Lesson 12 - The "Abba" Father

• A concept about God that is prominent among

  Jews is the word "holy."
• In fact, God is called "The Holy One of Israel."
• In Hebrew, the word for holy is qadash, which means 'different," "separate," or "set apart."
• The priest is holy because he is different from other men.
• The priest is different in the sense that he performs duties that no common man can perform.
• The temple is holy because it is different from other buildings.
• The temple is different in the sense that it is used for a totally different purpose, that is, to perform rituals for reparation and in praise of God.
• The temple cannot be used for other common activities.
• The Sabbath day is holy because it is different from other days.
• The Sabbath Day is different in the sense that, for Jews, it is totally dedicated to God.
• The Sabbath Day is set apart as the day of the Lord.
• God is supremely Holy because He is different from all other persons and beings.
• God is different in His nature, in His power, and in every aspect of His being. For Jews, God is in a different realm or category.
• God is beyond man's imagination.
• God's might is to be feared and His grandeur and power are too much for anyone to behold.
• God's kingdom and glory is set apart from the world.
• Jesus, on the other hand, presents a new image of God.
• Jesus boldly addresses and calls the God of the Israelites Abba, which means "father!'
• The word Abba conveys a very intimate relationship and is best translated to "dad' or "daddy.'
• Jesus always feels very close to God, His Father.
• Jesus is always at home with His Father as evident in the many instances where He is praying.
• Jesus entrusts His whole life to God with perfect confidence, a confidence that only a son can have in his father.
• Unlike the Israelites, Jesus preaches God as full of mercy and compassion.
• He compares God to a human father whose interest and concern is all about the welfare of his children.
• Jesus wants people to relate in the same way He relates to God.
• Jesus wants people to realize that God is truly a caring and loving Father.
• Jesus wants people to call God their Father. Jesus wants people to call His Father their Father too.
• Abba - a uniquely / intimate name used by Jesus for God; an Aramaic word meaning "Daddy" or Tatay.