Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)/Father

by Matthew George Easton

Father:

Applied to a person

1. to any ancestor (Deuteronomy 1:11; 1 Kings 15:11; Matthew 3:9; 23:30, etc.); and
2. as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judges 17:10; 18:19; 1 Samuel 10:12; 2 Kings 2:12; Matthew 23:9, etc.).
3. The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Genesis 4:20,21; comp. Job 38:28).

Applied to God

(Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 32:6; 2 Samuel 7:14; Psalm 89:27,28, etc.).

1. As denoting his covenant relation to the Jews (Jeremiah 31:9; Isaiah 63:16; 64:8; John 8:41, etc.).
2. Believers are called God's "sons" (John 1:12; Romans 8:16; Matthew 6:4,8,15,18; 10:20,29). They also call him "Father" (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:4)