic churches.

go to biblestudytools.net and search for the word "father" in the bible, old and new, and see how much of them don't refere to God the Father.....

also if they are true, then you are NOT allowed to tell your biological father "father"!!!!!!

childoforthodoxy

Hello Meena,

Allow me to share with you what I have read from Blessed Jerome:

It is a difficulty that the Apostle against this command calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles; and that in monasteries in their common conversation, they call one another, Father. It is to be cleared thus. It is one thing to be father or master by nature, another by sufferance. Thus when we call any man our father, we do it to show respect to his age, not as regarding him as the author of our being. We also call men 'Master,' from resemblance to a real master; and, not to use tedious repetition, as the One God and One Son, who are by nature, do not preclude us from calling others gods and sons by adoption, so the One Father and One Master, do not preclude us from speaking of other fathers and masters by an abuse of the terms.

From Blessed Theophylact...

In saying "Call no man your father," He is not prohibiting the honor given to parents, cine He desires that we should honor our parents and especially our spiritual fathers; rather He is inducing us to acknowledge the true Father, namely, God, for He is chiefly and essentially our Father.

And from the OSB:

Christ's warning against calling hypocrites father and teacher is not an absolute prohibition against using these terms, as some teach. These terms are applied to men many times in the NT, all of which usages are inspired by God. Teacher is used in Jn 3:10; Acts 13:1; 1 Co 12:28; Eph 4:11; and 2Tim 1:11. Father is used in Lk 16:24; 1Co 4:15; and Col 3:21. Since the very early days of the Church, bishops and presbyters have been called "father" not because they take the place of God, but because in their fatherly care for their flocks, they lead people to God, and they exercise fatherly authority within the community.

Pray for my weakness,
childoforthodoxy

mmatt95

listen to this sermon for a complete and orthodox explanation of this verse, its really worth your time!!!! Look for part 3

Meena_Ameen

Thanx Hos Erof, they sermon was greatt... You know a heard all those sermons on that site before execpt for this one... Thanks