Titles

"And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant." -Matt. 23:6-11

Somehow Y'shua's teaching went unheard for most of Church history. Men preferred the power and respect of titles over humble servitude of the Church. Here are a few positions in the Church that have evolved into religious titles, and their literal translations:

Bishop: A perfectly good modern translation would be, "supervisor". Scary, huh?

Pastor: A shepherd.

Deacon: Can be translated as "servant", "attendant", or even "waiter"! No wonder Christians prefer traditional titles.

Just as you wouldn't go to work and call your supervisor "Supervisor Smith", or refer to him/her as just "Supervisor", the Church should also refrain from using the titles pastor, bishop, reverend and father in this way.

Catholic Titles¹

"The Roman Catholic Church has organized and titled its hierarchy with total disregard for [Y'shua's] commands. Here are some of the most common titles that the Church uses:

Abbot: A superior of a monastery. From the Aramaic word abba, meaning father.

Doctor: A group of 32 teachers canonized as saints and recognized as trustworthy guides for the faithful. From the Latin word for teacher.

Monsignor: A title of honor bestowed on some priests for outstanding service. From the Italian for my lord.

Father: A title first given to bishops and later to all priests.

Holy Father: One of the titles of the Pope. In the Scriptures, it is a title reserved for God alone (John 17:11).

Pope: A title first given to all bishops and later reserved for the Bishop of Rome. From the Latin word papa, meaning father."

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