By which they nullified the command of God in using a forbidden ecclesiastical title. I never read Calvin or Knox on the subject. The text is obvious on its own to any typical reader. There are no major ambiguities to wade through. This isn’t rocket science. My five year old granddaughter could understand this. But you have a tradition to defend, and so you do. Nothing surprising in that. But you understand how this terminates rational discussion of the meaning of the text. Your presumed authority can rewrite this text however they like in any given century. Talk about a blank check. And we poor weak ones look on with amazement as you carefully weave your rationalization for direct disobedience to a clear command of Christ. If you want to take that kind of chance, and trust that kind of authority, that’s a matter of your own personal judgment. I can’t go there. I’d be worrying all the time God wasn’t buying the rationalization. Jesus sure didn’t buy it when the pharisees tried it.
Peace,
SR
Ok, why is it that in the early Church as early as 3rd century, we have written evidence in the Greek Eastern Church that the term “papas” which is Daddy/Father was used not only for Bishops but for other members of the clergy. Now lets think about that, Greek speakers and ethnic Greeks whose language the NT was written in and it was in the cultural context of the Roman empire that it was written in [now add Latin language and culture] did not have a problem reading the same text you read in English and using those terms as ecclesiastical titles. These Same Fathers were the ones whose theology was normative in defending every heresy that popped up and was rejected at all the early Councils, yet somehow you say the text means no use of the word Father. Again, Abraham, David Isaac were all called Father by NT writers given their spiritual role in leading the Jewish People. Saint Paul referred to himself as a spiritual father as did Saint John, implicitly, I his letters were he refers to the local members of the Churches he is writing to as “His children”, This term is a spiritual Father who is the one that helped lead me and guide me on my Christian Journey. Again, it is in that context the early church used the term “papas” which is where Latin used “papa” which is where the English word “Pope” comes from.
Nobody is using it to say anyone but God is Father with respect to Divinity [God the Father, who is eternal]. Father is used to Distinguish the persons of the Trinity[ from Christ and Holy Spirit], 3 distinct Divine Persons yet bonded by Love thus One God.