The phrase "Abba, Father" appears three times in Scripture; once in the Gospels, and twice in the letters of Paul. In Mark 14:36, Jesus said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me, nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:15, "You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father'." And again, in Galatians 4:6, the apostle penned, "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father'."

The word Abba comes from the Aramaic language, and was incorporated into use by the Jews in their prayers to God. It simply means father. And yet, in each occurrence of the word in the New Testament, it is immediately followed by the Greek, pater, which also means father.

In many cultures of the world, children have an affectionate name which is given to their parents. These names are commonly simple words framed by the mouths of infants. For example, a father is often called by young children, ‘dada', which eventually becomes ‘daddy', or ‘papa', or among the Chinese, ‘baba'. Were we to continue through various societies and cultures, we would find similar names of affection. The word Abba, given it's simplicity, may be much the same; a name of intimacy by which our heavenly Father is called.

To often I believe we focus so much on the fact that God is God, that we lose sight of the fact that He is also our Father. Indeed, it is important to acknowledge His greatness as the Creator of all things, the Sustainer of the universe, the Almighty One, however, these things ought not be acknowledged to the exclusion of or at the cost of an intimate relationship with Him. The phrase, ‘Abba Father' bears with it a double understanding of God's nature as our Father. The affectionate, unpretentious word Abba, expressing a childlike love, and trust and comfort. The more formal, Father, conveying an intelligent understanding of our relationship to God in Christ Jesus. When the two are combined, the fullness of our emotional attachment to and intelligent comprehension of our heavenly Father is encompassed.

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Who named Beersheba? Genesis 21:31 indicates that Abraham named the place, while Genesis 26:33 says that it was Isaac. Is there a contradiction?