Matthew 23:9
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And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven, &c.--To construe these injunctions into a condemnation of every title by which Church rulers may be distinguished from the flock which they rule, is virtually to condemn that rule itself; and accordingly the same persons do both--but against the whole strain of the New Testament and sound Christian judgment. But when we have guarded ourselves against these extremes, let us see to it that we retain the full spirit of this warning against that itch for ecclesiastical superiority which has been the bane and the scandal of Christ's ministers in every age. (On the use of the word "Christ" here, see on Mat 1:1).
Open source ↗23:9 Writings from later Judaism provide ample evidence of revering the teachers by calling them Father (see, e.g., Mishnah Eduyyoth 1:4). • God . . . is your Father: See 6:9; Mal 2:10; cp. 1 Cor 4:15.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’
So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.
“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.