They had set themselves up as "spiritual fathers." Remind you of anyone?
It is obvious that Christ condemned that. He condemned their pride, fame, and rank.
1 Cor 4:15For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
Paul here calls himself the father of the Cornithians.
Did he elevated himself above God as the ultimate authority?
Did he not have the humility to recognize God as the source of all authority, , law, teaching, and fatherhood?
“It is not possible to apply the criterion of inspiration or of absolute truth in a mechanical way, extrapolating a single phrase or expression,” the Pope wrote in the message released May 5 at the Vatican.
So, what are you doing? I am not being facetious. You are counter-minding your own argument.
Since I am not bound by your Pope, I will address 1 Cor 4. Paul was using an analogy for instruction of Christians, he never, ever, never demanded to be called "Holy Father" or anything near that. If someone HAD done that, Paul would have shut them down flat. How do we know this? Because, if you read 1 Corinthians, it is clear Paul was never pointing to himself or looking for glory. He knew that belonged to God alone.
1 Corinthians 4: 2-17 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. 6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. 14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
Was Paul the real father of Timothy? No! Was Paul setting himself up as the Pharisees had done (and Christ had condemned?) No! Look to the example of the angels - they do not demand worship, nor do they allow anyone to bow down before them:
Revelation 19:10 "At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!"
Does the Pope do this when people call him "Holy Father" and bow down before him? He corrects them, right? He tells them 'Don't call me that, and don't bow down - worship God!' Right?
Again, all of this is instructional - and speaks to the very reason that scripture must be read, meditated upon, and studied - - which is EXACTLY what the Pope is "warning" Catholics NOT to do in this very article. Don't you recognize the utter sophistry of your own argument?
Psalm 1: 1-3 "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers."