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The meaning of this text within the historical and cultural context of first century Judea is that no male parent is to be regarded as the true father of any son or daughter naturally sired by him—as middle eastern cultural tradition taught each child to regard him—with an absolute claim to personal loyalty and obedience, above and apart from any other consideration of affection, respect, duty and reverence they might owe to another, to mother or sibling or spouse or children or friend or comrade-in-arms or teacher or commander or king or country, or even life itself. Tradition demanded absolute allegiance, respect and obedience. See [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/exodus/20-12.htm Exodus 20:12 commentaries].

The meaning of this text within the historical and cultural context of first century Judea is that no male parent is to be regarded as the true father of any son or daughter naturally sired by him—as middle eastern cultural tradition taught each child to regard him—with an absolute claim to personal loyalty and obedience, above and apart from any other consideration of affection, respect, duty and reverence they might owe to another, to mother or sibling or spouse or children or friend or comrade-in-arms or teacher or commander or king or country, or even life itself. Tradition demanded absolute allegiance, respect and obedience. See [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/exodus/20-12.htm Exodus 20:12 commentaries].

Students who came to regard their teachers and rabbis with reverent affection and loyalty, even awe, for imparting the knowledge of [[Torah]] to them, were traditionally encouraged to address them as "my father" and to regard them as their spiritual fathers, to whom they owed everything, honor, reverence, even their lives. The rabbi was also revered as being a figure closer to '''[[God]]''' than anyone else in the community<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Rabbis.html Jewish Concepts: Rabbi (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)]</ref>. Jesus is setting them free of the tradition of unquestioning imitation of those abusers of legitimate Jewish authority, who set aside the substance of the teaching of Moses and the scriptures for the sake of their own self-promoting customs and ritual traditions.

Students who came to regard their teachers and rabbis with reverent affection and loyalty, even [[awe]], for imparting the knowledge of [[Torah]] to them, were traditionally encouraged to address them as "my father" and to regard them as their spiritual fathers, to whom they owed everything, honor, reverence, even their lives. The rabbi was also revered as being a figure closer to '''[[God]]''' than anyone else in the community<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Rabbis.html Jewish Concepts: Rabbi (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)]</ref>. Jesus is setting them free of the tradition of unquestioning imitation of those abusers of legitimate Jewish authority, who set aside the substance of the teaching of Moses and the scriptures for the sake of their own self-promoting customs and ritual traditions.

This text in Matthew has been cited as condemning any use of the word "father" as an address or title of respect to any man, as if it said, "''Call no man on earth, 'father'...''". However, against this defective reading of the meaning of the text, and apart from the fact that a word has been ''removed'' by such a reading (interpretation) of the text, multiple passages in sacred scripture itself demonstrate that the apostles and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ themselves addressed others as "''father''" and were called "''father''".  

This text in Matthew has been cited as condemning any use of the word "father" as an address or title of respect to any man, as if it said, "''Call no man on earth, 'father'...''". However, against this defective reading of the meaning of the text, and apart from the fact that a word has been ''removed'' by such a reading (interpretation) of the text, multiple passages in sacred scripture itself demonstrate that the apostles and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ themselves addressed others as "''father''" and were called "''father''".