Call NO ONE your father on earth, for you have one Father

[TonyChanYT]

But then, Paul said in Acts 22:

1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.

Did Paul contradict Jesus?

No, Paul was using the term in a biological and genetic-relational sense, not as a religious title.

Let's see the context of Jesus' speech, Matthew 23:

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,

It was about the scribes and Pharisees. They were religious leaders. That's the context.

6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

rabbi:

my master, teacher ...
literally means, " 'My great one; my honorable sir.'

The Pharisees enjoyed that egoistic title because they were egotistic themselves. Jesus' lesson was about character.

8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors [G2519], for you have one instructor, the Christ.

instructors,
καθηγηταί (kathēgētai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2519: A leader, teacher, guide, master. From a compound of kata and hegeomai; a guide, i.e. a teacher.

There is one Father in heaven. There is one spiritual teacher-master who is the Christ. That's it. Every religious teacher on earth needs to stay humble and don't call themselves by egoistic religious titles.

Jesus set up parallelism of these 3 terms: rabbi-teacher-master || father || instructor-teacher-master. Now comes the point:

11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Jesus worked up a strong figure of speech using parallelism to demonstrate this lesson. Don't let superficial titles puff you up. Stay humble. As a denotation, a label is okay if you stay humble with it. But don't employ egoistic titles.

DJT_47 below noted 1 Corinthians 4:

15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors [G3807] in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

In a metaphorical sense of the word "father", Paul and some others were fathers of the Corinthians in that they spoke the gospel to them which caused them to believe. Even in the spiritual sense, it is true in the sense of in Christ Jesus. In terms of character, this usage does not contradict Jesus' word in Matthew 23:9. Paul, humbly became their spiritual father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

What about the Catholic usage of the title "Father"?

As a systematic usage, I think it does violate the letter and the spirit of Matthew 23:9.

What about the title "Pastor"?

The current usage of the word does not carry egoistic connotations. I think it is okay. Titles are unavoidable in a large organization. We have to use some kinds of labels. So long as the labels are not egoistic, it is okay.

 

[Randy Kluth]

But then, Paul said in Acts 22:


Did Paul contradict Jesus?

No, Paul was using the term in a biological and genetic-relational sense, not as a religious title.

Let's see the context of Jesus' speech, Matthew 23:


It was about the scribes and Pharisees. They were religious leaders. That's the context.


rabbi:


The Pharisees enjoyed that egoistic title because they were egotistic themselves. Jesus' lesson was about character.


instructors,
καθηγηταί (kathēgētai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2519: A leader, teacher, guide, master. From a compound of kata and hegeomai; a guide, i.e. a teacher.

There is one Father in heaven. There is one spiritual teacher-master who is the Christ. That's it. Every religious teacher on earth needs to stay humble and don't call themselves by egoistic religious titles.

Jesus set up parallelism of these 3 terms: rabbi-teacher-master || father || instructor-teacher-master. Now comes the point:


Jesus worked up a strong figure of speech using parallelism to demonstrate this lesson. Don't let superficial titles puff you up. Stay humble. As a denotation, a label is okay if you stay humble with it. But don't employ egoistic titles.

DJT_47 below noted 1 Corinthians 4:


In a metaphorical sense of the word "father", Paul and some others were fathers of the Corinthians in that they spoke the gospel to them which caused them to believe. Even in the spiritual sense, it is true in the sense of in Christ Jesus. In terms of character, this usage does not contradict Jesus' word in Matthew 23:9. Paul, humbly became their spiritual father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

What about the Catholic usage of the title "Father"?

As a systematic usage, I think it does violate the letter and the spirit of Matthew 23:9.

What about the title "Pastor"?

The current usage of the word does not carry egoistic connotations. I think it is okay. Titles are unavoidable in a large organization. We have to use some kinds of labels. So long as the labels are not egoistic, it is okay.

I don't think Jesus was referring to the use of titles, nor do I think he was banning their use. He was prohibiting *how men were using these titles* to shower praise on men who are subordinate to God.

The whole idea of any of these titles is not to contradict the essential subjection of a teacher to THE Teacher, the subordination of a shepherd to THE Shepherd. If at any time a teacher, pastor, or father is lifted up *on his own authority* above the authority of God or His Word, then the use of the title is to be prohibited.

This kind of abuse of a title is seen in all kinds of cults, where the leader's authority is viewed as equal to that of God or His word. You are quite right that humility is an essential characteristic in the use of any title of authority.

The prohibition of these terms is not a legal prohibition, as if a title contains a necessary element of sin. No, God would deny men the right to use legitimate terms in an illegitimate way. That's the point, I believe.

 

[TonyChanYT]

God would deny men the right to use legitimate terms in an illegitimate way.

For example?

 

[Randy Kluth]

For example?

When someone refers to "father" in a religious sense, attributing to him prophetic authority reserved for God alone, they are in a sense deifying him. It's like assigning a prophetic office to someone without proper credentials.

I don't believe that Jesus was disenfranchising use of the terms "father" and "teacher." Rather, he was disallowing their use when improperly representing God as Father and Teacher. It is the same prohibition that Moses applied to False Prophets. They aren't valid "prophets" when they use their office to turn men away from God and His word.