Catholics: What does Matt 23:9 mean?

Question

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

Answer 1

Matthew 23:6-9 reads, "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."

Are we also not to call anyone "teacher" or "doctor" which is how "rabbi' would translate? I think not.

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 of a lack of humility as the pharisees of Jesus' day.

The Apostle Paul writes:

I am writing you this not to shame you, 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 Corinthians 4:14-15)

And:

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

And:

I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment, who was once useless to you but is now useful to (both) you and me. (Philemon 10-11)

And finally, Peter calls himself the "father" of Mark:

The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son. (1 Peter 5:13)

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

"Call none your father upon earth"... Neither be ye called masters. The meaning is that our Father in heaven is incomparably more to be regarded, than any father upon earth: and no master to be followed, who would lead us away from Christ. But this does not hinder but that we are by the law of God to have a due respect both for our parents and spiritual fathers, (1 Cor. 4. 23: 15,) and for our masters and teachers.









Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Chapter 23 |


9 And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.


Latin Vulgate
Douay-Rheims Bible




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Answer 3

Mat 23:1-12 -
The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God searches the heart. They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment, wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, Exo_13:2-10, Exo_13:11-16; Deu_6:4-9, Deu_6:13-21. They made these phylacteries broad, that they might be thought more zealous for the law than others. God appointed the Jews to make fringes upon their garments, Num_15:38, to remind them of their being a peculiar people; but the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they were thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which our Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against. For him that is taught in the word to give respect to him that teaches, is commendable; but for him that teaches, to demand it, to be puffed up with it, is sinful. How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consistent disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But who that looks around on the visible church, would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristian spirit prevails in every religious society, and in every one of our hearts.

Answer 4

It means look to no one person as your creator and nurturer, cuz only God is the creator.

If you're trying to say we shouldn't use the term "father" when referring to priests, then what about the man who gave you 1/2 of your DNA? Is it immoral to call him "father" too? Why not? If you're interpreting scripture literally, then it says CALL NO MAN YOUR FATHER. That would have to include your own father, wouldn't it?

That is why you can't take scripture out of context and try to twist it around to use against another group of people you don't understand.

Answer 5

Whatever dude. I'm not even Catholic and this kind of crap pisses me off. This is a place to ask legit questions, not to go around making yourself look like an uppity, arrogant, a$$ hole that is trying to knock someone else's religion. Do you really think you are going to win people over this way? Do you even have to wonder why so many people out there don't believe in God when people like you do nothing but make all Christians look mean and hateful? If you were sincerely worried about the state of other peoples souls, you would approach them with love and charity, in a kind and friendly way. Not by trying to side swipe their beliefs with indirect questions/statements. Get a life, and stop the hate.

Answer 6

Matthew 23:6-9 reads, "They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, don't be called 'Rabbi.' you have yet one instructor, and you're all brothers. call no person on the earth your father; you have yet one Father in heaven." Are we additionally to no longer call all of us "instructor" or "scientific expert" this is how "rabbi' could translate? that's call for humility for those in management roles. to no longer be taken actually. we are to no longer disclaim our male parent and shrink the Commandment to honor our mothers and fathers in a million/2. some leaders in any church could fall into the comparable folly with the aid of fact the pharisees of Jesus' day. With love in Christ.

Answer 7

Oh, do please give the cherrypicking of verses a rest.

I introduce my father as my father, and call him Dad. I call my parish priest Father. And I called everyone who instructed me in school my teacher.

I know very well what Matthew 23, the entire chapter, means. The question is -- do you?

Answer 8

so are you telling me you dont call your dad by the title father...even calling him dad is a way of calling him father. the apostles write about being fathers in faith and they call the christians of their times "my children in faith." what jesus meant was not to call anyone father as in God the Father. do not have a man on earth who you consider god and call father. For God alone is the Father.

Answer 9

It means, that we all come from the same place; time and space. It means we are all equal, we should not bow down to any other person with a belly button. It means, find your own facts and come to your own conclusion. Don't let any other person tell you what to think, or translate something for you.

Answer 10

In my opinion it means that your true Father is God. He created you since he created your Father and your Mother. Like Adam and Eve.