Evangelical misunderstanding of Matthew 23:9

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

The Evangelical and Protestant misunderstanding of Matthew 23:9—where our Lord Jesus Christ says, "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven"—is a classic example of "text-chopping." They take a single verse out of its context to attack the Coptic Orthodox tradition of calling priests "Father", while ignoring the rest of the Holy Scriptures.

As Coptic Orthodox Christians, we understand this verse through the mind of the Church and the writings of the Fathers, such as St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. John Chrysostom.

1. The Context: Rebuking the Pharisees

In Matthew 23, Christ is rebuking the Scribes and Pharisees for their pride and hypocrisy. They loved the "best seats" and being called "Rabbi" as a title of legalistic authority and superiority.

• Christ is not forbidding the word "father," but prohibiting the attribution of fatherhood in an absolute sense to any human.
• Just as He said, "No one is good but One, that is, God" (Matthew 19:17), yet we call people "good men," He is highlighting that all true fatherhood, goodness, and authority originate in God the Father.

2. The Universal Application (The Protestant Inconsistency)

If Evangelicals were to interpret this verse literally and absolutely, they would have to stop calling their own biological parents "father." Yet, they only apply this "rule" when attacking the priesthood.

• The Commandment says, "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12).
• If Christ meant we could never use the title, He would be contradicting the Law of God, which is impossible.

3. Biblical Examples of Spiritual Fatherhood

The Apostles themselves used the title "Father" and described themselves as "Fathers," proving they did not understand Christ's words as a literal ban on the title for clergy.

• St. Paul the Apostle: He explicitly claims spiritual fatherhood over the Corinthians: "For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel" (1 Corinthians 4:15).
• St. Paul to Timothy: He calls Timothy his "son" in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2), which necessitates that Paul is his spiritual father.
• St. John: In his epistles, he addresses the faithful as "My little children" and speaks to the "fathers" in the church (1 John 2:13).
• Elisha to Elijah: When the Prophet Elijah was taken up, Elisha cried out, "My father, my father!" (2 Kings 2:12).

4. The Coptic Perspective: "Abba" and "Father"

In the Coptic Church, when we call a priest "Father", we are acknowledging that he has begotten us in the Baptismal font and continues to nourish us with the Body and Blood of Christ. Use of the title "Abba" (like Abba Anthony or Abba Kyrillos) is a term of deep affection and spiritual lineage.

5. Why the Misunderstanding Persists

Evangelicals often lack a "Sacramental" understanding of the Church. They see the priest merely as a "functional leader" or a "speaker." In contrast, the Coptic Church sees the Priest as a high steward of the Mysteries of God.

By attacking the title "Father," they attempt to diminish the Apostolic authority passed down from Christ to the Apostles, and from the Apostles to the Bishops and Priests. They forget that even in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man calls out, "Father Abraham," and Abraham does not rebuke him for using the title (Luke 16:24).

Summary:

Matthew 23:9 is a warning against prideful ambition, not a ban on spiritual titles. To claim otherwise is to ignore the clear practice of the Apostles and the explicit commands of the Old and New Testaments to honor our spiritual and biological fathers. Only God is the Ultimate Father, but the Priest is a Reflective Father who serves in His Name.