Cultures vary greatly in the food, music, and fashion they enjoy.  But the love of titles seems universal.  South Africa is a beautiful ‘Rainbow Nation’ of cultural diversity; yet our religious landscape is littered with ministerial titles, with pastors and bishops dying by degrees and drowning in flattery.  You can’t leave your home without seeing a poster advertising the next conference, featuring “Reverend Doctor Umfundisi Apostle Prophet  Major 1 Moruti So-and-So”!

Raise any concern about this idolatry and you will be told, ‘Touch not the Lord’s anointed.  Leave our high and mighty Man of God alone!’  These arrogant, unapproachable false teachers are surrounded by their bouncers, luxury cars, jets and mansions, wearing their fancy clothes, seated at separate tables or thrones, waiting to be served, not to serve.

Obsession with titles is nothing new.  Satan fell from heaven because of pride, God judged the Tower of Babel for striving to “make a name” for themselves, and Herod was eaten by worms for being hailed as a god.  In our Lord’s final sermon in Matthew 23, He lamented the Pharisees’ intoxication with titles and fame, pronouncing woes upon them. The actual titles these charlatans deserve are what God’s Word calls them: “wolves, snakes, blind guides, fools, whitewashed tombs, hypocrites!”.

Let’s take a brief look then at what Jesus does and does not mean by His warning against titles (Matt. 23:8-10).

One Teacher

Here Jesus prepares the Twelve to lead His Church:  ‘Don’t play that Jewish game of ranking one Teacher above all the other mere mortals, forgetting you are all brothers.  There is only one Lord Jesus; no vacancies in that position!’ (v. 8).

Of course, this cannot mean Christ would not use other teachers, as proven by the writing of the Four Gospels, the gift of teaching for the Church, and the frequent instruction of the New Testament epistles; yet, it does mean that our basic attitude toward the flock is that of spiritual equality and mutuality, as “brethren”, fellow siblings of our heavenly Father.

One Father

When Jesus tells us to, “call no man your father” (v. 9), he cannot be speaking of our earthly fathers.  The context makes clear that he has our spiritual leaders in view, as verses 8 and 10 show.  His point is, ‘Ditch the patriarchal titles, the clerical rankings, and ecclesiological ladders in My Church.’  How much harm has been done by abuse of spiritual authority in the name of ‘Archbishop, Cardinal, Father So-and-So’?

Yet Paul’s example shows the vital role (not the title) of spiritual fathering for younger believers.  Jesus is not against you having spiritual children; His warning is against a proud motive of wanting “to be noticed by men” (v. 5), of a refusal to serve and lording it over others (vv. 11-12).  The Head of the Church forbids needless distinctions that take the focus off of our heavenly Father and our equality as His children (Jn. 1:12-13).

One Leader 

Jesus cautions next against any seeking of high position or distinguished status, with titles that detract from our spiritual unity as followers of the one supreme Leader (v. 10).  Together we are all but mere slaves and glad servants of our illustrious Master.

Scripture does tell leaders to “lead” (Rom. 12:8).  Additionally, Christ made clear the two offices He appointed in the local church, those of elders and deacons.  But when a humble leader does his job faithfully that is a far cry from self-exalting clergy who crave official titles.  3 John warns about this ‘Diotrephes Disease’ of those who “love to be first” (v. 9).  The higher a preacher’s view of biblical authority, the lower his view of his own authority.

If anybody could claim titles, it was the eyewitnesses of Jesus commissioned to establish His Church, the apostles!  Yet in every epistle, they introduce themselves merely with their first name, and speak only of their identity as “slaves” or “prisoners” of Christ, or their task as “apostles” (not a title); or John omits himself entirely.  Paul said if he must boast, it was in his weaknesses and suffering for the gospel, in stark contrast to the false “super-apostles” with all their glamour (2 Cor. 10-12).

A Few Disclaimers 

What then about the legitimate use of titles, terms of endearment, and appropriate respect for our superiors?  Matthew 23 is not a prooftext for being dishonourable or rude.  “Love does not act unbecomingly” (1 Cor. 13:5).  We ought to “give honour to whom honour is due” (Rom. 13:7), starting with, “Honour your father and your mother” (Exod. 20:12).

Nor is Jesus forbidding necessary organisational titles (e.g., in medicine or the military).  Yet I would prefer most people just called me “Tim”, except for children and youth learning to respect adults (thus calling me, “Uncle Tim” or “Mr. Cantrell”), for their own good.  Yet I cannot go around rebuking everyone who calls me “Pastor Tim” if it’s simply a nickname of affection and a reminder of my duty.

As spiritual leaders, our greatest commendation is not shiny titles but transformed people.  They are our living epistles; there is no greater “crown” or compliment (2 Cor. 3:3; 1 Thess. 2:19-20)!  Changed lives are the best endorsement for any speaker and the highest accreditation for any institution.

Conclusion

Woe to both preachers demanding respect and their hearers guilty of flattery.  Yet our idolatry runs so deep in our fallen hearts that avoiding titles alone does not cure it.  At Corinth, no titles were mentioned, yet their man-centredness was dividing the church:  “I am of Paul, of Apollos, of Cephas” (1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4).  The only lasting cure was to forsake boasting in men and to boast in the Lord alone (1 Cor. 1:18-2:5).

At His Transfiguration, God told Peter to stop looking at Moses and Elijah and gaze at Christ, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.  Listen to Him!” (Matt. 17:5).  May ‘Solus Christus’ and ‘Soli Deo Gloria’ not just be banners in our sanctuary but the ambition of our hearts – to Him alone be the glory.