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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''".  

St. Paul told the Corinthians that though they had many guides, he was their father through the gospel, and he also said he was a father to Timothy. [[Stephen|St. Stephen]] addressed the high priest and members of the council as fathers, and John explicitly addresses the leaders of the Christian community as "fathers". In the same way, for example, no Catholic says to a priest, "my father", but says instead, "Father — (''insert name'')", as a title of respect. There is a substantial difference in saying "my father" and simply saying "Father". See Acts 7:2, 22:1; 1 John 2:12-14; 1 Corinthians 4:14-15; Philippians 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; Hebrews 13:17. Compare multiple commentaries on the divine origin of the title "father" as ''proper'' in [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/3-14.htm Ephesians 3:14] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/3-15.htm 15]. "''The Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named''."

St. Paul told the Corinthians that though they had many guides, he was their father through the gospel, and he also said he was a father to Timothy. [[Stephen|St. Stephen]] addressed the high priest and members of the council as fathers, and John explicitly addresses the leaders of the Christian community as "fathers". In the same way, for example, no Catholic says to a priest, "my father", but says instead, "Father — (''insert name'')", as a title of respect. There is a substantial difference in saying "my father" and simply saying "Father". See Acts 7:2, 22:1; 1 John 2:12-14; 1 Corinthians 4:14-15; Philippians 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; Hebrews 13:17. Compare multiple commentaries on the divine origin of the title "father" as ''proper'' to heads of all families in [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/3-14.htm Ephesians 3:14] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/3-15.htm 15]. "''The Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named''."

Most translations of Matthew 23:9 faithfully say "''your father''"; but others explicitly omit the word '''ὑμῶν''' "''your''" in translation as an anti-Catholic reading ([[polemic]]) which has no grammatical basis and cannot be justified according to the New Testament Greek text of Matthew 23:9

Most translations of Matthew 23:9 faithfully say "''your father''"; but others explicitly omit the word '''ὑμῶν''' "''your''" in translation as an anti-Catholic reading ([[polemic]]) which has no grammatical basis and cannot be justified according to the New Testament Greek text of Matthew 23:9