Father

As Mary Rose D’Angelo has shown, the primary function of the address “Father” is to affirm three things: that it is the God of Israel alone, and not another singular claimant to the title, who deserves to be called and acknowledged as “Father”; that the disciples are intent to pledge their filial loyalty to the God of Israel and to serve him as he decrees faithful υἱοὶ θεοῦ [children of God] should; and that the God of Israel is recognized both as their refuge, when “sonship” becomes costly, and as the one who can prevent them from falling into apostasy.—The Disciples’ Prayer, page 133