Why do catholics call the guy giving mass father when Jesus says not to.?

Question

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

I think It is interesting they insist on father . I used to call my dad dad or when I was little daddy, he is dead and waiting for judgment day . My children call my husband dad or daddy.

I have read all of the verses . Do you think that his words do not apply to today .

just answer why do they insist on being called father

Paul does not say call me father.

Answer 1

What do you call the man who married your mother?
Since you follow the New Testament literally, I assume you believe slavery is okay if money is owed?

Matthew 18:25: "But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made."

Edit- " I have read all of the verses . Do you think that his words do not apply to today"
So you believe slavery should still be allowed today? Do you think all the verses apply today and therefore slavery is acceptable or do you use your common sense?

Answer 2

You have missed the point of what Jesus is saying because you are taking one verse out of context, and you are insisting on a simple literal interpretation of one verse. This approach will lead to a shallow faith that will be easily dismantled.


Peace.

Answer 3

The following commentary (between the ***) comes from a Greek scholar that is a friend of my father's:

***

"The word "master" in Matthew 23:10 is the word καθηγητης. If you want to pronounce it correctly, assume these words are regular English words, and say them quickly together: CAT HAY GAY TASE. It is an unusual word to use for "master" (I've never seen it before.) (Compare most other instances of the word "master" in the Gospel of Matthew, which use the word διδασκαλος, which means teacher.) The Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon has this:

1. guide
2. teacher, professor

The word itself appears to be derived from a similar verb ( καθηγεομαι) that means:

1. act as guide, lead the way
2. show, explain, indicate
3. to begin the discourse
4. lead, command, exercise authority over
5. to be the first to do, establish, institute
6. instruct, teach

Eastern martial arts is probably the only field I can think of that still uses the word "master" in this sense. A master is a guy who knows everything about something and is your sole authority in matters concerning that thing."

***

From this it seems clear that Jesus is indicating that Christians are not to consider any human being as having supreme authority over them. Their allegiance is to be to God. He is to be their master-teacher. Men are fallible, and will sometimes even deceive those who follow after them. God is neither fallible nor deceptive, therefore, we are to be subject to Him alone and to take His word as our highest authority.

This does not mean that we cannot take fellow Christians as mentors in the faith. Catholic Crusader points out that Timothy looked to Paul as a father, and there was certainly nothing wrong with that. Christians are instructed to edify one another, which would include mentoring; however, Christians are never instructed to be subservient to their fellow men, which is a major area where I think the Catholics go astray. Their priests and bishops, and especially the Pope, are supposed to have real, binding authority over Catholics. In the Catholic Church, the Bible, tradition, and the church fathers are all assumed to be of equal authority. I do not believe that this is biblical. God's word stands alone as the final authority for the Christian. To consider the commandments of men as being equal to the words of God Himself is, in a very real way, to make those same fallible, sinful men equal to an infallible and righteous God. Note that the Apostle Paul complimented the Berean believers on the fact that they did not accept his words on blind faith, but searched the scriptures to be sure that what he was saying to them was true (how many Catholic fathers would stand still for being second-guessed by the laity?). Jesus' prohibition against considering any human being to be your master-teacher, your absolute authority, is clearly at odds with Catholic teaching.

A few follow-up examples of this from the Bible:

In Mark 7:1-10, the Pharisees accused Jesus because His disciples were not keeping with certain Jewish traditions. Jesus responded:

"Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."

Ephesians 5:6 - "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Paul is clearly teaching here that men cannot be our final authority.

Also note that, in Acts 5:29, Peter and the other apostles told the Jewish religious leaders: "We ought to obey God rather than men."

The following tells us that, as Christians, we need not go through a human priest to reach God:

1Timothy 2:5 - "For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

Also see Hebrews 4:14-16, where Paul describes Jesus as "a great high priest" and tells us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace."

Answer 4

Because he was speaking to his disciples concering the Pharoahs of Egypt, that they were not to call them father or master..... you have to read the supporting verses to get the full meaning. (Isn't it easy to pick and choose what you want to read in the Bible??)

Mat 23:1 ¶ Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,


Mat 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:


Mat 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.


Mat 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men's shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers.


Mat 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,


Mat 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,


Mat 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.


Mat 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.


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

Answer 5

Never take verses out of context. Read the verses before and after. If you take it literally, one would not be even able to call his biological parent, "Father.."

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, 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 7

I think it's all in the capitalization. Like I can call my ex-wife "satan", but not "Satan". Of course it is hard to intone capitalization when speaking - not sure what to do about that. perhaps put a double consonant, like "f-father" for our real worldly dads? The stutter would imply that they don't deserve the same respect as the big "F". Just a suggestion.

Answer 8

I am not Catholic, I imagine it is an elder of the church, I am Baptist where scripture is followed, that is what we should do, I don't understand why they do the things they do, however God is The only Judge, and I know He is My Father, Our Father, and Jesus Christ is our Personal Savior who went to the cross for our sins so that we may be saved.

Answer 9

What should I call my Dad?

Answer 10

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

Paul regularly referred to Timothy as his child: "Therefore I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ" (1 Cor. 4:17); "To Timothy, my true child in the faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord" (1 Tim. 1:2); "To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord" (2 Tim. 1:2).

He also referred to Timothy as his son: "This charge I commit to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophetic utterances which pointed to you, that inspired by them you may wage the good warfare" (1 Tim 1:18); "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:1); "But Timothy’s worth you know, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel" (Phil. 2:22).

Paul also referred to other of his converts in this way: "To Titus, my true child in a common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior" (Titus 1:4); "I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment" (Philem. 10). None of these men were Paul’s literal, biological sons. Rather, Paul is emphasizing his spiritual fatherhood with them.

Perhaps the most pointed New Testament reference to the theology of the spiritual fatherhood of priests is Paul’s statement, "I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:14–15).

Peter followed the same custom, referring to Mark as his son: "She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark" (1 Pet. 5:13). The apostles sometimes referred to entire churches under their care as their children. Paul writes, "Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children" (2 Cor. 12:14); and, "My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you!" (Gal. 4:19).

John said, "My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1); "No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth" (3 John 4). In fact, John also addresses men in his congregations as "fathers" (1 John 2:13–14).

By referring to these people as their spiritual sons and spiritual children, Peter, Paul, and John imply their own roles as spiritual fathers. Since the Bible frequently speaks of this spiritual fatherhood, we Catholics acknowledge it and follow the custom of the apostles by calling priests "father." Failure to acknowledge this is a failure to recognize and honor a great gift God has bestowed on the Church: the spiritual fatherhood of the priesthood.

Catholics know that as members of a parish, they have been committed to a priest’s spiritual care, thus they have great filial affection for priests and call them "father." Priests, in turn, follow the apostles’ biblical example by referring to members of their flock as "my son" or "my child" (cf. Gal. 4:19; 1 Tim. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:1; Philem. 10; 1 Pet. 5:13; 1 John 2:1; 3 John 4).