Father

A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1 Kings 15:11; Matt. 3:9; 23:30, etc.); and (2) as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judg. 17:10; 18:19; 1 Sam. 10:12; 2 Kings 2:12; Matt. 23:9, etc.). (3) The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Gen. 4:20, 21; comp. Job 38:28). Applied to God (Ex. 4:22; Deut. 32:6; 2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 89:27, 28, etc.). (1.) As denoting his covenant relation to the Jews (Jer. 31:9; Isa. 63:16; 64:8; John 8:41, etc.). (2.) Believers are called God's "sons" (John 1:12; Rom. 8:16; Matt. 6:4, 8, 15, 18; 10:20, 29). They also call him "Father" (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:4)

Passages cited in this entry

Deuteronomy 1:11 · 1 Kings 15:11 · Matthew 3:9 · Judges 17:10 · 1 Samuel 10:12 · 2 Kings 2:12 · Matthew 23:9 · Genesis 4:20 · Job 38:28 · Exodus 4:22 · Deuteronomy 32:6 · 2 Samuel 7:14 · Psalms 89:27 · Jeremiah 31:9 · Isaiah 63:16 · John 8:41 · John 1:12 · Romans 8:16 · Matthew 6:4 · Romans 1:7 · 1 Corinthians 1:3 · 2 Corinthians 1:2 · Galatians 1:4

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 3rd edition (1897). Public domain; text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. A nineteenth-century Protestant reference: its dates, archaeology and judgements reflect the scholarship of its time and are not Imago Dei's editorial position.