Abba - Father


ABBA - FATHER
When I began to look into the meaning of the word "Abba," I found two possible meanings. The more often used translation from the Greek, means "Father." Some say, however, that Abba, an Aramaic word, for Jesus principally spoke Aramaic when he was among us, means "Daddy." It appears, however, that the latter translation was discussed by an Oxford scholar, Jeremias Barr, in "Abba isn’t Daddy," Journal of Theological Studies 39 (1988), pp. 28-47. The Internet has a number of references to this paper but the whole issue seems shrouded in controversy. And when there is controversy, I usually end up taking the Catechism of the Catholic Church definition as the last word, and the Catechism uses the translation "Abba, Father" as given in the New American Bible. Still, I am not convinced, because Jesus also said, in Mark 10:13-15, "And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."" If we are to accept the kingdom of God like a child, could one assume that Jesus really meant "Daddy" or "Papa" as he addressed his Father in Mark 14:36 (below)? Jesus, when he was among us almost 2000 years ago, said, "He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will." (Mark 14:36) Also, in Rom. 8:15-17, "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." Finally, there's reference to the word "Abba" in Gal. 4:6-7, "As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God." (Alt. Reading on January 1, 2010). The time in history when Jesus was on earth, particularly amid his neighbors who were Jewish, the religion of Jesus' upbringing in Nazareth, it would be sacrilegious for any person to refer to God, the Father, as "Daddy", because the people in those times just didn't take the liberty with languages and meanings as we do today. For a long time, many hundreds of years, even to today, some people believe God is to be feared. The answer on fearing God can be found in the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas, here. If "fear" is respect, I agree that we should fear God, but God loves us too much to have "fear" be a barrier in our love for God! Beyond these comments, and Scriptural and other citations, I will leave it to you, my readers, to decide for yourselves what Jesus meant as he said "Abba, Father" (NAB). This whole question regarding the Aramaic word "Abba" surfaced in my reading and study, this morning, as I am rereading a spiritual classic (by my definition anyway), "Companions on the Inner Way" subtitled, "The Art of Spiritual Guidance." It was written by Fr. Morton T. Kelsey, an Episcopal priest in 1983 and is published by Crossroad Publishing Company in 1985. I recommend this book to you, because Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., recommends it in his lecture series from around that same time, but also because it is a very helpful book. Fr. Kelsey tells us on p. 56 of his book, that Jesus "is loving and caring like a truly devoted parent." He also writes, that "love is a gift that is to be received." In other words, one who does not have the capacity to love cannot receive God's love. So, a person who is so tied up to sins of the flesh, for example, has long forgotten God in all likelihood, and will not be able to experience God's love for him or her. The love such a person"feels" in the occasion of sin he/she is experiencing is not God's love and never was. According to Fr. Kelsey, "Our very attitude toward God determines how much love and caring can be poured out among us." - I find that a very astute observation because it is true. In the many years I lived in sin, a time I am not proud of, my thoughts were far away from God and it was as if he wasn't there and didn't care about me. Of course, one of the reasons that I came back to God and to the Sacraments with renewed vigor in 1985, was because this loving God was able to make a dent in my staunch denial of Him, through a conversion of mind and soul. I will never leave Him again. As my spiritual life was lifted from the gutter, so to speak, I came to experience an ever closer relationship with God because I was able to reciprocate His love for me, for us, again. That's also when the translation of "Abba - Daddy" became suddenly more appealing. We need to acknowledge the fact that we are really God's children. This is how He views us, (see Mark 10:13-15, above). I also would like to refer you to Pope John Paul II's writing in Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), in the following paragraphs: 38. Eternal life is therefore the life of God himself and at the same time the life of the children of God. As they ponder this unexpected and inexpressible truth which comes to us from God in Christ, believers cannot fail to be filled with ever new wonder and unbounded gratitude. They can say in the words of the Apostle John: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. ... Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 Jn 3:1-2). (Emphasis, mine) Here the Christian truth about life becomes most sublime. The dignity of this life is linked not only to its beginning, to the fact that it comes from God, but also to its final end, to its destiny of fellowship with God in knowledge and love of him. In the light of this truth Saint Irenaeus qualifies and completes his praise of man: "the glory of God" is indeed, "man, living man", but "the life of man consists in the vision of God". Since we are "children of God," would it not be appropriate to address God, our Father, in our innermost spiritual relationship with him, when we talk to him as child to father, and speak to Him in a childlike way, pa pa? That's what I called my earthly father when I was a child, too. Aren't the very first words children say when they just begin to talk, "da da?" and "ma ma?" May the Lord give you peace! Fred Schaeffer, SFO January 5, 2010

When I began to look into the meaning of the word "Abba," I found two possible meanings. The more often used translation from the Greek, means "Father." Some say, however, that Abba, an Aramaic word, for Jesus principally spoke Aramaic when he was among us, means "Daddy."

It appears, however, that the latter translation was discussed by an Oxford scholar, Jeremias Barr, in "Abba isn’t Daddy," Journal of Theological Studies 39 (1988), pp. 28-47. The Internet has a number of references to this paper but the whole issue seems shrouded in controversy. And when there is controversy, I usually end up taking the Catechism of the Catholic Church definition as the last word, and the Catechism uses the translation "Abba, Father" as given in the New American Bible.

Still, I am not convinced, because Jesus also said, in Mark 10:13-15, "And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.""

If we are to accept the kingdom of God like a child, could one assume that Jesus really meant "Daddy" or "Papa" as he addressed his Father in Mark 14:36 (below)?

Jesus, when he was among us almost 2000 years ago, said, "He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will." (Mark 14:36)

Also, in Rom. 8:15-17, "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him."

Finally, there's reference to the word "Abba" in Gal. 4:6-7, "As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God." (Alt. Reading on January 1, 2010).

The time in history when Jesus was on earth, particularly amid his neighbors who were Jewish, the religion of Jesus' upbringing in Nazareth, it would be sacrilegious for any person to refer to God, the Father, as "Daddy", because the people in those times just didn't take the liberty with languages and meanings as we do today. For a long time, many hundreds of years, even to today, some people believe God is to be feared. The answer on fearing God can be found in the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas, here. If "fear" is respect, I agree that we should fear God, but God loves us too much to have "fear" be a barrier in our love for God!

Beyond these comments, and Scriptural and other citations, I will leave it to you, my readers, to decide for yourselves what Jesus meant as he said "Abba, Father" (NAB).

This whole question regarding the Aramaic word "Abba" surfaced in my reading and study, this morning, as I am rereading a spiritual classic (by my definition anyway), "Companions on the Inner Way" subtitled, "The Art of Spiritual Guidance." It was written by Fr. Morton T. Kelsey, an Episcopal priest in 1983 and is published by Crossroad Publishing Company in 1985. I recommend this book to you, because Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., recommends it in his lecture series from around that same time, but also because it is a very helpful book. Fr. Kelsey tells us on p. 56 of his book, that Jesus "is loving and caring like a truly devoted parent." He also writes, that "love is a gift that is to be received." In other words, one who does not have the capacity to love cannot receive God's love. So, a person who is so tied up to sins of the flesh, for example, has long forgotten God in all likelihood, and will not be able to experience God's love for him or her. The love such a person"feels" in the occasion of sin he/she is experiencing is not God's love and never was. According to Fr. Kelsey, "Our very attitude toward God determines how much love and caring can be poured out among us." - I find that a very astute observation because it is true. In the many years I lived in sin, a time I am not proud of, my thoughts were far away from God and it was as if he wasn't there and didn't care about me. Of course, one of the reasons that I came back to God and to the Sacraments with renewed vigor in 1985, was because this loving God was able to make a dent in my staunch denial of Him, through a conversion of mind and soul. I will never leave Him again. As my spiritual life was lifted from the gutter, so to speak, I came to experience an ever closer relationship with God because I was able to reciprocate His love for me, for us, again. That's also when the translation of "Abba - Daddy" became suddenly more appealing.

We need to acknowledge the fact that we are really God's children. This is how He views us, (see Mark 10:13-15, above). I also would like to refer you to Pope John Paul II's writing in Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), in the following paragraphs:

38. Eternal life is therefore the life of God himself and at the same time the life of the children of God. As they ponder this unexpected and inexpressible truth which comes to us from God in Christ, believers cannot fail to be filled with ever new wonder and unbounded gratitude. They can say in the words of the Apostle John: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. ... Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 Jn 3:1-2). (Emphasis, mine)

Here the Christian truth about life becomes most sublime. The dignity of this life is linked not only to its beginning, to the fact that it comes from God, but also to its final end, to its destiny of fellowship with God in knowledge and love of him. In the light of this truth Saint Irenaeus qualifies and completes his praise of man: "the glory of God" is indeed, "man, living man", but "the life of man consists in the vision of God".

Since we are "children of God," would it not be appropriate to address God, our Father, in our innermost spiritual relationship with him, when we talk to him as child to father, and speak to Him in a childlike way, pa pa? That's what I called my earthly father when I was a child, too. Aren't the very first words children say when they just begin to talk, "da da?" and "ma ma?"

May the Lord give you peace!

Fred Schaeffer, SFO
January 5, 2010

ABBA - FATHER