UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: father

Semantic entry: 10.14

Semantic domains: Kinship Terms

Subdomains: Kinship Relations Involving Successive Generations

Definition: one’s biological or adoptive male parent{N:001}

Notes: In some languages it may be necessary to distinguish clearly between a term for one’s biological father and an expression which refers to one’s legal father.

Sense 2: parents

Semantic entry: 10.18

Semantic domains: Kinship Terms

Subdomains: Kinship Relations Involving Successive Generations

Definition: biological or legal parents

Notes: In a number of instances it may be necessary to translate ‘parents’ as simply ‘father and mother.’

Sense 3: ancestor, forefather

Semantic entry: 10.20

Semantic domains: Kinship Terms

Subdomains: Kinship Relations Involving Successive Generations

Definition: a person several preceding generations removed from the reference person

Notes: In a number of languages one’s forefathers may be referred to simply as ‘fathers who have long since died.’ In other languages they may be referred to as ‘fathers of other generations’ or ‘fathers of ancient times.’

Sense 4: Father

Semantic entry: 12.12

Semantic domains: Supernatural Beings and Powers

Subdomains: Supernatural Beings

Definition: (title for God, literally: father) one who combines aspects of supernatural authority and care for his people{N:002}

Notes: In a number of languages it is necessary to distinguish clearly between ‘Father’ when referring to the heavenly Father and ‘father’ as a reference to a human father. The use of capitalization is quite satisfactory for the individual who is reading a text but not for one who is hearing it read, and since more people hear a text read than read it for themselves, it is essential that the reference of ‘Father’ be clear. In order to identify the use of ‘Father’ as a title for God, it is possible in many languages to use ‘Father in heaven’ or ‘Father above’ or ‘Father God.’|In some languages it may even be necessary to identify the ‘Father’ as the creator and therefore employ a phrase such as ‘our Father who created us.’|A particularly complicating factor involved in the use of ‘Father’ as a title for God is its occurrence without a pronominal reference as to whose father is involved. For example, in a number of languages one cannot speak of ‘father’ without indicating whose father, because a person does not become a father except by some relationship to another individual. Therefore, one must always speak of ‘my father’ or ‘his father’ and never simply ‘the father.’ In passages in which Jesus is speaking of ‘the Father’ in relationship to himself, it is necessary usually to employ a phrase such as ‘my Father.’ When, however, ‘Father’ is used as a title for ‘God’ in his relationship to people generally, then one may speak of ‘our Father’ (normally with an inclusive first person plural pronoun if the language in question makes a distinction between inclusive and exclusive first person plural pronoun referents).

Sense 5: father, the honorable, excellency

Semantic entry: 87.48

Semantic domains: Status

Subdomains: High Status or Rank [including persons of high status]

Definition: a title for a person of high rank

Sense 6: father, elder

Semantic entry: 11.26

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Religious

Definition: a member of a well-defined socio-religious entity and representing an older age group than the so-called reference person

Sense 7: archetype, father, spiritual father

Semantic entry: 58.64

Semantic domains: Nature, Class, Example

Subdomains: Archetype, Corresponding Type [Antitype]

Definition: (figurative extension of meaning of πατήρ[a] ‘father,’ 10.14: πατήρ) an archetype anticipating a later reality and suggesting a derivative relationship{N:004}

Sense 8: spiritual father, leader in the faith

Semantic entry: 36.8

Semantic domains: Guide, Discipline, Follow

Subdomains: Guide, Lead

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of πατήρ[a] ‘father,’ 10.14: πατήρ) one who is responsible for having guided another into faith or into a particular pattern of behavior

Sense 9: to bury

Semantic entry: 52.7

Semantic domains: Funerals and Burial

Definition: (a Semitic idiom, literally: to place with his fathers) to carry out a burial procedure

Collocations: προστίθημι πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ