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Matthew 23

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JohnMichael:
I wonder if this is referring to "looking to a man/woman" for your salvation needs (Rabbi, Teacher, Father, Master, etc). Meaning - depending on someone else for your spiritual growth (trying to ride into the kingdom on someone else's coattails, if you will) - which is a position held solely by our Lord. There is also an element of worship in giving such honor and praise to people with special titles. All worship, honor, and praise belongs to God alone.

For example, consider this passage from Revelation:

(MKJV)

Rev 22:6  And he said to me, These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show to His servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the Words of the prophecy of this Book.
Rev 22:8  And I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel showing me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then he said to me, Behold! See, do not do it! For I am your fellow-servant, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the Words of this Book. Do worship to God.

In Him,
John

Kat:

Hi aktikt,

Well that verse in 1 Cor 4:15 when Paul said "you have you not many fathers," I believe was implied towards those that were using great care to see to the brethrens spiritual needs. Paul said he was doing that very thing.

1Th 2:11  as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,

Paul also called the brethren his "little children" and he labored for them, even liking it to giving birth to them to establish this truth in them.

Gal 4:19  My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

And John also used the term "little children" many times when referring to the brethren. But at the same time I doubt that the brethren used the term 'father' when speaking to/of these men that were serving them, even though they were serving and loving them like a father. So the brethren did have a few, "not many" who were caring for them as a father.

But it's a whole other thing to take on the title 'father' because of a rank you hold in a church and certainly do not deserve it, certainly not in God's eyes. I think it is for that very reason that "Jesus commands not to call any man your father."

mercy, peace and love
Kat

aktikt:
Kat,

That sounds reasonable.  Good answer.  

I think those times where we run across a seeming contradiction are good learning opportunities.  

aktikt

Joel:
Jesus went on to say in Matthew 23
11-But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12-And whosever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

If we take what Paul said in his writings as being from his own mind, then there is reason for concern, but we can rest assured that is not the case.

Paul wrote these words in 1st Corinthians 11
1-Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Paul also wrote these words in 1st Thessalonians 5
12-And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13-And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

He knew who the Father is; Ephesians 4:6
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.


Joel

onelovedread:
Perhaps before that question is discussed, we should re-examine Ray's 12 Truths to Understanding the Word and in particular, TRUTH NUMBER 6

[A] "…that in the mouth of TWO OR THREE WITNESSES every word may be established" (Matt. 18:16).

"…In the mouth of TWO OR THREE WITNESSES shall every word be established" (II Cor. 13:1).

[C] "And I will give power unto my TWO WITNESSES…" (Rev. 11:3).

This particular law of Scripture is constantly violated. We are to have at least a second witness to establish a Scriptural truth or doctrine.
and TRUTH NUMBER 7

[A] "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; COMPARING [or ‘matching’] SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 2:13).

"And to this AGREE the words of the prophets; as it is written…" (Acts 15:15).

[C] "These [Bereans]… searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were SO [Gk: ‘in this way,’ ‘like’] (Acts 17:11).

[D] "AS You have sent Me into the world, EVEN SO have I sent them into the world" (John 17:18, and many, many other such comparisons).

The purpose for comparing spiritual with spiritual is to find a spiritual match. There is a spiritual match for every symbol in the book of Revelation. This is a powerful truth that will open the whole Bible to us.

In the previous truth we learned the need for two witnesses. In this truth we will learn the need for those two witnesses to be a "spiritual match." Let’s now "spiritually match" two witnesses and see the marvelous eye-opening result.

Both of these tie in with Truth NUMBER 5:  Everything from Genesis to Revelation pertains to a higher SPIRITUAL meaning than the physical examples, parables, metaphors, allegories, stories and symbols in which they are written. "Let us make man in Our Image" (Gen. 1:26) are words of SPIRIT: "…Surely I come quickly…" (Rev. 22:20) are words of SPIRIT. God does not look like a six-foot man or a five-foot woman. Jesus comes quickly to us, not to the world.

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