Father

One of the issues I have a hard time really comprehending is that God is our Father. I keep thinking, “How can the being who created everything that exists in this universe (and all others, if they exist) be like a father?” So I’ve kind of settled on Him as Lord.

He is that, too. The Law, Prophets, and Writings all address him in various forms of Lord, all connoting Him as far beyond human comprehension. A while back I pondered the differences between Lord and Father.

In medieval society, which is where us westerners get our concept of “lord,” the noble classes gave commands to the serfs. “You’ll plant wheat in your field this year, and two-thirds of it is mine.” “Yes, milord.” They issued edicts that had the force of law - sort of like the Ten Commandments which were given by God. That the Hebrews saw God as Lord is no real surprise. He was their Heavenly King.

In Patriarchal times the head of a clan was essentially a mini-god. He was expected to give direction to everyone in his extended family, which included all manner of hired people attached to that family. “We’re going to take our flocks over to that other river for water and pasture.” “Yes, milord.”

One of Jesus’ names meant “God with us.” So if He’s with us, He’s not remote and distant and authoritarian. He doesn’t issue commands and expect us to follow blindly anymore. God explains things now.

Jesus taught His followers by using parables to explain what things meant. One of the things He taught was that a man bought a vineyard and hired workers to tend it. But the workers were evil, and conspired to keep the vineyard for themselves. When the man sent people to collect the income from the vineyard, the workers beat them and drove them off. Eventually the man sent his son. “Surely they’ll respect my son." But the workers killed the man’s heir, thinking the man would surely give up and let the workers keep the vineyard.

Jesus explained how God saw the world by using that parable. God was the vineyard owner, and workers were the religious leadership. God sent prophets, who were beaten and killed. Then He sent His Son.

Do you think the religious leaders understood what Jesus was telling them? He’d already said He was the Son of God.

So “God with us” was detailing what God was doing. The religious leaders only had the Law, and couldn’t comprehend a Heavenly Father explaining things after thousands of years of dictating so much minutia. In fact, THEY were used to explaining FOR God.

Is it any wonder people have a hard time seeing God as a Heavenly Father? Someone with enough power to create every tiny subatomic particle and massive galactic super-cluster shouldn’t have to explain. He says, and it’s Law.

“So let it be written, so let it be done.”

“Yes, milord.”

Apologies to Cecil B. Demille.

But it all boils down to this: a lord commands, a father explains and deserves.