For God so loved…
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3.16
Having studied the Greek language while in school and continuing with personal study for most of my life, one would think that I would have a pretty fair handle on the language with its idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. As I continue on my quest to grasp the various nuances, I realize more and more the reason God used the Greek language through which to convey the message of His Son who offered Himself for the sins of fallen humanity.
In this language there are no fewer than seven words that may be used to express affection in some form or another. Of those seven, only two are used in the Greek of the New Testament. They are the verbs agapao (and the corresponding noun agape) and phileo. While the other five may be very loosely associated with the idea of love, they are none the less sometimes translated as love.
They would include:
1. Eros which is physical love or sexual desire. Eros is the type of love that involves passion, lust, and/or romance.
2. Storge which is familial love. Storge is the natural love that family members have for one another.
3. Mania which is obsessive love. Mania is the kind of “love” that a stalker feels toward their victim.
4. Pragma which is practical love. Pragma is love based on duty, obligation, or logic.
5. Philautia which is self-love. Philautia refers to how a person views themselves and how they feel about their own body and mind.
None of these are capable of expressing love that exists between God and His creation.
In the New Testament, love is contrasted by using two words. Phileo is affectionate love. Phileo is the type of love that involves friendship. Phileo is the kind of love that strong friends feel toward each other. However, it doesn’t stop there. The Greek philosopher Plato thought that phileo was an even greater love than eros.
Agapao is often defined as unconditional, sacrificial love. Agapao is the kind of love that is felt by a person willing to do anything for another, including sacrificing themselves, without expecting anything in return. Philosophically, agapao has also been defined as the selfless love that a person feels for strangers and humanity as a whole. Agapao is the love that allows heroic people to sacrifice themselves to save strangers they have never met.
Agapao is a major term in the Christian Bible, which is why it is often defined as “Christian love.” In the New Testament, agapao is the word used to describe the love that God has for humanity. Agapao was also the love that Jesus Christ felt for humanity, which explains why he was willing to sacrifice himself.
It is agapao which Jesus uses in John 3.16 to express the love the Father had when He gave His only begotten Son into the world in order to offer eternal life to fallen and helpless humanity.
In this language there are no fewer than seven words that may be used to express affection in some form or another. Of those seven, only two are used in the Greek of the New Testament. They are the verbs agapao (and the corresponding noun agape) and phileo. While the other five may be very loosely associated with the idea of love, they are none the less sometimes translated as love.
They would include:
1. Eros which is physical love or sexual desire. Eros is the type of love that involves passion, lust, and/or romance.
2. Storge which is familial love. Storge is the natural love that family members have for one another.
3. Mania which is obsessive love. Mania is the kind of “love” that a stalker feels toward their victim.
4. Pragma which is practical love. Pragma is love based on duty, obligation, or logic.
5. Philautia which is self-love. Philautia refers to how a person views themselves and how they feel about their own body and mind.
None of these are capable of expressing love that exists between God and His creation.
In the New Testament, love is contrasted by using two words. Phileo is affectionate love. Phileo is the type of love that involves friendship. Phileo is the kind of love that strong friends feel toward each other. However, it doesn’t stop there. The Greek philosopher Plato thought that phileo was an even greater love than eros.
Agapao is often defined as unconditional, sacrificial love. Agapao is the kind of love that is felt by a person willing to do anything for another, including sacrificing themselves, without expecting anything in return. Philosophically, agapao has also been defined as the selfless love that a person feels for strangers and humanity as a whole. Agapao is the love that allows heroic people to sacrifice themselves to save strangers they have never met.
Agapao is a major term in the Christian Bible, which is why it is often defined as “Christian love.” In the New Testament, agapao is the word used to describe the love that God has for humanity. Agapao was also the love that Jesus Christ felt for humanity, which explains why he was willing to sacrifice himself.
It is agapao which Jesus uses in John 3.16 to express the love the Father had when He gave His only begotten Son into the world in order to offer eternal life to fallen and helpless humanity.
Copyright © 2023 Dr. John H. Hill, All rights reserved.
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