by Rev. Joda Collins
The New Testament is written in Greek. There is more than one Greek word used in the Bible that is translated into English as "love." One Greek word translated into English as "love" is the "agape." Anyone whose been in church for any length of time has heard preaching focused on agape. Almost always, in commentaries and from the pulpit the word agape is defined as "a God-enthroning kind of love," "the highest form of love," "a God-centered love," or "a sacrificial kind of love."
Let me just say it straight out. The Greek word "agape" is NOT any of the above unless the context of the verse lends evidence that it is being used that way.
Agape simply means "love." That's it. How much love and what kind of love is denoted not by the word "agape" but by the context of the verse (the addition of other words).
For example, non-Christians can "agape." Matthew 24:12 reads, "Because the lawlessness is increased, most people's love (agape) will grow cold." Most people out of all people is the context and all people includes saved and lost people. So, lost people can have agape love and lost people have nothing to do with God! One can even have cold agape love - "...agape will grow cold." Cold agape love is more like "like a little."
Luke 6:32 states, "For sinners also love (agape) those that love (agape) them." Sinners is intended to mean non-Christians. Non-Christians live outside (without) a love relationship with God but they can still agape love. Therefore, agape is not a God-kind of love unless agape is used in a God-kind of way.
"Woe unto you Pharisees! for you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues...." (Luke 11:43.) A lost person can agape a chair! Anyone can. I do.
We can agape ice cream, a good night's sleep, a television show, or a sunset. Agape is not a magic word that means God-centered. It just means "love." Sometimes when the word agape is used it means the highest form of love, but other words have to be added to make that so, such as "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...strength and mind." (Luke 11:27.)
Our agape for God is more meaningful, more powerful, more moving, more intense and more life-changing than loving a chair, television show or sunset. However, we can and do agape all of them. I submit to you that God's agape for us is many times greater than our agape for God. Low-grade agape is more like, like. High-grade agape will drive God to send his Son to die for us and the Son's high-grade agape will drive him to the Cross. Our low-grade agape will take us to church but it takes high-grade agape to die to our own wishes and desires and live for God.
Agape, standing alone, is not a word that has anything to do with God. It just means "love" and, standing alone, has no application to subject, quantity or quality.
That said, it is true that when all the contextual words point to a deep and abiding love from or for God, the word agape is always used. The important thing is to distinguish between (compare and contrast) the meaning of the previous sentence and the sentence before that.
Rev. Joda Collins
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/jodacollins
I make no claim that anyone else agrees with me.
Luke 6:32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
Luke 7:5 for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue."
Luke 7:42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"
Luke 7:47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
John 12:43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends
2 Corinthians 12:15 I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
1 Timothy 2:15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
2 Peter 2:15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
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