CALLING CATHOLIC PRIESTS AS FATHER
CATHOLIC DEFENSE: BIBLICAL REASONS FOR CALLING VARIOUS PEOPLE ‘FATHER’
If the Protestant interpretation of Mt 23:9 is to be followed the entire GODHEAD SHALL BE DESTROYED!
1. THE FATHER ALMIGHTY Himself will be dishonored because He called people ‘father’. GOD THE FATHER IS GUILTY OF THE CATHOLIC CRIME.
Gen 12:1 He asked Abram to leave his father’s house.
Gen 17:5 He made Abraham father of many nations.
Gen 28:13 He called Abraham father of Jacob.
Ex 3:6 …I am the God of thy FATHER…
Ex 3:16 …say…The LORD God of your FATHERS…
Ex 20:12 HONOUR THY FATHER and thy mother… (Also, Dt 5:16)
Ex 22:17 If her FATHER utterly refuse to give her…
Ex 22:22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or FATHERless.
Ex 40:15 …anoint them, as thou didst their FATHER…
Lev 18 Yahweh used ‘father’ for people 9 times.
Lev 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his… FATHER…
Num 12:16 If her (Miriam) FATHER had but spit in her face… (also in Num 13:2)
Jer 7: 7, 14, 18, 22, 25-26 Yahweh called people ‘fathers’ 6 times.
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their FATHERS in the day that I took them by the hand… [Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their FATHERS in the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt…]
Ezek 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your FATHERS; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
2. JESUS TOO WILL BE GUILTY OF THE CATHOLIC CRIME; He is violating His own word.
Mt 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the FATHER the child…
Mt 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his FATHER…
Mt 10:37 He that loveth FATHER or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mt 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or FATHER…for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Lk 12:53 The FATHER shall be divided against the son, and the son against the FATHER…
Lk 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his FATHER, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren…he cannot be my disciple.
Lk 16:24 [Jesus narrating ‘The Rich Man and Lazarus’] And he cried and said, FATHER Abraham, have mercy on me… (See also v. 27 & 30)
Lk 18:20 HONOUR THY FATHER and thy mother.
Jn 6:58 This is the bread which came down from heaven: not as your FATHERS did eat manna, and are dead…
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT SHALL BE GUILTY TOO OF THE CRIME because people prophesied by His inspiration and called people ‘father’.
(a) Lk 1: 67 Zechariah was FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT and later he said:
Lk 1:72-73 ‘To perform the mercy promised to OUR FATHERS, and to remember his holy covenant. The oath which he sware to OUR FATHER Abraham.
(b) Acts 7: 55 referred to St. Stephen as ‘full of the Holy Spirit’ and yet he called people in that same chapter ‘FATHER’ a record of 18 times. If calling people ‘father’ is wrong it presupposed that the Paraclete misled the proto-martyr.
(c) Since the Letter to the Hebrews bear no human authorship the full responsibility goes to the Holy Spirit who inspired it.
Heb 1:1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the FATHERS by the prophets…
Heb 3:9 When your FATHERS tempted me, proved me, and saw my works for forty years.
Heb 7:3 [Melchizedek] Without FATHER, without mother…
Heb 7:10 For he [Levi] was yet in the loins of his FATHER, when Melchizedek met him [Abraham].
Heb 12:7 …for what son is he whom the FATHER chasteneth not?
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had FATHERS of our flesh which corrected us…
4. JACOB IS GUILTY
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my FATHER’s house in peace… [KJV]
Gen 49:2, 4, 25, 28 Jacob spoke the word ‘father’ or ‘fathers’ for people 5 times.
5. JOSEPH THE DREAMER IS ALSO GUILTY
Gen 50:5 My FATHER made me swear…Now therefore let me go, I pray thee [pharaoh], and bury my FATHER…
6. THE BENEVOLENT PHARAOH [Master of Joseph the Dreamer] IS GUILTY
Gen 50:6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy FATHER…
7. MOSES IS GUILTY
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his FATHER and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife…[Moses, by tradition, is the human author of the book of Genesis] See also Gen 4: 20-21/ 9: 18, 22-23/ 50: 1, 8, 14-15, 22.
Dt 4:1 …go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your FATHERS giveth you.
Dt 5:3 The Lord made not this covenant with OUR FATHERS, but with us…
Dt 8:1 …and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your FATHERS.
See also Dt 6: 3, 10, 18, 23/ 7: 8, 12-13/ 8: 3/ 10: 11, 15/ 33: 9
8. JOSHUA IS GUILTY
Josh 24: 2-3, 6, 14-15, 17 He called people ‘fathers’ six times.
9. KING DAVID IS GUILTY
1 Sam 24:11 Moreover, my FATHER [he was talking to King Saul], see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand… Jewish Tradition ascribed the Book of Psalms to King David then this statement could be attributed to him under Divine Inspiration: (a) Ps 22:4 (b) Ps 27:10 (c) Ps 44:1 (d) Ps 45:10,16 (e) Ps 49:19 (f) Ps 68:5 (g) Ps 78:3,5,12,57 (h) Ps 95:9 (i) Ps 103:13 (j) Ps 106:6-7 (k) Ps 110:9,14
10. KING SOLOMON IS GUILTY
2 Chron 6:4,7-8,10,15-16 Solomon delivered this ‘sacrilegious’ speech during the completion of the Temple. Imagine he called David ‘my father’ 6 times. 2 Chron 6:25,31,38 Solomon called other people ‘fathers’ 3 times. N.B.: In 2 Chron 7:1 the Sacred Scripture states that Yahweh responded with FIRE FROM HEAVEN , but not out of anger in order to kill Solomon for calling people ‘father’ right inside the sacred Temple. Instead, the fire consumed the offerings as a sign of divine acceptance. Moreover, the glory of the Lord (Shekinah) filled the house. If Solomon committed a sin against the Holy Name of Yahweh by calling others as ‘father’ why did God accept his sacrifice? See Prov 1: 8/ 4: 1,3/ 13:1/ 17:6,21/ 19:13-14,26
11. KING JOSHAPAT IS GUILTY
2 Chron 19:8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshapat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the FATHERS of Israel…
12. THE PROPHET ELISHA IS GUILTY
2 Kgs 2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My FATHER, My FATHER [referring to the prophet Elijah], the chariot of Israel… [It means that a Man of God can be referred to as 'Father'].
13. THE PROPHET ISAIAH IS GUILTY
Is 49:23 And kings shall be thy nursing FATHERS…
14. THE PROPHET JEREMIAH IS GUILTY
Jer 25:5 …Turn ye again now every one from his evil ways…that the Lord hath given unto you and to your FATHERS forever and ever.
15. JOB IS GUILTY
Job 29:16 I was a FATHER to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
16. THE PROPHET NEHEMIAH IS GUILTY
Neh 9:2,9,32,34 Nehemiah called people ‘father’ 4 times.
17. THE PROPHET DANIEL IS GUILTY
Dan 9:8 O Lord, to us belonged confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to OUR FATHERS…
Dan 9:16 …for our sins, and for the iniquities of OUR FATHERS…
18. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IS GUILTY
Jgs 6: 13,15, 25,27 Speaking to Gideon, the Angel of the Lord called people ‘father’ 5 times.
19. THE PROPHET MALACHI IS GUILTY
Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your FATHERS…
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the FATHERS to their children, and the heart of the children to their FATHERS.
20. MARY IS GUILTY TOO
Lk 1:55 As he spoke to our FATHERS, to Abraham, and to his seed forever. [KJV]
21. ST. PETER IS GUILTY ALSO
Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our FATHERS… (Peter’s speech at the Temple Gate). v. 22 For Moses truly said unto the FATHERS…v.25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with OUR FATHERS…
Acts 5:30 The God of OUR FATHERS raised up Jesus…
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither OUR FATHERS nor we were able to bear?
1 Pet 1:18 …ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your FATHERS.
2 Pt 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the FATHERS fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
22. ST. PAUL IS GUILTY
Acts 13:17 The God of this people of Israel chose OUR FATHERS…
Acts 13:32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto THE FATHERS…
Acts 13:36 For David…was laid unto his FATHERS, and saw corruption.
Acts 22:1 Men, brethren and FATHERS, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew…and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the FATHERS…
Acts 26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto OUR FATHERS.
Acts 28:17 …Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of OUR FATHERS…
Acts 28:25 …Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto OUR FATHERS…
Rom 4:1,12,16 & 18 In these passages St. Paul called Abraham ‘father’ 4 times.
Rom 9:5 Whose are the FATHERS, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 9:10 …but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by OUR FATHER Isaac.
1 Cor 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all OUR FATHERS were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my FATHERS.
Efeso 3:14-15 Dahil dito, ako’y naninikluhod sa Ama, na siyang pinagtutularan ng PAGKAAMA sa bawat sambahayan sa langit at sa lupa. [Magandang Balita Biblia]
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his FATHER…
Col 3:21 FATHERS, provoke not your children to anger…
1 Tim 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man…for murderers of FATHERS…
23. ST. MATTHEW IS GUILTY
Mt 1:2-16 The Genealogy (FATHER is used 39 times in NIV, NRSV, NLT, Magandang Balita Biblia, NAB and The Jerusalem Bible).
Mt 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his FATHER Herod…
Mt 4:21-22 …James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their FATHER…And they immediately left the ship and their FATHER…
24. ST. MARK IS GUILTY
Mk 15:21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenean, who passed by, coming out of the country, THE FATHER of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
25. ST. LUKE IS GUILTY
Lk 1:59 And they named him Zacharias, after the name of his FATHER.
Lk 1:62 And they made signs to his FATHER…
Lk 1:67 And his FATHER Zechariah was filled with the Holy Ghost…
Acts 16:1,3 …Timothy, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his FATHER was a Greek… for they knew all that his FATHER was a Greek.
Acts 28:8 And it came to pass, that the FATHER of Publius lay sick…
26. ST. JOHN IS GUILTY
Jn 4:53 So, the FATHER knew that it was at the same hour…
1 Jn 2:13-14 I write unto you, FATHERS, because ye have known him that is from the beginning… I have written unto you, FATHERS…
27. THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL IS GUILTY
Lk 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the FATHERS to the children…
28. ST. STEPHEN IS GUILTY
Acts 7 He called peoples FATHER 18 times.
29. ZECHARIAH [The Father of John the Baptist] IS GUILTY
Lk 1:72-73 ‘To perform the mercy promised to OUR FATHERS, and to remember his holy covenant. The oath which he sware to OUR FATHER Abraham.
30. THE SAMARITAN WOMAN IS GUILTY
Jn 4:20 OUR FATHERS worshipped in this mountain…
31. ANANIAS [the man sent by God to baptized Paul] IS GUILTY
Acts 22:14 And he said, The God of OUR FATHERS… • Catholic Christians call the priests “father” with the sense understood by St. Paul. 1 Cor 4:14–16 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. Therefore, I urge you, be imitators of me. [NAB]
1 Cor 4:14–16 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a FATHER doth his children…
1 Tim 5:1 Rebuke not an elder (Presbuteros, Priest), but entreat him as a FATHER… Phil 2:22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the FATHER, he [Timothy] hath served with me in the gospel.
ON CALLING THE POPE ‘HOLY FATHER’
Is 22:21,23-24 …he [Eliakim, the keeper of the key] shall be a FATHER to the inhabitants of Jerusalem…and he shall be for a glorious throne to his FATHER’s house…And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his FATHER’s house.
Bear in mind that The Book of Isaiah is a prophetic book. It is particularly a prophesy concerning the coming of the Messiah and His Kingdom. The above chapter (Is 22) if will be read completely will lead us to Mt 16: 18-19.
Like Eliakim, St. Peter received from Jesus the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, thus making him the Prime Minister of the Kingdom with the power to bind and to loose above any other with the exception of the King Himself.
One of the title given to the Holder of the Keys is that he shall be called FATHER. The Pope, as successor of Peter, is called HOLY FATHER... With the adjective ‘Holy’ because he is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Heaven not just of the Davidic kingdom.
BASED ON THE NUMEROUS PASSAGES PRESENTED ABOVE THESE CLASSES OF PEOPLE CAN BE CALLED ‘FATHER’:
• Biological Father • Patriarchs • Ancestors • Kings (as David did to Saul, 1 Sam 24:11, Isaiah 49:23) • Government Leaders (e.g., Eliakim, the Royal Steward – Is 22: 21, 23-24) • PETER & his SUCCESSORS (The Keeper of the Keys) Mt16: 18-19 & Is 22: 21, 23-24 • APOSTLES & BISHOPS (1 Cor 4:14–16/ 1 Cor 4:14–16/ Phil 2:22) • PRESBYTERS AND PRIESTS (Judges 17:9-10/ 1 Tim 5:1)
N.B. The Catholic word ‘priest’ was a shortened version of the Presbyter. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides the etymology [ME preist, fr. OE preost, ultim. fr. LL presbyter elder, priest, fr. Gk presbyteros, fr. compar. of presbys old man, elder].
MY REFUTATION: They are not called father in spiritual sense like in this verse.
And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
Well just read this whole article which is in my blog why religious priests should not be called FATHER
CLICK HERE
Besides, if you translate to other languages the words FATHER on other verses, The words are different which is not FATHER in English.CLICK HERE
like in Acts 13:17 it says "The God of this people of Israel chose OUR FATHERS…"
In my own native language, the word FATHERS there is translated as MGA MAGULANG.
the word MAGULANG can also mean parent.
the word FATHER in English has a lot of meanings.
Anyway, if you translate Matthew 23:9 the word FATHER there, the word is AMA which is FATHER in English.
Calling the priests FATHER is not literal but spiritual. Lord Jesus tells us that in spiritual issues, We should not call our spiritual parents (Word of God preachers) FATHER because we only have one Spiritual Father who is God, The Father of Lord Jesus Christ.
We must remember that Lord Jesus words are all spiritual bases on this verse:
John 6:63 The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
So again, Lord Jesus prohibits the calling FATHER in spiritual matters. we have only one spiritual Father who is God the Father of Lord Jesus.
Besides, in spiritual matters. the word FATHER is the name of God.
Isaiah 63:16 Doubtless You are our Father,Though Abraham was ignorant of us,
And Israel does not acknowledge us.You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. (New King James Version)
The main reason why there is one spiritual Father in spiritual matters and only God should be called FATHER it is because IN RELIGION, all Christians are brothers.
Matthew 23:8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. (New King James Version)
No wonder why Apostle Peter called Apostle Paul the term BROTHER and not FATHER. (We must remember that they were both Christian preachers)
2 Peter 3:15 And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, (New King James Version)
but Catholic priests call their fellow priests today FATHER.
CATHOLIC DEFENSE: WELL, WELL, WELL! THE BIBLE IS VERY CATHOLIC, ISN’T IT? BECAUSE IT IS A CATHOLIC BOOK! IF YOU WILL FOLLOW THE PROTESTANT AND BORN-AGAIN INTERPRETATION THE SACRED SCRIPTURES THEMSELVES SHALL LOOSE THEIR DIVINE INSPIRATION. SIMPLY STATED THEIR POSITION IS ABSURD, ILLOGICAL AND UNBIBLICAL!
MY RESPONSE: It is your paganic Church's interpretation too w/o giving some Bible verses support to explain EACH verses your paganic Church used to defend this heretical teaching.
The Bible is a Catholic Book? Oh really? are the authors of the books inside of it are Catholic clergies? NO!
your belief calling your priests Father is UNBIBLICAL!
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