What Kind of Father is God?
Sep 1, 2011
The Race for Grace - part thirteen in a study from the book of Galatians
By Mike Gaudet
What kind of father is God?
Is He rigid and harsh as in the Old Testament . . .
. . . or is He kinder and gentler as in the New?
“What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Galatians 4:1-5
In the Roman Empire, “guardians and trustees” were employed by well-to-do fathers to help raise their children. These assistants were harsh disciplinarians who treated the child “no different from a slave” even though the child “owns the whole estate.”
When the time period “set by the father” arrived, the child was released from the custody of these assistants, made an heir of the family estate and was fully welcomed into the experience of family life.
Paul uses this Greco-Roman child-rearing custom to address a concern that has puzzled many of us. Why does God seem rigid and harsh in the Old Testament and kind and gentle in the New Testament? Why did He inaugurate a covenant that featured conditional acceptance and then replace it with a new covenant that offers unconditional acceptance?
Paul compares the influence of the Law of Moses with the influence of “guardians and trustees.” The “basic principles of the world” rely on law to maintain order. The experience of the children of Israel under divine law is compared to “slavery.” The harsh oversight of law accomplished God’s purposes during this “childhood” period of mankind.
When the influence of law had accomplished the intended purposes, God the Father “sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” In the same way that Roman fathers terminated the role of guardians and trustees, God terminated the role of Old Covenant Law. When human civilization had “grown up”, God revealed Himself to the world in an unprecedented way . . . as Father.
Even though Jesus came into the world as one of the children of Israel, He referred to God using a name that no Israelite had ever used for God . . . Jesus called God ”Father.” In all the recorded prayers and writings of the Israelites no one had ever referred to God using this name. No one. Not ever.
Jesus’ image of God could not have been more different from that of His contemporaries. A devout Jew would not even say the name of God . . . it was that holy. Jesus called God “Abba.” “Abba” (Daddy) and “Imma” (Mommy) were the first words a Jewish infant learned. Jesus called God “Daddy.”
Jesus wants us to call God “Father.” God does not want us to be afraid of Him. It’s true that we are to “fear God” but this doesn’t mean that we are to be terrified of Him. It means that we are to respect and revere Him.
The word translated “redeem” means to restore someone or something to original ownership. God’s purposes in creating men and women were eternally paternal. He gave the inhabitants of this world over to law-driven influence for a set time. When ”the time had fully come” God released human beings from slavery to law, enabled us to receive “the full rights of sons” and restored us to the freedom of sonship (and “daughtership”).
“The Chosen” by Chaim Potok is the story of an orthodox Jewish rabbi and his family. The eldest son, Daniel, is only permitted to relate to his father when they are studying the Hebrew Bible. He is deprived of the warm and loving care afforded the rest of the family.
The climax of the story occurs when Daniel’s father calls him into his study. The rabbi relates the story of Daniel as a child. He evidenced a photographic memory early in life. Because he feared that his son’s brilliant mind would prevent him from becoming compassionate, he determined that he would treat Daniel in a remote and distant manner. He hoped that the pain Daniel experienced would enable him to balance an intelligent mind with a compassionate heart.
Seeing that Daniel had learned this lesson, his father knew that the time had come for him to reveal his true heart to his son. He could relax his harsh manner and welcome his son into the full experience of warmth that resided within his heart.
In like manner, God the Father allowed His “father heart” to be temporarily veiled by Mosaic law. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world in order to unveil His true heart. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” John 1:17-18
Through Moses God temporarily revealed Himself as a “father-in-law.”
Through Jesus Christ fully God reveals Himself as a “father-in-love.”