Why do people refer to priest as Father and why are they forbid to marry?

Question

Jesus said call no man your father upon the earth..Matthew 23:9
Aaron was married with children!

I understand tradition but when God says not to do something, do we still continue to follow tradition or obey God?

Answer 1

+ Priest called Father +

In context, the Scripture reads, "... And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."

This is call for humility for those in leadership roles. Not to be taken literally.

We are not to deny our male parent and cut the Commandment to honor our father and mother in half.

Some leaders in any church may fall into the same folly as the pharisees of Jesus' day.

+ Celibate Priests +

This idea of a celibate clergy came from the Jews, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.

The Jews. The Talmud argues that a person whose “soul is bound up with the Torah and is constantly occupied with it” may remain celibate (Maimonides, Laws of Marriage 15.3). For example, Yahweh ordered the prophet Jeremiah not to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4). Moreover, the Essenes was a group that was active in Jesus’ time that practiced celibacy and thought by most scholars to be the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

John the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that the example of the Essenes influenced either or both Jesus and John the Baptist in their celibacy.

The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).

The concept took many twists and turns over the years and will probably take a few more before Christ returns in glory.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

I'm Catholic, and we are not a cult.

It has to do with the Sacrament of Holy Orders (Catechism of the Catholic Church) as it is based up on Acts in the Bible, whereby St. Paul states that it is better stay single and dedicate your life to God if you can, only to marry if you cannot handle being single for life. That's the basis for their staying single.

Regarding being called 'Father', it has to do with their position in the parish. They are expected to the the spiritual 'father' to their parishioners. At least that's the way it was explained to me.

Also, another reason I was given for their staying single has to do with loyalties. If they're married, say something happened a) at the church of great importance or b) with their wife -- their loyalties would be torn. The point of becoming a priest or religious is that no familial ties get in the way of the good of the Church.

Hope that explains things a bit for you.

God bless!!

Answer 3

As you know, in the early church the believers were very close. Paul often referred to Timothy as his "child". In the early church they all saw each other as "brother" and "sister". In the same manner the leaders of the early church were often called "Father".. Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth, called himself "Father", (1Cor 4:15) For in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel".

Catholic men who are called to the priesthood are required not to marry, but this is just an internal discipline within the Church. (In fact there are 200 married Catholic priests in the USA... and my parish priest is one of them!) They are following the example of Jesus Christ who also did not marry. You cannot be to critical if they just want to be like Jesus.

Here is more information for you to study on this subject:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/PRIEST3.htm
http://davidmacd.com/catholic/priests_forgive_sins_call_no_man_father.htm

Answer 4

Because like the Pharisees before them they have substituted the traditions of men for the commands of God, that's why.

Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

"Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:1-9

Answer 5

""Jesus said call no man your father upon the earth..Matthew 23:9""


Just another anomaly of the Cult.
More movable on short notice - no families to have to support.
In many Cults it's all about money.

They call themselves Christians but teach ""Another Gospel""

Answer 6

I couldn't agree with you more. Look at the problems that it has caused. Not to mention, who forgives your sins? A priest? Or Jesus? You'de be surprised at peoples candid answers.

Answer 7

I don't know about the father thing but I know they won't married because the wife won't allow them to have sex, with young boys, on the side

Answer 8

They prefer to be ascetics. The Church also has a long history of seeing sex as horribly sinful anyway. (You should research about early church history, and priests would have concubines and illegitimate children, but they would only have to pay fees!)

Answer 9

Catholics value their human traditions more highly than God's will.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2005/1/1a/article_01.htm

Answer 10

We do that because it is the way things have been done. But I know that my true father is in heaven.