My Dear People,

Jesus, when speaking about the Pharisees, tells His disciples and the people to follow what the Pharisees teach but do not follow their example. The example they follow does not show what it is like to be faithful to the law, but emphasizes their receiving approval and appreciation from the people. 

 Though his aim is to unmask the leaders of Israel as shepherds who are unfaithful to their calling, He begins by recognizing the authority of the scribes and Pharisees, who sit on the chair of Moses--a reference to the person who presides over the weekly liturgy. It symbolizes the authority of its occupant to teach the law of Moses, which was read every Sabbath.  Jesus urges the faithful to do and observe whatever these instructors say but to be careful not to follow their example. The reason is, many are hypocrites who fail to practice what they preach. Too often they are content to load onerous burdens onto others without lifting a finger to help. In other words, they teach rigorous approaches to Sabbath, ritual purity, and other matters without consideration of the hardship their requirements impose on the faithful. This contrasts with Jesus’s teachings, which offers His disciples a yoke that is “easy” and a burden that is “light” (11:29). Furthermore, Matthew’s readers know that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and thus enables God’s people to keep His law. 

The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of making religious leadership more dramatic than an act of service. Often their good works were performed in order to be seen and admired by others. Sometimes they enlarged their phylacteries to make them more conspicuous. These were small leather boxes containing scripture passages that were strapped to the forehead and left arm during prayer. Others liked to wear longer-than usual tassels on their garments as visible reminders to keep the commandments. Still others puffed up with self-importance desired to sit in seats of honor and to be addressed as Rabbi. 

Jesus is not opposed to religious dress or expressions of honor per se. He, too, wore tassels on His garments as the law required and did not reject the salutation “Rabbi.” What He was criticizing is “calling attention” to one’s practice of religion for the sake of receiving honor from people rather than approval of God. 

Jesus then elaborates his warning against seeking to be exalted over others. The faithful should not desire to be called Rabbi or Master, for their true instructor is the Messiah. Nor should they hope to be called father, since their true Father is divine. Fundamentally, despite differences among them, Jesus’ disciples are equals--all are brothers. The context in which Jesus is mentioning this fact is to avoid being called father, master, or teacher.  The title should be one more of service than prestige. The Pharisees used their title in order to gain prestige, so that they would be listened to and then followed. They lacked humility. 

Jesus never said call no one father in any circumstance. We have fathers and teachers in normal circumstances, and it is appropriate to recognize their title. Even Paul calls himself father when he is addressing people of the church he founded. We use the term Fathers of the Church, to represent the early fathers who set the Catholic faith in the right direction. The principles which we still adhere to today.

Jesus is stressing that humility is essential for the ministry, and those who are placed in authority should not think of themselves as superior, but rather, “servants”. No one, after all, can compare to the Father in heaven or to the Messiah, whose teaching authority is unique. The disciples of Jesus will share in the mission of the Father and the Son through their commission to teach the gospel, but theirs will be a derivative participation in something divine. Hence, the titles in question apply absolutely only to the Lord. 

Finally, Jesus warns: “the one who exalts himself can expect the day of reckoning to be one of humiliation. But the one who humbles himself will be exalted by God.” 

[Passages taken from commentary on the Gospel of Matthew by Curtis Mitch and Edward Sri.]

Yours in Christ, 

Fr. Vincent Clemente