The point of Jesus condemnation of the Pharisees in this chapter is their hypocrisy — a basic rejection of the meaning of God’s law which masquerades as acceptance, and even the self-righteous enforcement of external observances on others. For faith in God, they had substituted argumentation; for fundamental, loving obedience, they had substituted meticulous rule-making.

In vv 7-10, Jesus obviously does not disapprove the use of titles, like rabbi, teacher, or father, as terms of identification. Instead he condemns avaricious grasping of empty marks of respect. He objects to a religion of outward professionalism without inner spirit. Those who would use these verses to build a case against the Church simply because those titles happen to be used are guilty of the same sort of nit-picking legalism the Jesus condemns in the Pharisees. (In a spirit of loving criticism, one could certainly find many more areas of needed improvement in the Church than merely its use of titles!)

Malachi was an anonymous prophetic voice (the name means "my messenger" and is evidently a pseudonym) in the fifth century B.C.E., after the return from exile, but before the religious and civil reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah. It seems that, upon their return to Jerusalem, the people quickly returned to old habits. Taking God’s presence for granted, they substituted outward forms of worship for the inner spirit of true dedication. God was to be appeased and bought by ritual acts, rather than loved in justice, truth, and compassion. Malachi preached against this civil and moral decadence, and paved the way for eventual reform.

This brief song presents a homey and attractive image of confidence in the Lord. Response: "In you, Lord, I have found my peace."

Paul speaks to the Thessalonians as a loving father, as one who had brought forth life and nurtured it in them. The warmth and tenderness of this relationship is true to the reality of paternity, and is the exact opposite of the appropriation of empty titles (even "father") that Jesus condemned in the Gospel. There is a difference between paternity and paternalism! A portion of Paul’s fatherly exhortation to holiness (3:12-4:2) is read on the First Sunday of Advent, Year C.

1. What is a father? What is the title "father" based on? What responsibilities does it carry? How many different ways can we use (and abuse) the word?

2. What sort of respect is proper toward Church authority? How should we behave toward authorities when we disagree with them?