Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Malachi wrote, “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another.”
Malachi 2:10, NIV

“Father” is one of those generic words that we all understand to mean our male parent. Sometimes known as “Daddy,” sometimes as “Pop.” These days, we may have to qualify that by inserting “biological” or “adoptive,” but familial relationship is probably first in our thoughts, that is, a man who has begotten a child.
Actually, there are numerous ways the word “Father” can be used, including as a noun, or as a verb. One who is the founder, producer, or author is said to “father” that product or cause, especially if that person cares for or looks after something as a father might.
Father is an often used term in the Bible, as one might expect in a paternalistic society representative of Biblical times. Adam, of course, is noted as the first father. But, quickly, now, who is the most famous father in the Bible?
My pick is found in Matthew 6:9, and affirmed in Malachi 2:10. Surely you have heard the first reference, if not the second.
There is no doubt that He qualifies as the “founder, producer, or author” in the fullest sense. Isaiah 64:8 proclaims, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Jesus taught extensively of the Fatherhood of God. The Lord’s model Prayer begins, “Our Father . . .” (Mt. 6:9-13) The Latin reference to The Lord’s Prayer is “Pater Noster,” Our Father . . . (See language note.) Even at twelve years of age, Jesus referred to the Temple in Jerusalem as “My Father’s house. (Luke 2:49)
Jesus, The Son, reveals the Father to those whom He chooses. He tells the woman at the well, “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (John 4:23)
How do we get we get words like “paternal” when our word is Father? Some of our ancestors took the “p” sound of Greek and Roman “pater,” and shifted it to the “f” sound. In German it became “fater.” Middle English “fader” eventually changed to “father.” We go back to our linguistic roots and say, “paternalistic” rather than “fathernalistic.” (My spell checker does not like that word!) By the way, “mother” derived from “mater” so we also get “maternalistic” on the feminine side.

When a male child is born, they ask, “How is the mother?”
When a man is married, they ask, “What did the bride wear?”
When a man dies, they ask, “How much did he leave the widow?”
And they say it is a man’s world?
Author Unknown

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Malachi wrote, “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another.”
Malachi 2:10, NIV

“Father” is one of those generic words that we all understand to mean our male parent. Sometimes know as “Daddy,” sometimes as “Pop.” These days, we may have to qualify that by inserting “biological” or “adoptive,” but familial relationship is probably first in our thoughts, that is, a man who has begotten a child.
Actually, there are numerous ways the word “Father” can be used, including as a noun, or as a verb. One who is the founder, producer, or author is said to “father” that product or cause, especially if that person cares for or looks after something as a father might.
Father is an often used term in the Bible, as one might expect in a paternalistic society representative of Biblical times. Adam, of course, is noted as the first father. But, quickly, now, who is the most famous father in the Bible?
My pick is found in Matthew 6:9, and affirmed in Malachi 2:10. Surely you have heard the first reference, if not the second.
There is no doubt that He qualifies as the “founder, producer, or author” in the fullest sense. Isaiah 64:8 proclaims, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Jesus taught extensively of the Fatherhood of God. The Lord’s model Prayer begins, “Our Father . . .” (Mt. 6:9-13) The Latin reference to The Lord’s Prayer is “Pater Noster,” Our Father . . . (See language note.) Even at twelve years of age, Jesus referred to the Temple in Jerusalem as “My Father’s house. (Luke 2:49)
Jesus, The Son, reveals the Father to those whom He chooses. He tells the woman at the well, “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." (John 4:23)
How do we get we get words like “paternal” when our word is Father? Some of our ancestors took the “p” sound of Greek and Roman “pater,” and shifted it to the “f” sound. In German it became “fater.” Middle English “fader” eventually changed to “father.” We go back to our linguistic roots and say, “paternalistic” rather than “fathernalistic.” (My spell checker does not like that word!) By the way, “mother” derived from “mater” so we also get “maternalistic” on the feminine side.

When a male child is born, they ask, “How is the mother?”
When a man is married, they ask, “What did the bride wear?”
When a man dies, they ask, “How much did he leave the widow?”
And they say it is a man’s world?
Author Unknown
June 15, 2003

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Author's note: I began writing the "Seeds For Thinking" articles in 1996. I try to author a new article each Sunday, as I have done since that time. These week-day blog articles are reprinted from earlier years.

Leland Hubbell,
The "Old Gleaner"

Scripture: Jesus said, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Matthew 6:9, NIV
We seldom give much thought about the language we speak. We just use it. Many things change over time; languages change also. The speakers and writers of a language continually modify it. Some words change; some words are created, while others drop from everyday usage. We no longer use words for tools, customs, and clothing of one-hundred years ago, for example, because we no longer use the items themselves.
Some words never go away, because they represent things that we have had, and will always have. Words for family members, and relationships. Brother, sister, mother, and - yes - father. That is not to say that words themselves haven’t changed. We call our male parent father, in English. Yet we speak of the fathers of the old testament as Patriarchs. Since the males were the dominate persons in their society, we call it a patriarchal society. The original word was pater, in Greek and Latin, and still is in Spanish. Over time, somebody, somewhere, started pronouncing the “p” sound as a “v” sound; then the “vater” changed to “father” in our language, English. Lots of other words made the same sound change.
By the way, mother was mater. A society where mothers dominate is called a matriarchal society. Just wanted to give equal time.
But this is Father’s Day, after all. So we shall be patriarchal today.
Regardless of the language, one thing remains the same: fathers are an essential part of a family unit, and there will be a word for the male parent.
Jesus spoke often about (and to) his Heavenly Father. His classic teaching, given in Matthew 6:5-15, has become a very special prayer for all Christians. The original Greek text reads, “Pater hemon.” Pater, Father. different sound; same meaning. God is not some distant concept, an unapproachable deity high on a mountain or in the clouds, but a father to His people.
Jesus also said that the Heavenly Father will give us good gifts, just as an earthly father gives his children good gifts. The good father loves and cares for his children. The good earthly father supplies food, and protects his family from harm.
We sing, “This is my Father’s world.” and rightfully so. He made it, including each and every one of us. He created the family; “male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27b)
But He - God - remains the Father of us all.
June 16, 2002