Love Story

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said: ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30)

We have come again to Valentine’s Day, a day in which we reflect upon love. Much has been written or said about love. We can think of Henry Mancini’s theme for “Love Story.” We can think of another song written by Neil Young and sung by Linda Ronstadt called “Love is a Rose.” Decades ago, Duke Ellington reflected in his Mass upon the current theology which stated: “Love is a four letter word for God. God it a three letter word for love.” Love is God, and God is love. Although it is quite true that the Bible does state that “God is love,” it does not state that God is love. The problem with “love is that it is an abstract noun which has no agreed definition. So one can see love as a trick of chemistry meant for reproduction of the species and the nurture of young. Could anyone really be inspired by such a definition? But other definitions also fail to describe love any better, especially when it ascribes love to that which God has deemed sinful. Love has to be defined from the top down. What is love? What does the Bible say?

In approaching this subject, the Bible does indeed provide examples of love. I think it correctly said that love is an action verb rather than a state of being verb. Love has to be described by the action it inspires. The Bible demonstrates the love of a mother for her children in Proverbs 31 where it describes what the virtuous woman does to provide for her family. One can see the love that Isaac had for Rebekah when she was brought to him. We can find all kinds of useful Scripture on the topic of love as well as examples of the opposite. However, this is not the top down approach I intend to take.

It might seem odd, that I am starting with John 19:30 where the word “love” is not even mentioned. It is next to the last words Jesus said from the cross. It is a good thing to see the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as the ultimate example of love. But why not start with John 3:16 which states that: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son….” But when we look a little deeper, we shall se how profound John 19:30 really is.

We hear the words “It is finished.” But what exactly is it the finish of? It is the finish of the suffering of Jesus on the cross, for sure. But if we look further into the Greek text, we will see a much more profound meaning. Christians already sense there is a deeper meaning. It is a translation of a single Greek word, tetelestai. It is the perfect form of the verb teleo which has the basic meaning “to bring to completion.” It is related to the noun “telos.” The noun in English is used in the compound noun telescope which is to see something far off more clearly. Telos is often translated “perfection” in English, but this definition falls somewhat short. In fact, it is hard to describe the Greek “telos” in a single word. Perhaps it is best described as seen in the planning of a building. A plan for a building is drawn up by an architect. The building has certain measurements and is designed for a certain purpose. The plans begin as a vision in the architects head. Then, these ideas are drawn into plans at the macro and micro level. Workers are employed to construct the various sub-assemblies and then to assemble the building. The building is said to come to telos when all the assembly is finished, and the building is functioning as designed.

The Bible says “Christ was slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8) God knows the end from the beginning what He planned for creation. A significant purpose (sub-assembly) was the creation of human beings whom He knew would fall and need to be redeemed. These truths existed in the mind of God before the plan of redemption was put into place. The plan of redemption was already telos in God’s mind. God cannot fail like we do. Many times, an architect will undertake a project which in the end fails to achieve the purpose it was designed for. In some cases, this failure is spectacular. But not so for God. So God’s plan is always telos, no matter what stage in time and history the project is at.

Telos is used in John 13:1 where it reads: “Before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that the hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in world, He loved them unto the telos.” The KJV puts it: “He loved them to the uttermost.” This verse finds its completion (telos) in John 19:30. It begins in earnest the journey to the cross which starts with the Last Supper and Foot Washing. It then proceeds to the Farewell Discourses of chapters 14-17. The topic of love is repeated again and again. The disciples were admonished to love each other. “No greater love has this, than a man lay down His life for that of His friends.” Of course, Jesus is referring to His own upcoming crucifixion in which He lays down his life for those He has just called “friends.” Jesus goes on to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane where He commands the Romans not to seize His new “friends” even though one of them had just cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. Then at His trial before Pilate, He seemed more concerned about Pilate’s soul than His own life. Everywhere from John 13:1 to His death at John 19:30 is an example of love in action. He loved His enemies who had crucified Him by calling on the Father to forgive them. Paul, in Romans reminds us that Christ died for sinners; he died when we still were at enmity with Him (Romans 5). So what we see in Jesus statement in 19:30 is actually the perfection of the truest sense of love. Love is seen and defined by what Jesus did for us on the cross. This is true love brought to completion.

Since this is the “perfect” definition of love, then the ramifications of what Jesus did for us must flow down to our earthly relationships and defines what true love is. The example of laying down our lives for our friends flows from this, for this is something which Jesus demonstrated for us. So is love expressed in the forgiveness of enemies. Sacrificial love has to flow into our marriages, our families, and our culture. When we give to the poor, let it flow from this motive of true love. When we risk ourselves for those whom would seem most underserving, let it flow from this love. Let all we do and think be defined by the love which God has for us. Now when we come back to John’s statement, “God is love,” we can understand it correctly. Verse 7 tells us that our love for each other has it’s source in God Himself. If one does not love as God loves does not love at all for one has to love God to understand what love is about. Verse 10 is key here: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” In other words, love is truly defined by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins. In this, love has been perfectly demonstrated.

We come to Valentine’s Day, a day filled with trivialities as well as some seriousness as well. Should we send valentines only to those who send us valentines; should we get chocolate or flowers? We think of a Greek god, cupid, and his arrows which describe the irrationality of love. That is the chemistry set thinking of love. This rarely leads to anything good. Rather, true love must have some sort of intentionality about it. We have to determine to love sometimes because love is often messy like a dirty diaper which needs to be changed.

So this Valentine’s Day ley us resolve to tell the world the true “Love Story.” It is the one the world truly needs to hear. Hate cannot be overcome with sheer sentimentality. It is overcome by Christ dying on a cross and saying “It is finished.” “Whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Let us remember that if the world makes us lonely, that the very Creator of the Universe has shown His love for us on the cross and has prepared a place for us. He that went up from the world, having loved His own to the uttermost is coming back to receive His bride. And we shall live happily ever after. Amen.