Why do Catholics call the pope Holy Father and their priests father when Jesus told us not to use this title.?

Answer 1

Do you mean to tell me I can not call my father, father?

Don't you ever get tired of asking this question? This has been asked many, many, many times I already have a copy and paste answer for it.

Jesus is saying that there is only one Father, One Creator, and all fatherhood comes from Him. "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." (Ephesians 3:14-15)
We are all members of God's family. We call Him "Our Father."

What does Paul say about this?
"As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children." (1 Thessalonians 2:11)

"I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you may have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." (1 Corinthians 4:14-17)

"To Timothy, a true son in the faith..." (1 Timothy 1:2)

"This charge I commit to you, son Timothy" (1 Timothy 1:18)

"To Timothy, a beloved son..." (2 Timothy 1:2)

"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:1)

"To Titus, a true son in our common faith..." (Titus 1:4)

"I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains." (Philemon 1:10)

In the above passages Paul considers himself a spiritual father. The priest is a spiritual father in the same way - he gives spiritual life to his people, that is, when he baptizes them, forgives their sins, preaches the Gospel to them, etc.

If we take Jesus' statement exactly as it is, "Do not call anyone on earth your father", then we cannot call our biological father by the name of father either. On an application form for a job or credit, etc., we do not put down "God" in the space which says "Father's name?".
Jesus also tells us that we should not be called teachers. But we have all heard the terms "Sunday School Teachers," and we accept that. When we ask a child, "Who is your teacher?", we do not expect the child to reply, "I have only one teacher, the Messiah."

In Acts 7:2-53 Stephen addressed the council. He used the word "father(s)" 17 times. Stephen knew what Jesus had said about "father," and yet he used the word. Stephen knew what Jesus meant.

What does history tell us?
From earliest times, bishops were called "father" because they ordained priests, thus they "beget fathers to the Church." (Ephiphanius: d.403). St. Jerome (A.D. 331-402) says that bishops should be content that they are "father" and not "lord."
The heads of monasteries were called "father" - the word "Abbot" coming from "Abba" which is a familiar word for "father." The title "Father" was reserved for priests of religious orders, e.g., Franciscans, Dominicans, etc. Before the Reformation, the parish clergy were called "Sir." This title continued to be used by the ministers in the Protestant churches.

Answer 2

possibly it is with the aid of fact this 'business enterprise' as you call it placed the Bible jointly in the 1st place and is great qualified and has the authority to attain this! Sorry however the Spanish Inquisition strengthen into political and not comprehensive with the approval of the Catholic Church- purely particular persons took it upon themselves-no longer being rude yet you seem anti!!

Answer 3

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 4

You might peruse this sometime..

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/entiretoc1.htm

A Catholic

http://www.vatican.va

Answer 5

As I read many of the "answers / scriptures" that showed the use of the religious title: "Father" as being acceptable.

I couldn't help think about King Saul and his use of 'reason' that made it okay to disobey God.

Example 1:

(1 Samuel 13:12-14) 12 so I said to myself, ‘Now the Phi·lis′tines will come down against me at Gil′gal, and the face of Jehovah I have not softened.’ So I compelled myself and went offering up the burnt sacrifice.” 13 At this Samuel said to Saul: “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God that he commanded you, because, if you had, Jehovah would have made your kingdom firm over Israel to time indefinite. 14 And now your kingdom will not last. Jehovah will certainly find for himself a man agreeable to his heart; and Jehovah will commission him as a leader over his people, because you did not keep what Jehovah commanded you.”

Example 2:

(1 Samuel 15:10-15) 10 The word of Jehovah now came to Samuel, saying: 11 “I do regret that I have caused Saul to reign as king, because he has turned back from following me, and my words he has not carried out.” And it was distressing to Samuel, and he kept crying out to Jehovah all night long. 12 Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul in the morning. But report was made to Samuel, saying: “Saul came to Car′mel, and, look! he was erecting a monument for himself, and he then turned around and went across and descended to Gil′gal.” 13 At length Samuel came to Saul, and Saul began to say to him: “Blessed are you of Jehovah. I have carried out the word of Jehovah.” 14 But Samuel said: “Then what does this sound of the flock in my ears mean, and the sound of the herd that I am hearing?” 15 To this Saul said: “From the A·mal′ek·ites they have brought them, because the people had compassion upon the best of the flock and of the herd, for the purpose of sacrificing to Jehovah your God; but what was left over we have devoted to destruction.”



(1 Samuel 15:20-23) 20 However, Saul said to Samuel: “But I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah in that I went on the mission on which Jehovah had sent me and I brought A′gag the king of Am′a·lek, but Am′a·lek I have devoted to destruction. 21 And the people went taking from the spoil sheep and cattle, the choicest of them as something devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gil′gal.” 22 In turn Samuel said: “Does Jehovah have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, to pay attention than the fat of rams; 23 for rebelliousness is the same as the sin of divination, and pushing ahead presumptuously the same as [using] uncanny power and teraphim. Since you have rejected the word of Jehovah, he accordingly rejects you from being king.”

The use of the title "Father"

Matt 23: 9 Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ. 11 But the greatest one among YOU must be YOUR minister. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.


Jesus is not talking about our earthly fathers or our fleshly parents, or even those who have acted as our instructors leading to Christ.

He is talking specificly about 'titles':

Rabbi, Father, Leader, Minister.

Christians are not to accept these titles, because in reality there is only God and / or His Son, Jesus Christ.

By accepting and using these titles they have made themselves equal to God and / or Christ, and are ignoring a direct command that needs no "interpretation"

Yes, I am the 'father' of my children, fleshly and even to some who are spiritually, my children.

But I still obey my Heavenly Father, and reject any title that replaces Him with me.

Jesus would not even accept the 'Title' of "Good Teacher" because only his Father was that Good.

Saul was rejected for disobeying God, so are all those who accept titles reserved for God and / or His Son.

And we didn't go into 1 Tim 3:1-3 and their other hypocrisies.

(1 Timothy 4:1-3) 1 However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons, 2 by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, marked in their conscience as with a branding iron; 3 forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth.



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Answer 6

Jesus was using hyperbole to prove a point here. He also says call no one "teacher" - yet "teachers" are found throughout Scripture - and probably even in your "Sunday School."

Now, get ready to be buried in this one... If it is anti-scriptural to call men "father," then how do you explain away all of the following Scripture passages which do EXACTLY that? Either Jesus was using hyperbole, or you better start ripping pages from your Bible:

All quotations from the NASB (Protestant) version:

Matthew calls many people "father" in the geneology of Jesus, Matthew 1:1-16 (in fact he calls 39 men "father" in this short section).

Matthew 2:22 "Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod"

Matthew 3:9 "We have Abraham for our father"

Matthew 4:21-22 "Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."

Mat 8:21 Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

Mat 10:21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

Mat 10:35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW;

Mat 10:37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Mat 15:4 "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.'
Mat 15:5 "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,"
Mat 15:6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Mat 19:5 and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'?

Mat 19:19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

Mat 19:29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

Mat 21:28 "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'
Mat 21:29 "And he answered, 'I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went.
Mat 21:30 "The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, 'I will, sir'; but he did not go.
Mat 21:31 "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They *said, "The first." Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.

Mat 23:9 "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven." (The often misrepresented verse).

Then in the SAME CHAPTER:
Mat 23:30 and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' (From the SAME CONTEXT of "Do not call anyone on earth your
father!")
Mat 23:32 "Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

And that's just the Book of Matthew! Let's see what the other Gospels say:

Mar 1:20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him.

Mar 5:40 They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He *took along the child's father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was.

Mar 7:10 "For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH';
Mar 7:11 but you say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),'
Mar 7:12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;

Mar 9:21 And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
Mar 9:24 Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

Mar 10:7 "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER,

Mar 10:19 "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR
YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.' "

Mar 10:29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake,

Mar 11:10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!"

Mar 13:12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

Mar 15:21 They *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.

That was Mark's Gospel, now on to Luke's:

Luk 1:17 "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Luk 1:32 "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

Luk 1:55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever."

Luk 1:59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.

Luk 1:62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

Luk 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

Luk 1:72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,
Luk 1:73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

Luk 2:33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.

Luk 2:48 When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."

Luk 3:8 "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

Luk 6:23 "Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

Luk 6:26 "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

Luk 8:51 When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl's father and mother.

Luk 9:42 While he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

Luk 9:59 And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

Luk 11:11 "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

Luk 11:47 "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them.
Luk 11:48 "So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their tombs.

Luk 12:53 "They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

Luk 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

Luk 15:12 "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them.

Luk 15:17 "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!
Luk 15:18 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;
Luk 15:20 "So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
Luk 15:21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
Luk 15:22 "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
Luk 15:27 "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.'
Luk 15:28 "But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.
Luk 15:29 "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

Luk 16:24 "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
Luk 16:27 "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house--
Luk 16:30 "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'

Luk 18:20 "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND
MOTHER.'"

And John's Gospel:

Joh 4:12 "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?"

Joh 4:20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

Joh 4:53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives"; and he himself believed and his whole household.

Joh 6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'"
Joh 6:42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?"

Joh 6:49 "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

Joh 6:58 "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever."

Joh 7:22 "For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.

Joh 8:38 "I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father." (Father in Heaven and father on Earth used in the same context! And both use the same Greek word "patēr"!).

Joh 8:39 They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus *said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham.

Joh 8:41 "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God." (Jesus is speaking in the first part, the Jews in the second).

Joh 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Joh 8:53 "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?"

Joh 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."

Joh 18:13 and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

Now the Book of Acts:

Act 3:13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

Act 3:25 "It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.'

Act 4:25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, 'WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?

Act 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross.

Act 7:2 And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

Act 7:4 "Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.

Act 7:8 "And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Act 7:11 "Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
Act 7:12 "But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time.
Act 7:14 "Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all.
Act 7:15 "And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died.
Act 7:19 "It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.
Act 7:20 "It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father's home.
Act 7:29 "At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he became the father of two sons.

Act 7:32 'I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.' Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look.

Act 7:38 "This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
Act 7:39 "Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but
repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,

Act 7:44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.
Act 7:45 "And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David.

Act 7:51 "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.
Act 7:52 "Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

Act 13:17 "The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.

Act 13:36 "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay;

Act 13:32 "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers,

Act 15:10 "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

Act 16:1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek,

Act 16:3 Paul wanted this man to go with
him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Act 22:1 "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you."

Act 22:3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

Act 22:14 "And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.

Act 24:14 "But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;

Act 26:6 "And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;

Act 28:8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

Act 28:17 After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

Act 28:25 And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, "The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,

And now the rest of the Epistles:

Rom 4:11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
Rom 4:12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
Rom 4:16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Rom 4:18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."

Rom 9:5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Rom 9:10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;

Rom 11:28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;

Rom 15:8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,

1Co 4:15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. (St. Paul claims to be our father through the Gospel!)

1Co 5:1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife.

1Co 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;

Eph 5:31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

Eph 6:2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Col 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

Phi 2:22 But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.

1Th 2:11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,

1Ti 1:9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers

1Ti 5:1 Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers,

Heb 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,

Heb 3:9 WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.

Heb 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

Heb 7:10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Heb 8:9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS
THE LORD.

Heb 12:7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
(Comparing God the Father with an earthly father).
Heb 12:9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

Jam 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

2Pe 3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

1Jo 2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
1Jo 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

If you're still with me here - you can see that the often misinterpreted passage stating "call no man father" was indeed hyperbole - OR - start ripping pages from your Bible where the writers used the term, and frequently.

Answer 7

The Elders of the Church are Called "Fathers" and the Faithful "Children"
Matt. 23:9 - Jesus says, "call no man father." But Protestants use this verse in an attempt to prove that it is wrong for Catholics to call priests "father." This is an example of "eisegesis" (imposing one's views upon a passage) as opposed to "exegesis" (drawing out the meaning of the passage from its context). In this verse, Jesus was discouraging His followers from elevating the scribes and Pharisees to the titles of “fathers” and “rabbis” because they were hypocrites. Jesus warns us not to elevate anyone to the level of our heavenly Father.

Matt. 23:8 – in this teaching, Jesus also says not to call anyone teacher or rabbi as well. But don’t Protestants call their teachers “teacher?” What about this commandment of Jesus? When Protestants say “call no man father,” they must also argue that we cannot call any man teacher either.

Judges 17:10; 18:19 - priesthood and fatherhood have always been identified together. Fatherhood literally means "communicating one's nature," and just as biological fathers communicate their nature to their children, so do spiritual fathers communicate the nature of God to us, their children, through (hopefully) teaching and example.

Eph. 3:14-15 - every family in heaven and on earth is named from the "Father." We are fathers in the Father.

Acts 7:2; 22:1,1 John 2:13 - elders of the Church are called "fathers." Therefore, we should ask the question, "Why don't Protestants call their pastors "father?"

1 Cor. 4:15 - Paul writes, "I became your father in Christ Jesus."

1 Cor. 4:17 - Paul calls Bishop Timothy a beloved and faithful "child" in the Lord.

2 Cor. 12:14 - Paul describes his role as parent over his "children" the Corinthians.

Phil. 2:22 - Paul calls Timothy's service to him as a son serves a "father."

1 Thess. 2:11- Paul compares the Church elders' ministry to the people like a father with his children.

1 Tim. 1:2,18; 2 Tim. 1:2-3 - Paul calls Timothy his true "child" in the faith and his son.

Titus 1:4 - Paul calls Titus his true "child" in a common faith. Priests are our spiritual fathers in the family of God.

Philemon 10 - Paul says he has become the "father" of Onesimus.

Heb. 12:7,9 - emphasizes our earthly "fathers." But these are not just biological but also spiritual (the priests of the Church).

1 Peter 5:13 - Peter refers to himself as father by calling Mark his "son."

1 John 2:1,13,14 - John calls the elders of the Church "fathers."

1 John 2:1,18,28; 3:18; 5:21; 3 John 4 - John calls members of the Church "children."

1 Macc. 2:65 - Mattathias the priest tells his sons that Simeon will be their "father."

The Lord, Mary, the Apostles and Others Refer to Spiritual Leaders as "Fathers"
Matt. 3:9; Luke 3:8 - Jesus refers to Abraham as our "father."

Mark 11:10 - the people cried out blessed is the kingdom of our "father" David that is coming!

Luke 1:32 - God's angel says Jesus will be great and be given the throne of his "father" David.

Luke 1:55 - Mary says that He spoke to our "fathers," to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.

Luke 1:73 - Zechariah says the oath which he swore to our "father" Abraham.

Luke 16:24,30 - Jesus, in His parable about the rich man, says our "father" Abraham.

John 4:12 - the Samaritan woman asks Jesus if He is greater than our "father" Jacob.

John 7:22 - Jesus refers to the "fathers" who gave the Jews the practice of circumcision.

John 8:56 - Jesus tells the Jews your "Father" Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day.

Acts 3:13,25; 5:30 - Peter teaches that the God of our "fathers" glorified His servant Jesus and raised Him to life.

Acts 4:25 - Peter and John pray to God and refer to our "father" David.

Acts 7:11-12, 15,19,38,44-45,51-52 - Stephen refers to our "fathers" in the faith.

Acts 7:32 - Stephen calls God the God of our "fathers."

Acts 13:17,32,36; 24:14; 26:6; 28:17,25 - Paul also refers to the God of our "fathers" in the faith.

Acts 22:3 - Paul says he was educated according to the strict law of our "fathers."

Acts 22:14 - Ananias says the God of our "fathers."

Rom. 4:1 - Paul calls Abraham our "forefather."

Rom. 4:16-17 - Paul says that Abraham is the "father" of us all and the "father" of many nations.

Rom. 9:10 - Paul calls Isaac, a spiritual leader, our "forefather."

1 Cor. 10:1 - Paul says that our "fathers" were all under the cloud, referring to the Old Testament spiritual leaders.

Gal. 1:14 - Paul says that he was zealous for the tradition of his "fathers."

2 Tim. 1:3 - Paul thanks God whom he serves with a clear conscience as did his "fathers" in faith.

Heb. 1:1 - the author says God spoke of old to our "fathers."

Heb. 3:9 - the Holy Spirit says that your "fathers" put me to the test.

Heb. 8:9 - God says not like the covenant that I made with their "fathers."

James 2:21 - James says was not our "father" Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac?

1 Peter 1:18 - Peter says you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your "fathers."

2 Peter 3:4 - Peter says ever since the "fathers" fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning.

Other Examples Where Jesus Uses the Word "Father" When Teaching
Matt. 15:4-5; 19:19 - Jesus uses "father" when He teaches God's commandment to "Honor your father and your mother."

Mark 7:10-12; Luke 18:20 - these are more examples of Jesus using "father" when teaching about honoring our fathers and mothers.

Eph. 6:2,4 - Paul also teaches to honor your "father" and mother, and says "fathers," do not provoke your children.

Matt. 10:21; 35,37; Mark 13:12 - Jesus says "father" will deliver up his child in the last days.

Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7,19 - Jesus says a man shall leave his "father" and mother and be joined to his wife. See also Eph. 5:31.

Matt. 19:29; Mark 10:29-30 - Jesus says whoever has left mother or "father" for His sake shall receive a hundredfold.

Matt. 21:31 - Jesus uses "father" when he teaches about the parable of the two sons and asks, "who did the will of his "father?"

Luke 6:23,26 - Jesus speaks about reward and punishment with reference to what their "fathers" did to the prophets.

Luke 11:11 - Jesus says what "father" among you will give his child a serpent when he asks for a fish.

Luke 11:47-48 - Jesus tells the lawyers they are witnesses to the deeds of their "fathers."

Luke 14:26 - Jesus says we must leave our "fathers" and mothers and come to him, or we cannot be His disciple.

Luke 15:12,17-18,20-22,27-29 - Jesus repeatedly uses "father" when teaching about the prodigal son.

Luke 16:27 - Jesus uses "father" when teaching about the rich man in purgatory.

John 6:49,58 - Jesus says your "fathers" ate the manna in the wilderness and died.

Answer 8

Since when has the Catholic Church done anything that Jesus or the Bible taught.

Answer 9

Jesus also said to love thy brother and the Catholic church is responsible for murdering more people than any other religion in history simply because people didn't want to follow their church. They do a lot of man-written things that are not relevent to Jesus's teachings, the list goes on and on.

Answer 10

Because Catholics are humans - imperfect, and not all-knowing, makes mistakes, and uses wrong words.