This particular Scripture is used by a vast majority of Fundamentalist, Evangelical, and Pentecostal Protestants in their condemnation of Catholics for calling their Priests "father"!  A vast majority deny the Hierarchical or Ministerial Priesthood of the Catholic Church.  Let us turn to Sacred Scripture regarding this particular verse.  This particular Biblical verse cannot be isolated when studying Sacred Scripture.  We cannot isolate a Biblical text to support one's theological scheme.  The Scriptures must be studied qualitatively and quantitatively.  Proof texting Sacred Scripture can be extremely dangerous when one has preconceived notions of what the Biblical texts teaches.  Sacred Scripture must be studied with an open heart and mind to the Holy Spirit and the living tradition of the Church.

Since Sacred Scripture has God as its author and received through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by the prophets and apostles, there must be absolute evidence of what the sacred writers intended.  Let us never forget, God is truth!  There can only be one definitive truth!  Let us now look at the Biblical text, "Call no man Father!"  Jesus Christ denounces the Scribes and Pharisees for false piety and selfish ambition.  Christ uses hyperbole in this particular verse to give a grave warning against pride and self exaltation.  That one must not desire pridefully titles of honor.  This Biblical text must be studied on its right literal meaning.

In Matthew 23:1-12, when the sacred Scriptures are studied to fullest their totality, they teach about the spirit of pride and humility.  The vices of the Scribes and Pharisees, the greed and recognition for honor and self glory is made known by Christ.  The spirit of pride and ambition is incompatible with the teachings of Christ.  We are called to humility.  True discipleship is the imitation of the life of Jesus Christ in the service of others.  In 1 John 4:20-21, St. John states

In Philippians 2:3, St. Paul exhorts

In Matthew 23:1-12, Jesus Christ is talking about the sovereignty of God.  Christ makes one aware that their is one heavenly Father, and no man comes before the supreme Almighty Father.  In the text Jesus Christ is truly speaking on pride and humility.  Look at Matthew 23:12: Jesus states

Protestants never mention Matthew 23:10!  In this Scripture the Lord Jesus Christ states to call no man teacher.  Protestants never turn to this particular Biblical verse, although many Protestant's call their own Pastor, a good Bible teacher they never Allude to this Biblical verse.  Fundamentalists always turn back to the preceding verse call no man on earth father, but never to call any man "teacher".  In Matthew 23:9, this particular Biblical text gives evidence of the false presupposition and prejudicial view of the Fundamentalist, and many Evangelicals against the Ministerial Priesthood of the Catholic Church.  Fundamentalist and Evangelical condemnation against Catholics for calling their priests father comes from Protestant oral tradition.

Let us now turn to the "Divine Word" regarding the term father.  The Bible gives affirmation and evidence that the word "father" was used in both the Old and New Testament.  Look at the following Scriptures regarding the word father.  Many other Biblical verses using the term father are omitted in this article because of limited space.  The Revised Standard Version and New International Version of the Bible (two Protestant Versions) will be used in this article.  The Old Testament gives verification of priests being called father.  In the R.S.V. Bible the term father and priest can be found.  In Judges 17:10, Scripture gives affirmation that Micah from the hill country of Ephraim asked the Levite of Bethlehem in Judah to be a father and a priest.  Yes, "a father and a priest"!  Judges 18:14-19 gives Biblical affirmation that the five men who had gone out to spy out of the country of Laish asked the Levite in the house of Micah,

This gives evidence of a spiritual fatherhood.  The spiritual fatherhood of New covenant priests is its application from the Old covenant priests as shown in the last two Biblical texts.  In Hebrews 5:1, St. Paul exhorts

A priest is one's spiritual father in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let us look at the following Old Testament text in the book of Isaiah.  In Isaiah 22:15-25, The Lord God of hosts exhorts

The deposition of Shebna and the denunciation of the self seeking official is evident in the Biblical text.  The Lord of hosts states

Notice God calls Elikim "the father of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah".  Isaiah 22:15-25 correlates with Matthew 16:13-20: Elikim and the apostle Peter are given the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven.  In 1 Kings 2:26, King Solomon tells Abiathar the priest

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ uses the term father numerous times.  In the Patriarchal type of Israelite family the father was the center of cohesion and held absolute authority over all the members.  The title of father of Israel is a theological metaphor which expresses the love and mercy of the father for his son.  In Matthew 3:9 and Luke 3:8 John the Baptist mentions Father Abraham.  In Matthew 8:21 and Luke 9:59, a disciple said to Jesus,

Jesus states

Notice the word "father" again is used in the Scriptures.  In Matthew 15:4, Jesus exhorts

In Matthew 19:16-25 and Luke 18:18-27, in the parable of the rich man, the Lord Jesus Christ tells the rich man how to seek perfection.  Jesus exhorts

In Mark 9:17-29 Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, immediately after the father of the child said

Scripture again uses the term father.  In Mark 10:6-9, Jesus exhorts

Again, Jesus uses the word "father".  In Mark 13:1-37, the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world is mentioned.  The impending destruction of Jerusalem.  Jesus speaks of the great division of brother against brother, who will hand each over to death, and father against child.  Again, Jesus uses the term father.  Look at the correlation in the following Scriptures.  In Matthew 10:34-39 and Luke 12:49-53, the Lord Jesus Christ exhorts

Jesus talks about divisions, He states

Jesus exhorts

In Luke 15:11-32, in the parable of the prodigal son, the Lord Jesus Christ uses the word "father" numerous times.  In Luke 16:19-31, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the term "Father Abraham" is mentioned a few times.  In Acts 7:1-53, St. Stephen uses the word "father" or fathers numerous times.  Please read this Biblical text for verification.  In 1 Thessalonians 2:11, St. Paul uses the word "father".  Let us look at the words of St. Paul to Philemon, the term "father" is used.  Philemon 10 (Revised Standard Version) says

Notice that St. Paul calls himself the father of Onesimus.  In 1 Corinthians 4:14-15 (New International Version), St. Paul exhorts

The Revised Standard and New International Versions are Protestant Versions of the Bible used in this article.  The last two Biblical texts are the foremost and most essential texts in the Bible to refute the Protestant exegetical error, "Call no man on earth father"!  Would St. Paul use the word "father" if the Lord Jesus Christ strictly forbade using the word "father".  This certainly proves that the Protestant view is truly distored and in grave error.  The Bible gives affirmation and direct evidence that Sacred Scripture cannot be adultered and distorted.

In 2 Peter 3:15-16 (New International Version), St. Peter exhorts

He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them in these matters.  His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures to their own destruction.  In Matthew 22:29, Jesus castigates the Sadduces regarding marriage and the resurrection telling them

In Luke 10:16, Jesus tells his disciples

Look at the words of St. Paul regarding Paradosis, which means Divine Tradition.  In 2 Timothy 1:13-14 N.I.V., a Protestant Version, let us look at the words of St. Paul!

Titus 1:9 N.I.V. gives evidence of the duty of the Bishop!  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.  Read the first 300 years of Christianity, the writings of the Church Fathers and you will see they truly support the Catholic Biblical position on every Biblical dogma and doctrine.  The term call no man father has instituted from the Fundamentalist Protestantism.  Sacred Scripture is the Word of God and cannot be distorted.  Christ commissioned his Apostles to be our spiritual fathers.  Read Matthew 28:16-20, Matthew 16:13-20, Luke 10:16, John 10:16, Acts 20:18:31, Ephesians 2:19-22, 2 Timothy 1:6, 2Timothy 1:13-14, 2 Timothy 2:1-2, and Titus 1:9!

St. Thomas Aquinas, the great Saint and Doctor of the Church, has written in his Suma, "Father means relationship"!  Let us now talk about the Fatherhood of God.  Sacred Scripture and Paradosis -Divine and Apostolic Tradition gives numerous affirmation that God is called Father.  Scripture and Tradition nowhere gives evidence of calling God mother.  This term God our Father and Mother has come from liberal Protestantism into the Catholic Church.  Sacred Scripture and Paradosis - Divine Tradition - refute this.  There is no place in Scripture or Tradition where God is called mother.  Tradition gives evidence, in the Apostle and Nicene Creed in our profession of faith, we profess,

Not God our mother, but God the Father Almighty!  Scripture gives numerous affirmation where God is called Father.  In 1 Chronicles 29:10-11, David states

Isaiah 9:2-6 gives evidence of the magnificent light of God:

In Matthew 6:9, Christ in the perfect prayer, prays

In Luke 23:34, Christ crucified on the cross prays,

In the following Biblical texts, Jesus calls God, "God the Father."  See John 6:44, John 10:27-30, John 14:6, John 15:7-8, John 17:1,21, and John 20:21!  In 1 Corinthians 8:6, St. Paul calls God "Father".  In Ephesians 1:17, St. Paul calls God, "the Father of glory".  In 1 Peter 1:3, St. Peter exhorts

Let us never forget we have one heavenly Father, the maker of heaven and earth!  Adoration and worship go to God alone.  The main sufficient reason why many Catholics call their Priest Father, the Priest is our spiritual father through the gospel, his authority was given to him by Christ himself.

May God richly bless you!  Amen!  Hallelujah!