[Mark17]

I could care less about “father.” To me, there is no thought or doctrine less important than that. That’s why I don’t usually even talk about it, but I would like to hear your explanation of what Jesus meant, when He said, “Call no man father.”

[af_vet_1981]

I could care less about “father.” To me, there is no thought or doctrine less important than that. That’s why I don’t usually even talk about it, but I would like to hear your explanation of what Jesus meant, when He said, “Call no man father.”

And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.

And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.

And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.

So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

...

And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

Second Kings, Catholic chapter two, Protestant verses one to twenty five,
Second Kings, Catholic chapter two, Protestant verse twenty one,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

It is often a good idea to try to understand scripture from other scripture, when available.
1. Other examples exist in scripture.
2. Joseph said God made him a father to Pharoah.
3. Job said he was a father to the poor.
4. Isaiah prophesied Eliakim (minister to King Hezekiah) would be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and house of Judah.
5. Elijah the Prophet is called "Master"
6. Elijah the Prophet is called "Father"
7. Elisha asked for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah.
8. Elisha saw Elijah taken up into heaven and inherited the mantle of Elijah the Prophet.
9. The sons of the prophets bowed down to him and said the spirit of Elijah did rest on Elisha.
10. Later, the King of Israel called Elisha "my Father."

In the New Testament usage indicates the words themselves were not intended to be prohibited.
1. John the Baptist is addressed as Rabbi by the disciples
2. Abraham is called our father.
3. Isaac is called our father.
4. Paul calls himself a teacher, and and a father. He says Timothy is his spiritual son and he is Timothy's spiritual father. He also says Titus is his son, making Paul Titus' spiritual father. He writes to the Corinthians and says they are his children and he is their father.
5. James says there are teachers.
6. John uses the word "fathers" extensively.

The Messiah was known to use hyperbole. From the usage in the New Testament it seems obvious the use of the labels teacher, master, father still applied to others in both a spiritual, historical, and physical sense. When the Messiah said not to be called Rabbi/Master, or Father, He was speaking to the Jews in the context that He is the Rabbi/Master and Our Father in Heaven is the Father. All of this reminds me of Elijah and Elisha.

[Elsie]

To me, there is no thought or doctrine less important than that.

Maybe not doctrine; per se; but the sheer ARROGANCE of claiming to 'obey' GOD, and then absolutely REFUSING to do what their very own Book says!

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Call no man father has the flip side of inserting Mother of GOD into their conversations as though it IS in the Bible!!