Some Christians, as we know, have interpreted these words of Jesus [MATTHEW 23:8] so literally that they would refrain from the use even of the very democratic 'Mister', perhaps because of its derivation from 'Master', either using no handle at all or preferring something reciprocal like 'Friend' or 'Brother'. Others, considering (probably rightly) that it is the use of honorific titles in religious life that is deprecated by Jesus, would refuse the designation 'The Reverend' to a minister, replacing it by 'Mr.' (which is perfectly proper) or (in writing) putting it between brackets (which is foolish) or even between quotation marks (which is offensive). But, as with so many of Jesus's injunctions, this one can be carried out in a stilted or pettifogging way which destroys the spirit of his teaching. If the local Catholic priest is known throughout the community as Father Jones, I am simply being silly if I persist in calling him something else. If I stop to think what is meant by my calling him Father Jones, I shall probably conclude that he is not my father in any sense but that he is no doubt a real father in God to his own congregation. 'Father' in this sense is synonymous with 'Pastor'; the former views the congregation as a family, the latter as a flock of sheep.
from The Hard Sayings of Jesus, page 219-220
Some Christians, as we know, have interpreted these words of Jesus [MATTHEW 23:8] so literally that they would refrain from the use even of the very democratic 'Mister', perhaps because of its derivation from 'Master', either using no handle at all or preferring something reciprocal like 'Friend' or 'Brother'. Others, considering (probably rightly) that it is the use of honorific titles in religious life that is deprecated by Jesus, would refuse the designation 'The Reverend' to a minister, replacing it by 'Mr.' (which is perfectly proper) or (in writing) putting it between brackets (which is foolish) or even between quotation marks (which is offensive). But, as with so many of Jesus's injunctions, this one can be carried out in a stilted or pettifogging way which destroys the spirit of his teaching. If the local Catholic priest is known throughout the community as Father Jones, I am simply being silly if I persist in calling him something else. If I stop to think what is meant by my calling him Father Jones, I shall probably conclude that he is not my father in any sense but that he is no doubt a real father in God to his own congregation. 'Father' in this sense is synonymous with 'Pastor'; the former views the congregation as a family, the latter as a flock of sheep.
from The Hard Sayings of Jesus, page 219-220