What would this saying of Jesus have meant to a first-century Jew?
"Contextually, though, the reference is to the honour sought by some Jewish teachers. It does not extend to parents but solely to educators who were sometimes called fathers. Jewish rabbis were known by several titles including rabban, rabbi, rab, teacher, father , master, even king. Yet, there is some debate over when these titles began. Many scholars point out that the title rabbi was a late development, contemporary with or just after the time of Jesus. Maybe it was its very innovation that Jesus was criticizing.
Judaism's most famous teaching schools, those of Hillel and Shammai, around the time of Jesus' birth and youth, were retrospectively called rabbis. But in their time they were not called rabbis and it was their followers who first took the titles. According to some Jewish sources rabbi Simeon was amongst the first to take the title, he was the son of Hillel, and considered by some to be the Simeon in the temple that took the infant Jesus in his arms.
So it maybe that Jesus is specifically criticizing the very recent innovation of addressing teachers by titles of respect such as rabbi, master and father. He instructs his disciples to stand out as different, not seeking reward or reverence for their teaching, but seeking instead to be humble servants. Thus, this saying of Jesus has probably nothing to say about our earthly parents and only a general criticism of Catholic usage. It is to be applied even-handedly across all traditions that unduly venerate their ministers, whether by rabbi, reverend, father or pastor. Though, hyperbole accepted, the intention may be relative rather than absolute, calling us not to raise teachers to 'guru' status but to accept equality within the brethren and the hope of Jeremiah 31:34 "No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD', for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them".
Call no man your father - Difficult Sayings- Language Studies - StudyLight.org