UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: Father

Semantic entry: 12.12

Semantic domains: Supernatural Beings and Powers

Subdomains: Supernatural Beings

Definition: (title for God; a Greek transliteration of an Aramaic word meaning ‘father’) one who combines aspects of supernatural authority and care for his people

Notes: Though there is a widespread tendency to preserve the Aramaic transliteration in the form of either abba or aba, there are frequent dangers in doing so, since the transliterated form may actually correspond to another word in a receptor language and thus provide an obstacle to proper understanding. In general, there is no point in a translation of ἀββά, since the resulting expression would simply be Father Father. Accordingly, in many languages the combination of Abba, Father is simply reduced to Father. In a number of languages, however, a vocative form (that is to say, a form used in direct address) is different from a form used in speaking about God as Father. It is, of course, essential to employ the appropriate grammatical form.|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).