SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD

1. Old Testament
   1. There is a sense that God is father of all humans by means of creation.
      1. Gen. 1:26-27
      2. Mal. 2:10
      3. Acts 17:28
   2. Father is an analogy used in several senses.
      1. father of Israel (by election)
         1. "Son" ‒ Exod. 4:22; Deut. 14:1; 32:6; Isa. 1:2; 63:8,16; 64:8; Jer. 3:4,19; 31:9,20; Hosea 1:10; 11:1; Mal. 1:6; 3:17
         2. "firstborn" ‒ Exod. 4:22; Jer. 31:9
      2. father of the king of Israel (Messianic)
         1. 2 Sam. 7:11-16 (esp. v. 14)
         2. Ps. 2:7; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5
      3. analogy of loving parent
         1. father (imagery)
            
            (1)  carries his son ‒ Deut. 1:31

            (2)  disciplines ‒ Deut. 8:5; Pro. 3:12

            (3)  provides (i.e. Exodus) ‒ Deut. 32:6

            (4)  will never forsake ‒ Ps. 27:10

            (5)  father to the fatherless (orphans) ‒ Ps. 68:5

            (6)  compassion ‒ Ps. 103:13

            (7)  friend/guide ‒ Jer. 3:4

            (8)  healer/forgiver ‒ Jer. 3:22

            (9)  mercy giver ‒ Jer. 31:20; Hosea 11:8-9

            (10) trainer ‒ Hosea 11:1-4

            (11) special son ‒ Mal. 3:17
         2. faithful husband (Hosea 1-3); also note Isa. 54:5; 62:4-5; Jer. 3:14; 31:32
         3. parent (Hosea 11)
         4. mother (imagery)
            
            (1)  will never forsake ‒ Ps. 27:10

            (2)  love of a nursing mother ‒ Isa. 49:15; 66:9-13 and Hosea 11:4 (with the proposed textual emendation of "yoke" to "infant")
   
   
2. New Testament
   1. The Trinity (texts where all three are mentioned)
      1. Gospels
         1. Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19
         2. John 14:26
      2. Paul
         1. Rom. 1:4-5; 5:1,5; 8:1-4,8-10
         2. 1 Cor. 2:8-10; 12:4-6
         3. 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 13:14
         4. Gal. 4:4-6
         5. Eph. 1:3-14,17; 2:18; 3:14-17; 4:4
         6. 1 Thess. 1:2-5
         7. 2 Thess. 2:13
         8. Titus 3:4-6
      3. Peter ‒ 1 Pet. 1:2
      4. Jude ‒ vv. 20-21
   2. Jesus
      1. Jesus as "only begotten" ‒ John 1:18; 3:16,18; 1 John 4:9
      2. Jesus as "Son of God" ‒ Matt. 4:3; 14:33; 16:16; Luke 1:32,35; John 1:34,49; 6:69; 11:27
      3. Jesus as Beloved Son ‒ Matt. 3:17; 17:5
      4. Jesus' use of abba for God ‒ Mark 14:36
      5. Jesus' use of PRONOUNS to show both His and our relationship to God
         1. "My Father," e.g. John 5:18; 10:30,33; 19:7; 20:17
         2. "your Father," e.g. Matt. 5:16,45,48; 6:1,4,6,8,9,14,15,18,26,32; 7:11; 10:20,29; 18:14
         3. "our Father," e.g. Matt. 6:9,14,26
   3. One of many NT family images to describe the intimate relationship between YHWH and humankind:
      1. God as Father
      2. believers as
         1. sons of God
         2. children
         3. born of God
         4. born again
         5. adopted
         6. brought forth
         7. family of God
   4. As a parent, God disciplines His children so they will be like Him (Matt. 5:48; Heb. 12:5-13)

Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International