literalist interpretation and the Catholic sense?

Question

Jesus says in the Gospel of St. Matthew, "And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven."

What is the literalist interpretation of this verse?

What is the Catholic sense of this verse?

Answer 1

Jesus didn't want to be called teacher or leader he was very humble and realized that what he learned came to him from his father. He seen the harm Satan did by wanting to be worshipped.

Answer 2

If Matthew 23:9 is taken literally then you cannot call anyone else father except your father in heaven. This contradicts other scriptural passages in which the word 'father' is used eg “honor your father”, and Paul referring to himself as a 'father' in a spiritual sense [1Corinthians 4:15]. Nevertheless, most people see the term father in a biological sense and therefore use of the term for a priest seems odd.
Roman Catholics use the term father as a title for their ordinands in a recognition of Jesus intent to establish a ministerial priesthood through the sacrament of Roman Catholic Holy Orders.
However, although Protestant Clergy used this term centuries ago, they have more recently considered this title as somewhat presumptuous and a characteristic of Roman priestcraft and popery. This has given impetus for a more literalist interpretation of Matthew 23:9, and a decline in calling priests 'father' in Protestant circles.

Answer 3

The literalist interpretation is to Not call your Dad, Father, or grandfather, grandfather.\
The catholic interpretation is: call no man father and call no man teacher. That is what the scripture states in that sentence. It does not mean we cannot call our Dads , father.
Even St. Paul referred to himself as father in the scriptures.

Answer 4

The Catholic Answer:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Call_No_Man_Father.asp

Answer 5

ok, i don't think of God needs anybody, he does not love e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y, and suggested so, and did it intentionally the way he did it. The question arose as to why Jesus does not, himself, circulate all around the earth and pontificate. John 14 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) suggested, “yet, Lord, why do you desire to coach your self to us and to not the international?” 23 Jesus responded, “all and sundry who loves me will obey my coaching. My Father will love them, and we are able to come to them and make our domicile with them. 24 all and sundry who does not love me won't obey my coaching. those phrases you hear are actually not my own; they belong to the daddy who despatched me." As you will discover, Jesus became into affected person for his observe to realize different areas of the international. As a widely used Christian, i'd desire to positioned on blinders for this area, by way of fact any functional man or woman would understand that it took a brilliant form of time for the Gospel to realize particular seashores and human beings have been demise that total time for one reason or yet another. What approximately them? nicely, i don't think of God became into too worried approximately them specifically. The 'coverage' became into set, have faith (have confidence truthfully) in Christ and be saved. As for human beings doing good issues who are not Christian, i think of that God impacts people as a rule so as that the real human nature does not come out and harm each and every thing in that's direction. those are some observations with regard to the real nature of guy: Romans 3 in no way! For we've already made the cost that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the skill of sin. 10 as this is written: “there is not any one righteous, not even one; eleven there is not any one which knows; there is not any one which seeks God. 12 All have became away, they have collectively exchange into valueless; there is not any one which does good, not even one.”[b] 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”[c] “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d] 14 “Their mouths are packed with cursing and bitterness.”[e] 15 “Their feet are speedy to shed blood; sixteen harm and misery mark their procedures, 17 and how of peace they don't understand.”[f] 18 “there is not any worry of God earlier their eyes.”[g]

Answer 6

Jesus is admonishing those who would raise themselves up as "holier than thou," are spiritually prideful, and boasters. He is saying that we are not to put any man, including ourselves, including the Pope, above God, simple as that. He is not saying that we are not to literally ever call a man father or rabbi or teacher or master; to believe otherwise is to call Him a liar because He Himself calls people father, in both the physical and spiritual sense (in that same chapter, even, in Mark 7, Mark 10, Mark 13, Luke 6, etc.) and doesn't admonish those who refer to "our father David" as they greet Him during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The four evangelists speak the same way, Christ's Mother speaks the same way, as does Paul who refers numerous times to our "father Abraham."

More important to the argument is Paul's acknowledging his own spiritual fatherhood, I Corinthians 4:14-17 being among the most explicit in which he says "I have begotten you through the Gospel," translated in the NIV and NASB (among others) as "I became your father through the Gospel." Tellingly, in this verse he even distinguishes between people who teach about Christ and "fathers" in Christ , he differentiates between all Christians, who are exhorted to teach about Christ, and "spiritual fathers," who are ordained priests.

In addition, he is constantly referring to his "children," calls Timothy and Oneismus his "sons," and indicates that the other elders (presbyteros, priests) do the same: 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12: "As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children." Spiritual fatherhood is a New Testament reality.

If you want to interpret the above verses to mean that Catholics are woefully sinning by calling their priests "Father," and that Jesus meant we are to never literally call anyone "father," "rabbi," "mater," or "teacher," then for consistency's sake you'd better stop using the following words and phrases: Mister (means "Master"), Master of Ceremonies, Maitre d', master of the house, master sergeant, magistrate (from the Latin "magistratus" for "master"), Master of Arts (M.A.), founding father, city father, snake doctor, and witch doctor, teacher, substitute teacher, student teacher, and so forth. And you'd best never let me hear you calling your Dad "father" and you'd better start addressing the guy who works at the synagogue as "hey, you" and wax as indignant toward Jews who won't buy your ideas as you are toward Catholics. You might also want to start getting extremely indignant at the forced blasphemy every time you fill in a government form asking for "Father's Name."

So, decide: was Jesus being figurative in Matthew 23:1-12 and making a point about the spiritually prideful and those who are impressed by them -- or did He contradict Himself when He went on to refer to people as "fathers" in that very same chapter? Was He being literal or were the evangelists correct in referring to both physical and spiritual fathers? Is it OK to consider the presbyters "fathers" or were Paul and the other priests making a big mistake?

Answer 7

It means be humble and accept God as your Father as THE spiritual authority.. Not about calling people "Father."

I am Catholic

Answer 8

The Catholic sense? That we are all equally children of God.

It does not mean we should disregard the fourth commandment or forget about family ties.

Answer 9

It means calling someone your father who is not, like the priest. That is exactly what it's talking about.

Answer 10

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.