Question:  An Evangelical wrote: “And do not call anyone on earth father, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). What are your comments on this verse?

A Roman Catholic wrote: “The priests are called fathers because in a sense they are the spiritual fathers of the baptized Catholics, like Paul’s relationship to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:15).”

Answer: In Matthew 23 Jesus warns his disciples, and especially the Christian ministers, against pride. He says:

“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12).

Clearly Jesus is not telling us not to call our physical fathers by that name (the context is not about family relations). Nor is Jesus making an absolute prohibition against employing these figures in other relations, since this is done elsewhere in Scripture. Having said that, we dare not ignore his warning against the tendency for Christian ministers to pride themselves with such titles as ‘rabbi’, ‘father’ and ‘master.’ This temptation is certainly not limited to the Roman Catholic clergy. The “Reverends” in the Protestant churches should take notice that “reverend” is the title of our God and Redeemer. “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9).

Disregarding Jesus’ words, the Catholic Church gives the title “Father” to all of her priests, and “Holy Father” to the Pope. In the Bible “Holy Father” is used only once and is a reference to God (John 17:11). And ‘holy’ is a title reserved for God alone, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy” (Revelation 15:4).

1 Corinthians 4:15 is often wrongly used to justify this tradition of calling all priests by the title Father. There the apostle Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that he was responsible for the spiritual birth through the preaching of the Gospel. “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” In this sense, Paul was their father.

Notice that Paul specifically excludes that these Christians had several fathers. “Yet have ye not many fathers.” He was a father to them because he was directly responsible for their spiritual birth and other ministers were not. The title “Father” is devoid of any significance in the Catholic Church because every priest is supposedly a ‘father’ to all Catholics.

Also, it is worth noting that Paul does not attribute their spiritual birth to baptism, as is intimated with reference to Catholic priests. “I have begotten you through the gospel.” It is by the preaching of the Gospel that people are born again. Earlier Paul had reminded the Corinthians that he did not baptize any of them (with a few exceptions) for Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:14-17).

Maybe the reader is a Catholic priest. I hope and pray that the Lord will use His Word and grant you repentance from your pride. "Call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."