Abba is an Aramaic word meaning “Father.”
It is a term of personal intimacy
and respect that Jesus used in addressing God
and that the Holy Spirit enables believers to use as well.
The appearance of this simple word
in the New Testament reveals the
remarkable nearness that God offers
to those who belong to Him through Christ.
The word Abba appears only three times in the New Testament, but each occurrence is significant:
In each case, the Aramaic word Abba is paired with the Greek word for Father (ho patēr), emphasizing both intimacy and reverence.
Abba was the everyday Aramaic word a child would use to address his or her father. It carries a sense of warmth, trust, and close relationship, while still retaining respect and honor.
When believers cry “Abba, Father,” it is the Holy Spirit enabling them to address God with the same intimate language that Jesus Himself used. This is a direct result of adoption — God has brought us into His family and given us the status and spirit of true children.
The use of “Abba” is closely tied to the doctrine of adoption. Because we have received the Spirit of adoption, we are no longer slaves living in fear, but sons and daughters who can approach God with confidence and affection. The cry “Abba, Father” is evidence that we truly belong to Him.
Abba is one of the most precious words in the Christian’s vocabulary. It reminds us that through Jesus Christ we have been brought into a close, personal relationship with the living God. The same Spirit who was in Jesus now lives in us and draws out this cry of relational closeness. To know God as Abba is one of the greatest privileges of the gospel.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.