DESIGNATE OR ELEVATE

“CALL NO MAN YOUR FATHER ON EARTH, FOR YOU HAVE ON FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN” MATTHEW 23:9


Recently, I have become, once again very sensitive to the brutish behavior of many spiritual leaders; pastors who manipulate and brow-beat and twist arms politically in order to carry our “their vision”.

I have myself been guilty of being far too authoritative in the past in some instances and so while examining the excesses of the institutional church and while changing the whole method of the way we experience worship; I have also been considering the relevance and even the correctness of using the term “pastor”.

This verse has been used in argument against using that word or any other to denote spiritual authority over others, but after careful study I believe like so much of our spiritual walk the “righteousness” of a situation is not the matter of practice as it is a matter of the heart. Heart-motive is far more important to God than whether or not we use a particular word or series of words.

The word in question is “father”. Is the root word for father the same as the root word for pastor? No, it is not. The Greek word here is patēr, which means father, while the root word for pastor is poimēn which literally means shepherd. The danger is not a word of designation for the spiritual leader; the danger is when the man of God sees himself as something “more” than those he leads. The sharp divide between clergy and laity is man-driven, not God-originated. We have perverted the role of pastor to elevate us, whereas God’s intent is that such a calling is servanthood; “To Minister” means “to serve”.

If we accept that this Scripture is not addressing the term Pastor, then let us consider what Jesus is saying; should we address spiritual leaders as “father”? A casual reading of the words of Jesus would suggest not, but if we are to take this verse literally, than we must also understand it would be wrong for any child to address their male parent as father either for it is the same Greek Word. Common sense tells us that Jesus wasn’t forbidding this type of use of the word "father." A careful study of Scripture shows that Job says of himself, "I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know" (Job 29:16). Elisha cries, "My father, my father!" to Elijah as the latter is carried up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kgs. 2:12) In Acts 7:2, Stephen refers to "our father Abraham," and in Romans 9:10, Paul speaks of "our father Isaac." He also refers to himself as being a father to the churches as well as being Timothy’s spiritual father.

Jesus refers to himself as Teacher, but looks at His words; a careful examination of the context of Matthew 23 shows that Jesus didn’t intend for his words here to be understood literally. The whole passage reads, "But you are not to be called ‘rabbi,’ for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called ‘masters,’ for you have one master, the Christ" (Matt. 23:8–10). I believe He was using hyperbole (exaggeration to make a point) to show the scribes and Pharisees how sinful and proud they were for not looking humbly to God as the source of all authority and fatherhood and teaching, and instead setting themselves up as the ultimate authorities, father figures, and teachers. Christ used hyperbole often, for example when he declared, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell" (Matt. 5:29, cf. 18:9; Mark 9:47). Christ certainly did not intend this to be applied literally, for otherwise all Christians would be blind amputees! (cf. 1 John 1:8; 1 Tim. 1:15). We are all subject to "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16).

It would be an easy “religious” matter if we are to merely avoid particular words; it’s much more difficult to allow the Holy Spirit to check the attitudes of our hearts. Man will almost always opt out for religious regulation over the reality and rigor of relationship.

I may or may not refer to myself as Pastor or even Brother at times in order to keep my own motives in check, and you need not feel the obligation to address me as such either; however when you do, I would hope it is not to elevate me, but to acknowledge my desire to walk with you, as we grow together in God. Amen!!