Jesus didn't call God "father", he called him "daddy". So why do all Christians call him "father"? I don't get it.
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. (WEB) Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; (WEB)
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. (WEB) Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; (WEB) That's an English translation, though (as I am no expert) it may be the correct one here. When Jesus prayed (I think especially at the end of the Gospel of John) the Aramaic word was "Abba," which does translate more accurately to Daddy or Papa. It's also in the New Testament after the gospels somewhere "this is why we call-Abba-father..." Hope that helps though I suspect it doesn't since I'm too tired to really research this. It doesn't really matter that we call Him father. I'd personally feel weird praying to my "daddy"
it really is to our detriment that we have a less evolved language left to interpretation. I get most frustrated with English "Love" which blankets everything. The apostles used 'Agape' for our love for our God, yet agape had traditionally implied the lowest form of love...eros was the highest. Eros of course being sexual in nature was rejected by believers in Christ. They took the rejected form and resurrected it to be the "highest" to them. as far as 'daddy' goes i think the point made is that God is not unapproachable; whereas 'Father' projects rigidity, formality. With relation to the to vehicles of Christianity, OT YHWH is 'Father' & NT YHWH is 'Daddy'...i.e. "come as children"
Err... Perhaps I wasn't too clear. I realise that all Bibles use the word 'Father', but Jesus used the word 'Abba', and the closest translation for Abba is 'Daddy', not 'Father'. The word signifies a very close, intimate relationship between a young child and his parent who provides for him and looks after him. Father is very formal and nothing like that at all. The only reason I can think of they use 'father' in the Bibles is because it's popular and people wouldn't buy the Bible if it said Daddy.
Thats right on Father implies more of a stricter image, important to people who want to control you. If the masses found out that God was a personable approchable "Daddy" then we could all go to him personally for the personal relationship that he wants, and then how would all the preachers and evangelists keep us in line and paying?
God gets the term Father not only because biologically, he's Jesus' dad, but because also we live in a male dominated society which created God to be a man.
