In the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, St. Stephen refers to "our father Abraham", "our father Isaac" and "our father Jacob" numerous times. Jesus himself clearly makes references to both earthly fathers and teachers in his sermons elsewhere in scripture (Matthew 10:24-38). At one point, he specifically reaffirms the fifth commandment to "honor your father and mother" (Matt 15:3-4). So, what is the point of today's Gospel? Jesus prohibits, not the use, but the abuse of these titles.

In the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul mentions several titles including teachers and pastors that God established "for building up the body of Christ" (4:11-12). Nothing got under Jesus' skin more than selfish ego-building on the part of religious leaders. Father, Rabbi, and Teacher are servant titles. A teacher educates, a father provides, and a rabbi instructs. Instead of seeing these titles as a call to serve others, they were using these titles as an excuse to be served by others! All these titles are meaningless unless they are received and practiced in such a way that when our service is complete, God and God alone gets the credit!

So, whether you are called pastor, teacher, singer, evangelist, minister, mother, father, brother, sister, usher ~ if God is not being lifted up, it is time to surrender our titles and sit down!