Jesus replies in verses 29-30, "Your mistake is that you do not know the scriptures, and you don't know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven."

In I Corinthians 2: 9 the Apostle Paul quotes a passage from Isaiah 64 where it says, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared (in heaven) for those who love him." I know it is hard to fathom but heaven is going to be such a wonderful place that thoughts of earthly things like marriage, children, jobs, houses and the like are going to be but a distant memory.

Dear Father Paul: Why do they call you "Father Paul?" Didn't Jesus say, "call no man father?" - Don, Fayetteville

Dear Don: Great question. The exact quote is found in Matthew 23:7-12. Earlier in the passage (and the whole point of the passage) Jesus warns his followers not to be like the religious leaders of the day who loved to be seen publicly doing religious things and loved fancy titles, like Rabbi and Father. Basically they cared more for themselves and their own egos than they did the people under their care. I mention this because the "context" of a passage in the Bible is often the key to its understanding. What Jesus was really talking about was the sin of pride.

Starting with verse 7 of Chapter 23 the passage reads, "They (the religious leaders) love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi,' but you are not to be called 'Rabbi.' for you have only one master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus did not mean (literally) that there would never be rabbis, fathers or teachers or that we shouldn't ever use these words or titles, but that these titles shouldn't be misused to glorify either ourselves or others. Jesus himself had an earthly father, Joseph, and I am sure he addressed him as father. He also uses the words "father Abraham" in the Bible referring to the Jewish patriarch.

The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 4:15 told the Christians in the church at Corinth, "Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."

Paul was a "spiritual father" to hundreds, perhaps thousands, in his lifetime. He starts both letters to Timothy and the letter to Titus with the words, "To Timothy, my true son in the faith; To Timothy, my dear son; and To Titus, my true son in our common faith." Today, and since the early church, there are fathers and sons (and daughters) spiritually, "in the faith," as Paul says.

You will note that Jesus said also in the passage, "nor are you to be called 'teacher.'" However teaching (teachers) is one of the offices of the church (along with apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors) mentioned in Ephesians 4 and I Corinthians 12.

This further underlines the fact that Jesus in the Matthew passage was talking about the misuse and abuse of these titles. In fact the term "father" (often "elder") has been in use since the earliest days of the church.

Have spiritual fathers ever abused the flock? Yes, sadly. Shame on them; they will have their reward. But somewhere around 99 percent of "spiritual fathers" are loving shepherds. I pray that God will give his church (and the sheep) more true "spiritual fathers."

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Father Paul Massey will answer your question. Write him at P.O. Box 510, Fayetteville, 30214 or [email protected]