I know what you’ve suggested about father. But if Matthew 23:9 tells Christians to call no one father, doesn’t Matthew 23:10 tell Christians that we are not to be called one or another of those other titles, depending on which version of the bible we read?
Matt. 23:9 seems so clear...and it comes first.
How are we doing on that one?
Yes.
If you are gonna take an OBVIOUS metaphor “this is my body” literally; then you’d better apply the SAME type of thinking in other places; but Rome picks and chooses what IT wants to ‘interpret’ one way and tells others that they cannot.
In context....
Matthew 23:1-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
The whole CONTEXT is not about not calling any man on earth your father ever.
It's instructions to the disciples that they are not to be called by or use, or be addressed by the TITLE of *father*, just like using the rest of the words as TITLES.
Jesus is NOT talking about using the word in its common use and form. It's all about those in positions of spiritual authority not taking on themselves titles that they should not have.
I get so sick of that same old argument and yet NOBODY suggests that we stop calling our real fathers *Father* to obey Jesus, but rather they offer excuses as to why it's OK to DISOBEY Jesus. That since everyone does it it's OK to continue disobeying Jesus.