.
A common Greek word for "love" in the New Testament is agape (ag-ah'
pay) for example 1John 4:8 and 1John 4:16 where it's said that God is love.
Agape has become a sort of sacred cow among Christians; and they typically
quote the entire spectrum of it from 1Cor 13:1-7.
But the entire spectrum of love tells us nothing of its particular nuances. In
order to discern the colors of agape we have to seek out passages where
love is a verb.
The two primary colors of agape are agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o) and phileo (fil
eh'-o). A Strong's Concordance shows every verse in the New Testament
where those verbs are used; which is very handy for helping us to
understand the spectrum of love. However; the thing to note is that those
two verbs are not interchangeable.
For example the colors red and blue, combined with other colors, make up
the spectrum of sunlight. But if we want a red house, we have to use red
paint. If we use blue paint, our house won't come out red because red and
blue are not interchangeable.
In like manner, agapao and phileo together make up the spectrum of love,
but they are not interchangeable-- phileo typically speaks of affection,
whereas agapao usually does not; if ever. For example:
• John 21:15 . . So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon
Peter: Simon; do you love me more than these?
» Some say that "these" refers to the other apostles, but I'm inclined to suspect that Jesus
was referring to the sea, and the fish they had just eaten, and to the boat, and to the
tackle, and to the fishing business. Certainly all of that was important to Peter seeing as
how fishing was his life.
The Greek verb for "love" in that passage is agapao, which isn't necessarily
an affectionate kind of love, rather, it's related to things like preferences,
loyalties, and priorities. For example:
• Matt 6:24 . . No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
• Luke 14:26 . . If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and
mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes, even his own
life --he cannot be my disciple.
The verb agapao is employed several times in the 13th, 14th, and 15th
chapters of John's gospel relative to Jesus and his apostles, and relative to
the apostles among themselves.
But then Jesus asked Peter:
• John 21:17 . . Simon, do you love me?
That time "love" is translated from the Greek verb phileo which is a very
different kind of love than agapao.
Well, the thing is: agapao is more or less impersonal; whereas phileo is just
the opposite. It's an affectionate, bonding kind of love felt among best
friends, lovers, and kinfolk.
In other words: Peter wasn't asked what he thought of Jesus, rather, how he
felt about him, viz: Jesus' question was: Peter; do you like me?
Of course Jesus already knew how Peter felt about him, but Jesus wasn't
satisfied with knowing; he wanted Peter to come out with it, and he did.
• John 21:17 . . He said: Lord, you know all things; you know that I love
you.
» I'd imagine that expressing his feelings for Jesus was difficult for a rugged blue collar guy
like Peter. I worked as a professional welder for 40 years in shipyards and shops. Not many
of the men I worked alongside were comfortable talking about their feelings for each
other.
_
A common Greek word for "love" in the New Testament is agape (ag-ah'
pay) for example 1John 4:8 and 1John 4:16 where it's said that God is love.
Agape has become a sort of sacred cow among Christians; and they typically
quote the entire spectrum of it from 1Cor 13:1-7.
But the entire spectrum of love tells us nothing of its particular nuances. In
order to discern the colors of agape we have to seek out passages where
love is a verb.
The two primary colors of agape are agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o) and phileo (fil
eh'-o). A Strong's Concordance shows every verse in the New Testament
where those verbs are used; which is very handy for helping us to
understand the spectrum of love. However; the thing to note is that those
two verbs are not interchangeable.
For example the colors red and blue, combined with other colors, make up
the spectrum of sunlight. But if we want a red house, we have to use red
paint. If we use blue paint, our house won't come out red because red and
blue are not interchangeable.
In like manner, agapao and phileo together make up the spectrum of love,
but they are not interchangeable-- phileo typically speaks of affection,
whereas agapao usually does not; if ever. For example:
• John 21:15 . . So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon
Peter: Simon; do you love me more than these?
» Some say that "these" refers to the other apostles, but I'm inclined to suspect that Jesus
was referring to the sea, and the fish they had just eaten, and to the boat, and to the
tackle, and to the fishing business. Certainly all of that was important to Peter seeing as
how fishing was his life.
The Greek verb for "love" in that passage is agapao, which isn't necessarily
an affectionate kind of love, rather, it's related to things like preferences,
loyalties, and priorities. For example:
• Matt 6:24 . . No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
• Luke 14:26 . . If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and
mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes, even his own
life --he cannot be my disciple.
The verb agapao is employed several times in the 13th, 14th, and 15th
chapters of John's gospel relative to Jesus and his apostles, and relative to
the apostles among themselves.
But then Jesus asked Peter:
• John 21:17 . . Simon, do you love me?
That time "love" is translated from the Greek verb phileo which is a very
different kind of love than agapao.
Well, the thing is: agapao is more or less impersonal; whereas phileo is just
the opposite. It's an affectionate, bonding kind of love felt among best
friends, lovers, and kinfolk.
In other words: Peter wasn't asked what he thought of Jesus, rather, how he
felt about him, viz: Jesus' question was: Peter; do you like me?
Of course Jesus already knew how Peter felt about him, but Jesus wasn't
satisfied with knowing; he wanted Peter to come out with it, and he did.
• John 21:17 . . He said: Lord, you know all things; you know that I love
you.
» I'd imagine that expressing his feelings for Jesus was difficult for a rugged blue collar guy
like Peter. I worked as a professional welder for 40 years in shipyards and shops. Not many
of the men I worked alongside were comfortable talking about their feelings for each
other.
_
