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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Love/Feed/Tend His Sheep | Mark 6:34 | Morant61 | 131456 | ||
Greetings Rowdy! I live in Indiana, so the storm hasn't really affected me. However, my mother and sister both live outside of Orlando, FL. :-) Much more is made of the different words for 'love' than is really justified. 'Eros' clearly refers to a purely physical and selfish 'love'. However, the distinction between 'phileo' and 'agapao' isn't nearly as clear. As I mentioned in another post last night, I usually look up various verses that contain the target study word and I check to see how Scripture actually uses the word. If it were true that 'phileo' is a 'lesser' love then one would expect to see it used differently than 'agapao'. However, Scripture actually uses 'phileo' of God's love for us. Here are some examples: John 5:20 - "For the Father loves (phileo) the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these." Is the Father capable of a 'lesser' kind of love? John 11:3 - "So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love (phileo) is sick.'" John 16:27 - "No, the Father himself loves (phileo) you because you have loved (phileo) me and have believed that I came from God." All of these verses use 'phileo' for God's love for Christ, us, or others. 'Phileo' is certainly not used as often as 'agapao'. However, it simply doesn't appear to have had a significantly different meaning than 'agapao'. In fact, in one passage both words clearly are used interchangably. John 11:5 says, "Jesus loved (agapao) Martha and her sister and Lazarus." While John 11:3 says, "So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love (phileo) is sick.'" Some of my Greek resources actually make the case that 'agapao' is a 'colder' and 'less personal' word than 'phileo'. Over time, since 'agapao' was used more than 'phileo', I believe greater importance was attached to it. However, it is difficult to show any great difference of meaning from the text of Scripture. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Love/Feed/Tend His Sheep | Mark 6:34 | Rowdy | 131490 | ||
Greek Words for Love, Part 2: In respect of agapaO as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential love in them towards the Giver, and a practical love towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver. [Kenneth Wuest states, (Wuest's Word Studies, From the Greek New Testament, Vol 3, Eerdmans Publishing Co, Grand Rapids, Mi, 1992, no 28, p. 62]: "'Phileo' is a love which consists of the glow of the heart kindled by the perception of that in the object which affords us pleasure. It is the response of the human [soul] to what appeals to it as pleasurable... The word was used to speak of a friendly affection. It is a love called out of one in response to a feeling of pleasure or delight which one experiences from an apprehension of qualities in another that furnish such pleasure or delight. 'Agapao' on the other hand, speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in the object loved, an apprehension of its preciousness. [Cp. Rev 22:15; Mt 6:5; 10:37; 23:6; Lk 20:46; Jn 11:3, 36; 16:27; 1 Cor 16:22] B) PASSAGES TO CONSIDER 1) AGAPE-SACRIFICIAL-SERVING-OF-OTHERS-LOVE VS PHILEO-AFFECTIONATE-LOVE a) [Jn 21:15-17]: (v. 15) "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love ["agapas"] Me more than these [disciples]? 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love ["philO] you.' Jesus said, 'Feed My lambs.' (v. 16) Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love ["agapas"] me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I ["philO"] you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of My sheep.' (v. 17) The third time He said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love ["phileis"] Me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time 'Do you love ["phileis"] Me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love ["philO] you.' Jesus said, 'Feed My sheep.' " Notice that Peter uses the verb form "philO" that is rendered 'love' in answer to the Lord Jesus Christ Who uses another verb, "agapas" for the first two times He asked Peter His question, 'Do you love Me?' There is an obvious emphasis on the issue of whether or not Peter loves the Lord with "agapas" love with His two repetitions of this word, especially after Peter answered in the affirmative albeit with "philO": "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love [philO] you." The difference between the two verbs can hardly be a simple choice of possible synonymous words for literary style purposes, especially with our Lord's repetition and Peter's use of another word for love, "philO". The intent of writer John which is readily observable is to report the words of our Lord and Peter and not do any editorializing for the sake of style or change of meaning. In the light of Peter's earlier three time denial of our Lord where he said he did not even know Him, (18:17, 25, 27); our Lord's three fold question paralleling Peter's threefold denial gave Peter an opportunity to restore his committment of agape and phileo love and of being a faithful disciple. Notice that Peter was hurt when our Lord asked him the question for the third time, (v. 17), which points to a difference in meaning between the two words, agapas and philO Peter's use of "philO" love instead of "agapas" love is striking and points to a difference of meaning. It is normative to respond to a question using the same verb if the same meaning is intended. And the converse is also true: It is basic to normative rules of language, context and logic that a response to a yes or no question that (1) goes beyond yes or no (2) changes the wording of the question (from agape to phileO forms) (3) leaves parts of the question out/unanswered ('more than these' ignored) usually implies an evasion of the question, i.e., a change of meaning. Just as a husband's response to his wife's question, 'Do you love me more than your job?' (Husband): 'You know that I have great affection for you' points to an evasion on all 3 counts; so Peter's response to our Lord's questions indicates an evasion of the intent of the question with a response that has changed the parameters of the question from (1) a single absolute yes or no (2) agape to phileO love (3) love Me 'more than these' to not addressing 'more than these' at all. Notice that our Lord's third question of 'Do you love me?' uses the verb "phileis". This parallels Peter's use of "phileo" love twice before in response to our Lord instead of "agapas". If the integrity of author John's account of this conversation is to have any validty, surely the verbs used here are an accurate rendering of that conversation which implies (my correction) a difference of meaning. Please read Part 3. Thanks and God bless. Rowdy |
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