ABBA

Abba is an Aramaic (the common language of the Jews in Jesus’s time) term for “father.” It is a respectful yet intimate way of addressing one’s father. The word comes from the sound uttered by a small child. Because calling someone abba was so personal, the Gemara (a rabbinical commentary on the Jewish Mishna) states that slaves were not permitted to use this title for the head of the family. To call someone abba was a privilege reserved only for children. In this sense, abba was almost like a proper name for one’s father. It may be compared to the unique way you personally call your own father (like “daddy,” “papa,” “pops,” etc.).

Out of reverence, Jews did not use abba to address God in prayer. Instead, they used ab, the Hebrew equivalent. Greek-speaking Jews often joined the Greek word pater to abba, forming the phrase abba pater (“Abba, Father”). “The two together express the love and intelligent confidence of the child.” (Vine’s Dictionary of Bible Words, 1999).

Jesus Himself calls God “Abba, Father” (Mark 14:36). Even when not using that exact phrase, He consistently treated and addressed God as His own personal Father (“my Father”). For the Jews, this was scandalous! They could not imagine addressing God so intimately. “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:18).

This same intimacy is now given to all believers, for we have been given the right to become children of God (John 1:12). In other words, this closeness is exclusive to us as His children. Through the Spirit of God, “by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6).

What a privilege to be able to call God “Abba, Father”! Thank You, Jesus! Stay Curious.