Father
A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut 1:11; 1 Kgs 15:11; Matt 3:9; Matt 23:30, etc.); and (2) as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judg 17:10; Judg 18:19; 1 Sam 10:12; 2 Kgs 2:12; Matt 23:9, etc.). (3) The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Gen 4:20, Gen 4:21; comp. Job 38:28).
Applied to God (Ex 4:22; Deut 32:6; 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 89:27, Ps 89:28, etc.). (1.) As denoting his covenant relation to the Jews (Jer 31:9; Isa 63:16; Isa 64:8; John 8:41, etc.).
(2.) Believers are called God’s “sons” (John 1:12; Rom 8:16; Matt 6:4, Matt 6:8, Matt 6:15, Matt 6:18; Matt 10:20, Matt 10:29). They also call him “Father” (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:4)
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), by Matthew George Easton.
