You're right, of course.
There can be no doubt about what Jesus meant by that: Call no one - not even your own biological father - "father."
All quite clear, isn't it?
Regards,
In this passage, Jesus was addressing the use of titles of address, not the use of common nouns. The whole context was religious show and false piety.
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.
There's also this passage. We are not to esteem one person above another, and this whole elevation of religious leaders does just that. It feeds pride and sets men up for a fall.
Here James puts favoritism in the same category as murder and adultery.
James 2:8-11 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
It leads me to wonder if there aren't several words for "father" in the original language -- whether Aramaic or Greek. For instance, we have one word "love" in English, but the Greek has four words for love to denote different kinds.
So, anyone here know the Greek for this passage? Is there a more exalted word for "father" as "great benefactor", as distinct from a more commonplace word for "biological sire"?
All quite clear, isn't it?
Do I detect a note of sarcasm? After all, to not call your biological parent “father” robs the word of its meaning.
And you'll find no bible scholars who agree with you--nor is there any Christian church body--which says a biological father is not to be called "father."