Confession and Calling Priests Father, Matthew 23:8-9

This post concerns the practice of confession and calling priests Father.

‘Confession and Calling Priests Father’ discusses what the Bible teaches about calling anyone Father in an authoritarian, religious sense, Matthew 23:8-9.

“But you are not…called rabbi, for you have one teacher…And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father… in heaven.”

Jesus teaches in these verses that giving authority to a man by giving him an authoritative name or title should not occur. The scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day constantly referred to statements made by well-known former and famous priests as ‘Rabbis.’ (Hillel and Shammai were famous Rabbis referred to.) Thus, they quoted these former priests as authoritative spokesmen. Jesus said to not do that.

In contrast, in his famous teaching on how to pray, Jesus taught us to call God our Father, Matthew 6:9. “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed… your name.”

Notice that Jesus said “hallowed… your name.” If we obey and hallow the name of God, we will not use ‘God’ as an exclamatory phrase or in any non-reverent manner.

Jesus’ teaching to “call no man your father on earth” applies to the use of Father in an authoritarian, religious sense. It does not apply to calling our male, biological parent father.

The Catholics routinely call their priests ‘father’ during confession when they say, ‘Bless me Father for I have sinned.’

This practice of confessing to a priest at least once a year became formalized by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. At that point, priests started assessing a penalty that supposedly forgives the sins of the person.

The practice of calling a priest Father, confessing sins to a priest, and the priest dispensing forgiveness clearly violates Jesus’ teaching to “call no man your father on earth.”

Today, let us return to the New Testament practice of only calling God our religious Father.

So, what did we learn?

1.Jesus taught us to call no man Father in a religious, authoritarian manner.

2.Jesus taught us to hallow God’s name.

For more on the Bible, click tdroberts.org or https://justchristian.com or https://podcastjustchristian.com

#noManFather #HallowGod’sName