14:36: Abba, my Father, ἀββᾶ ὁ πατήρ.
1. אַבָּא is the definite form and is thus
translated “the father.” But it has also become a replacement for the not as
common Aramaic form אֲבִי
and thus means “my father,” just like אִמָּא
means “the mother” and “my mother.”—ὁ πατήρ is an attempt to
translate a foreign word and should, therefore, be translated as “my Father.”
Mishnah Šabbat 1.9: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel (ca. 140) said, “The family
of my father בֵּית
אַבָּא used to give white clothes
to the non-Israelite launder three days before the Sabbath.” ‖ Mishnah Ketubbot
13.5: My father אבא
has made a determination about me. What can I do about it? ‖ Mishnah Sanhedrin
3.2: My father אבא is certified (reliable) to judge for me. ‖
Mishnah Sanhedrin 4.5: (A human couple was created for the sake of peace) so
that no one partner says to the other, “My father אבא
is bigger (more distinguished) than your father.”
2. When an individual speaks of God, “my Father” is rarely used as
God’s name. “What should I do,” says R. Eleazar b. Azariah (ca. 100), “since my
Father אבי in heaven has made a determination about
me!” (SLev 20:26). ‖ Mekhilta Exodus 20:6: R. Nathan (ca. 160) said, “Those
wounds (which my religious persecutions have inflicted on me) have caused me to
be loved by my Father אבי
in heaven.”—Both passages are described in detail at § Matt 6:4 A, #2, c. ‖
Targum Job 34:36 in Levy’s Neuhebräisches
und Chaldäisches Wörterbuch:
“I wished that my Father in heaven אבא דבשמיא tested Job.”—Much more frequent is “our Father” as a
designation for God. For examples, see § Matt 6:4, A, #2, c.
3. As an appellation for God, “my Father” is found several times in
the Apocrypha (see § Matt 6:4 A, #1, n. c).
From the rabbinic literature, there is only one reference that we have found,
see S. Eli. Rab. 28 at § Matt 6:4, #2, b, where there is a whole series of
passages which show that the title “our Father” for God was less rare; see also
§ Matt 6:9 B. It is not a coincidence that the individualistic title “my
Father” is used with restraint, while the collective title “our Father” is used
with greater frequency. The individual fears becoming all too familiar with the
title “my Father” for God and thereby offending the reverence due God. With the
collective, this feeling recedes. On this, see § Matt 6:9 B. (Hermann
L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, A Commentary on the New Testament from the
Talmud and Midrash, ed. Jacob N. Cerone, 4 vols. [trans. Andrew Bowden and
Joseph Longarino; Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2022], 2:55-56)
