God the Father
Anonymous said...
According to Jesus's words He told us not to call anyone Father here on earth. And when He taught us to pray, He told us to pray to our Father in heaven which means a spiritual Father. If I have my own biological father in flesh here on earth and God is my spiritual Father which is in heaven, is it right to address or call you Father which I see it contradict the very words of Christ?
September 13, 2009 2:21 PM
Fr. Abe, CRS said...
Dear Anonymous,
Mt 23:8 Jesus says 'Call NO ONE TEACHER'.
Mt 23:9 Jesus says 'Call NO ONE ON EARTH FATHER'.
Mt 23:10 Jesus says 'Call NO ONE LEADER'. [Good News Bible]
Does it mean that all those who call their teachers "TEACHER" will go to hell? How about those who call other people 'LEADER'? Will they go to Hell also?
Why pick on 'Father' in Mat 23:9 while you are not applying to yourself Mt 23:8 and 9 about Teacher and Leader? It means that you are not reading your Bible properly. You are only parrotting the attack against the Catholic Church fed to you like poison by the anti Catholic pastors and ministers.
If you are sincere in your Bible reading you will find out that YOU WILL GO TO HELL for your pharisaical interpretation of the text.
Mt 23:9 CALL NO ONE ON EARTH 'FATHER'. Yet you wrote: "If I have my own biological father in flesh..." YOU SEE, YOU ALREADY VIOLATED THE COMMAND OF JESUS. CALL NO MAN ON EARTH FATHER. Take note.
* Is your biological father a 'Man'? If yes, Why did you call him father? That's a sin by your standard. If not, well... he, he, he... what is he a dog?
* Is your father here on 'Earth' or somewhere else? If he is here on earth, why did you call him father, that is violation of the command of Jesus? If not, where is he?
You said that God is a spiritual father. O, what if I read from the Bible that a Man is a spiritual father also? Read Rom 4:11 [Good News Bible]: "Abraham is SPIRITUAL FATHER OF BELIEVERS". So, it is not true that only God is spiritual Father as you claim. God made Abraham the Father of many nations and spiritual father of believers.
Judges 17:9-10 Micah told the Levite: "Be to me a PRIEST and FATHER."
Patriarchs are fathers: Gen 4:21
Ancestors are fathers: Mk 11:10/ Lk 1:55, 72-73
Kings are called fathers: 1 Sam 24:11 David called King Saul 'My father, my father' even though his father is Jesse and the son of Saul is Jonathan.
Government leaders are called father: Is 22:21, 23-24
September 13, 2009 9:19 PM
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![ST. JEROME EMILIANI [1486-1537]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6dKQTchkJaA/R0lo013dyBI/AAAAAAAAB_4/XzUAPDESwwQ/s1600/St.+Jerome+in+prayer,+small_1.jpg)
I think Fr. Abe that the point of contention of the anti-Catholics is about Spiritual Fatherhood or "Father of the Spirit". The Iglesia founded by Manalo uses the Tagalog mistranslation of spiritual father which is loosely translated as "ama ng kaluluwa" which was found in the older catechism. We need to expound the real meaning of "ama ng kaluluwa".
ReplyDeleteYes, that is true Bro. we really need to explain that. However, the term is not an official or dogmatic term for us Catholics. Because our priests are not only Ama ng Kaluluwa but of the entire persons. He is the minister of the people of God and a steward-shepherd of the flock of Christ. Part of his duty is the temporal administration of the Church.
ReplyDeleteThe fatherhood of our priests are not physical or biological but 'spiritual fatherhood'.
@ National Secretariat
ReplyDeleteExactly! that was their old style. they will refer to hebrews 12:9 which mention of "ama ng espiritu" and will then jump to an old catechism (maikling catesismo) that teaches, Priests are "ama ng mga kaluluwa"
four years ago, when i am still 4th year high school. our term paper focuses on the doctrines of the cult Iglesia ni Manalo. we were invited to partake their so- called "bible study" behind St. Jude Hospital in Dimasalang. the minister turn the bible into Matthew 23:9 "wag kayong patawag na ama" and then pointed out to the Pope.
i then, pretends to be ignorant. humbly and respectfully asked him. "we were taught we must take the whole context. in verse 8 of the same chapter, it also forbid to call anyone 'teacher'" and i said, "Why then Apostle Paul called himself a teacher?" (2 Timothy 1:11)
the Minister replied an answer far from what i expected. he gave me the passage 1 thessalonians 2:4. Still pointing out to the Pope. ( the pope as they interpret the passage claimed to be god)
wooh! wow. i just told myself in my heart, " a while ago we were talking about the calling of priests as fathers, and now we get into the pope who claimed to be god" hahaha..
but i admire the way they pray. Standing and numerously respondin "OPO" Simultaneously. yet, i begin and conclude the prayers with the sign of the cross. hahaha.. that Bible Study was conducted by the members of the Locale of Washington in Maceda st. Sampaloc Manila.. hahaha (too much expose)
-Beltran, O.P.