Abba ab'-a (abba, 'abba', Hebraic-Chaldaic, "Father"): In Jewish and old-Christian prayers, a name by which God was addressed, then in oriental churches a title of bishops and patriarchs. So Jesus addresses God in prayer (Matthew 11:25, Matthew 11:26, Matthew 26:39, Matthew 26:42, Luke 10:21, Luke 22:42, Luke 23:34, John 11:41, John 12:27, John 17:24, John 17:25). In Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15, and Galatians 4:6 ho pater, is appended even in direct address, in an emphatic sense. Servants were not permitted to use the appellation in addressing the head of the house. See Delitzsch on Romans 8:15; compare G. Dalman, Gram. des jud. - palast. Aramaisch, etc., section 40, c. 3.
J. E. Harry