Monite ‘Okatopa 9, 2023
Abba, Father
‘Apaa Tamai
PSALM 89:26-27
HE SHALL CRY TO ME, "YOU ARE MY FATHER, MY GOD, AND THE ROCK OF MY SALVATION." AND I WILL MAKE HIM THE FIRSTBORN, THE HIGHEST OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.
SAAME 89:26-27
26 Te ne tautapa mai, ‘o pehē, “Ko ‘eku tamai ‘a e ‘Afiona, Ko hoku ‘Otua, mo hoku makatu‘u fakamo‘ui‘anga.” 27 Ko au foki te u ‘uluaki foha ‘aki,
In the first century, Jewish children called their father Abba. This Aramaic word is very similar to the Hebrew word for father, Ab (pronounced Av). It's in the first two letters of the names Abraham ("father of a multitude") and Abimelech ("my father is king"). Just as in English, "father" can refer to a dad, a priest, or the founder of something, so an Ab can designate a literal father, master, prophet, or protector. David cries out to God, "You
are my Ab," and God declares David his firstborn (Ps. 89:26-27). The Lord is the "Father of the fatherless" (Ps. 68:5). God's people call him "our Father" (Isa. 63:16) even as he calls Israel "my son" (Hosea 11:1).
In Psalm 2, the Father said to the Messiah, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you" (v. 7). Jesus prayed to "Abba, Father" (Mark 14:36). We too who "have received the Spirit of adoption as sons... cry, 'Abba! Father!"" (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). The Son of the Father has made us children of the Father in baptism. We are adopted into the family of God, with Christ as our brother. He teaches us to pray as beloved children to a dear Father:
Our Abba, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name...
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