Sermon Tone Analysis

Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts (NT Words > Love)

NT WORDSagapaō [ἀγαπάω, 25]agapaō occurs around 140 times and is consistently translated “to love,” in a variety of contexts.

Such an action and attitude is predicated of human beings, God, and Christ.

Human love, as indicated by agapaō in positive contexts, is a noble affection.

It is characterized by a concern, not for oneself, but for others.

Yet on other occasions it refers to the love of that which is evil and unprofitable.

When God and Christ are said to love, agapaō conveys the idea of a deep, limitless compassion that is given through the supreme self-sacrificial actions of Christ on the cross in association with the mercy and kindness of God.Where agapaō refers to the love of human beings, several contexts indicate the mandatory nature of its expression.

For example, there is the command to love one’s neighbor (Matt.

5:43ff.; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31ff.; Luke 6:27; Rom.

13:9; Gal.

5:14); and the command to love one another (John 13:34; 15:12, 17; 1 Thess.

4:9; 1 John 3:23; 2 John 5).

Affirmations of love for each other are found in Rom.

13:8; 1 Pet.

1:22; 1 John 2:10; 3:18.

See also Luke 7:42.

The command to love God with all one’s heart is recorded in Matt.

22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27.

Declaration of love for Christ is indicated in Eph.

6:24.

God is the object of human love in Rom.

8:28; 1 Cor.

2:9; Jas.

1:12; and God’s love for us is the ground of our love for others (cf. 1 John 4:19).

See also 1 John 5:2.Other references to agapaō in the human sphere include that in John 3:19, where unbelievers are declared to love darkness rather than light.

Similarly, John 12:43 refers to those who love the praise of human beings rather than God.

The illegitimate love of money is noted in 2 Pet.

2:15.

Paul affirms a love for his congregation in 2 Cor.

12:15 and mentions the importance of a man’s love for his wife in Eph.

5:28; Col. 3:19.Love displayed by Christ is noted in a number of different contexts.

There is, for example, his deeply compassionate regard for individuals such as the rich young ruler (cf.

Mark 10:21); Martha (cf.

John 11:5); and his disciples (cf.

John 13:23; 21:7).

Jesus’ love for his own people is expressed in John 13:1; 14:21, 23; 15:9; Gal.

2:20; Eph.

5:25; Rev. 1:5; 3:9.

In particular, Eph.

5:2 emphasizes the self-sacrificial nature of that love.

Love for his Father is noted in John 14:31; 15:9.

Jesus’ question of Peter, “Do you love me?” is found in John 21:15, 16; Heb.

1:9 indicates Christ’s love of righteousness.With respect to God, agapaō refers to his love for the world (John 3:16); for his Son (John 3:35; 10:7; 17:24); and for his people in particular (John 17:24; Rom.

8:37; Eph.

2:4; 2 Thess.

2:16; Heb.

12:6; 1 John 4:10).

See also Rom. 9:13, where God’s love for Jacob is expressed as a predestined choice, at the expense of Esau his brother, who is described (with a sense of hyperbole) as one “hated” by God.agapē [ἀγάπη, 26]agapē is the noun derived from agapaō (see above) and also means “love,” with the same emphases and nuances as the verb.

agapē occurs around 120 times.As a human attitude and emotion, agapē indicates “love” in a generalized sense in Matt.

24:12; Rom.

12:9; 13:10; 1 Cor.

8:1.

In Gal.

5:22, “love” is listed first among the fruit of the Spirit.

The underlying essence of agapē as a supremely self-sacrificing love is indicated in 1 Cor.

13:4, 8, 13; 1 John 4:10, 18; 2 John 6 (cf.

also 2 Cor.

6:6; 8:7ff.).

One of the great illustrations of agapē love is giving up one’s life for a friend (John 15:13).

See also 1 John 3:16; 1 Cor.

14:1.

Paul expresses his love for his Corinthian congregation in 1 Cor.

16:24; 2 Cor.

2:4.

The reality of the love of Christ controlling our lives is indicated in 2 Cor.

5:14.

Mutual love for one another is noted in John 13:35.

In a negative context, Luke 11:42 records Christ’s censure of the Pharisees for their neglect of the love and justice of God.

Similarly, 1 John 2:15; 3:17 declare that those who love the world cannot love God.In relation to the believer, agapē refers to love given by God and shaped by the Spirit of Christ as the guiding principle of Christian living.

It is a common theme, expressed both in the Pauline correspondence and other general epistles (e.g., Eph.

1:15; Phil.

1:9; Col. 1:4; 1 Tim.

1:5; Heb.

6:10; 1 Pet.

4:8; 1 John 2:5).

In Rev. 2:4, the Ephesian church is rebuked for having abandoned her first love (i.e., love for Christ).When predicated of Christ, agapē indicates his love as impregnable and unassailable (cf.

Rom.

8:35, 39); and surpassing knowledge (cf.

Eph.

3:19).

John 15:9, 10 contain the command to abide in the love of Christ.In regard to love as a quality of the divine being, agapē is found in a number of places.

John 15:10 affirms Christ abiding in God’s love.

Paul declares in Rom.

5:5 that God’s love is poured out into our hearts.

That love makes us alive with Christ (cf.

Eph.

2:4; 3:17; 1 John 4:9) and makes us his children (cf. 1 John 3:1).

See also Gal. 5:6.

The unique quality of divine love is strikingly illustrated in Rom.

5:8, which states that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

God is described as “love” in 1 John 4:8, 16, and he is given the title “God of love” in 2 Cor.

13:11.

The benediction, “… love of God,” is found in 2 Cor.

13:14; 2 Thess.

3:5; 2 John 3; Jude 2.phileō [φιλέω, 5368]phileō is a verb synonymous with agapaō (see above), which is also translated “to love,” but not usually with that same sublime quality of unselfishness as indicated by agapaō, except perhaps when predicated of God.

phileō indicates the action of “loving” as a strong desire to act, or to express affection to another person.In regard to human beings, phileō often indicates the meaning “love” in the sense of “like to do.”

Such is the case with the Pharisees, who are described in Matt.

6:5 as “loving” to show their piety in public.

They also “love” to have the place of honor in public and private gatherings (cf.

Matt.

23:6), and they generally have a great fondness for recognition (cf.

Luke 20:46).In terms of “love” as affection, phileō is found in John 15:19; Titus 3:15.

Love for one’s family is indicated in Matt.

10:37.

The paradoxical statement “he who loves his life will lose it …” is found in John 12:25.

Peter expresses his love for Christ in John 21:15, 16, 17, using the verb phileō, not agapaō.

In John 21:17, when Jesus asks Peter for the third time if he loves him, he uses phileō rather than agapaō, as he did on the first two occasions.phileō

expresses divine love in John 5:20, where God is said to love the Son, and in John 16:27, which indicates God’s love for his people.With regard to love expressed by Jesus, phileō indicates the great affection he has for individuals—for example, Lazarus (cf.

John 11:3, 36), and John (cf.