Changes

Jesus does '''''not''''' say, "Do not be '''called''' fathers". <br>In verse 10, he '''''does''''' say, "Neither be '''called''' masters". <br>(Yet Paul and Peter address men as "masters":<br>Ephesians 6:5, 9; Colossians 3:22; 4:1; 1&nbsp;Timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:9; 1&nbsp;Peter 2:18.)

Jesus does '''''not''''' say, "Do not be '''called''' fathers". <br>In verse 10, he '''''does''''' say, "Neither be '''called''' masters". <br>(Yet Paul and Peter address men as "masters":<br>Ephesians 6:5, 9; Colossians 3:22; 4:1; 1&nbsp;Timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:9; 1&nbsp;Peter 2:18.)

The meaning of this text in Matthew 23:9 "''your father''" is that no male parent ''in the most absolute sense'' is to be regarded ''most ultimately'' as the true father of any son or daughter naturally sired (procreated) by him. Jesus is correcting a distortion of the meaning of Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother". <br> Middle eastern cultural tradition taught each child to regard their natural father with absolute claim to their 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. <br> Students who came to regard their teachers and rabbis and founders of schools of knowledge 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, ''Abba''. Jesus is setting them free of the tradition of unquestioning imitation of those abusers of legitimate Jewish authority as fathers 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, as leaders beyond any possible reproach and as ''[[Icon]]s'' of God's Authority on earth.

The meaning of this text in Matthew 23:9 "''your father''" is that no male parent ''in the most absolute sense'' is to be regarded ''most ultimately'' as the true father of any son or daughter naturally sired (procreated) by him. Jesus is correcting a distortion of the meaning of Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother". <br> Middle eastern cultural tradition taught each child to regard their natural fathers with absolute claim to their 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. <br> Students who came to regard their teachers and rabbis and founders of schools of knowledge 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, ''Abba''. Jesus is setting them free of the tradition of unquestioning imitation of those abusers of legitimate Jewish authority as fathers 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, as leaders beyond any possible reproach and as ''[[Icon]]s'' of God's Authority on earth.

'''Matthew Poole's Commentary''' on Matthew 23 verses 8-10 states unequivocally:

'''Matthew Poole's Commentary''' on Matthew 23 verses 8-10 states unequivocally: