the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Father
Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary
or This name in Scripture hath many applications. Not only the father of a family and head of an house or tribe, but also it is frequently put for the inventor of any art or science. Thus Jubal is said to have been the father of such as dwell in tents; and "Tubal the father of all such as handle the harp or organ." (Genesis 4:20) And in a yet more interesting sense, the word of God calls them father, who stand distinguished in the church in a way of pre-eminency, such as Abraham, the father of the faithful, so called for the greatness of his faith. And so on the contrary, the wicked and ungodly are called evil. Hence Christ told the enemies of his gospel, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." (John 8:44)
But while we carefully attend to these distinctions, respecting the application of the name of father in Scripture it should be always kept in remembrance that the name Father is in a peculiar and blessed sense had in special reference to God, as "the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." (Ephesians 3:14-15)
Hence, in relation to him under this sweet appellation and character, the Lord Jesus himself said to Mary after he arose from the dead, "I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." (John 20:17) Christ also is the everlasting Father of his church and people. (Isaiah 9:6) I refer the reader to what was said under the article Abba, for the farther view of the blessedness of this relationship. Nothing can be more sweet or consolatory. (Let the reader consult also those Scriptures, Matthew 23:9; Isaiah 63:16; Malachi 2:10)
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Hawker, Robert D.D. Entry for 'Father'. Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance and Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/pmd/f/father.html. London. 1828.
