O'Donoghue MTh_Thesis-FinalCopy.pdf - South African Theological ...

as special.Metzger (1992:145) notes two differences between the way the OT andintertestamental literature speak of God as Father compared to the way Jesus spokeof God as Father. Firstly, (as already mentioned) Jesus refers to God as Father withgreat frequency, and secondly Jesus referred to God as Father with a “degree oftenderness and warmth.”It should be noted that Rabbinic literature does contain examples of God as Fatherbeing tender (Goshen-Gottstein 2001:476). However the overwhelming slant of themeaning of God as Father in rabbinic literature, is Israel’s obligation of obedienceand awe to their Father.To make the point of how affectionate the idea of God as Father was used by Jesus,one may summarise from Mark 14:36 that Jesus in his “mother-tongue” would haveused the word abba for Father (Metzger 1992:146). Abba can mean either daddy orfather. It was used by children to refer to their father. The word abbi which is derivedfrom abba is more formal and means “My Father.” Abbi would have been used byrabbis of Jesus time as it would have been considered irreverent to refer to God asabba as it would be too “familiar and intimate.”Dobschütz: (1914:303) notes that the address of Father is the address given by achild to the person who has the best interest at heart, and who is willing to helpthem. The prodigal son addressing his Father in Luke 15:21 was put forward as anexample. Here one sees a Father all too willing to act in the best interest of hisrepentant son.Jesus teaches His disciples that they too can relate to God in this intimate way(Green 2000:41). For example in the Lord’s Prayer, which forms part of the SOMJesus teaches the disciples to pray, “Our Father (Green 2000:41).” Also Matthew11:27 claims that Jesus alone can reveal who the Father is (Green 2000:41). ThusChristians have the privilege of calling God, Father, as a “derivative” of the Father –Son relationship that exists between Jesus and God (Juel 1997:319). It is arelationship that is “spiritual rather than based on creation (Marshall 2004:100).”77