Musing – God is Love; but what is Love?

 Hebraic Musing – God is Love; but what is Love?

English use of the word “Love” is broad and used too freely without consideration as to what is really meant. The Greek language is known for specificity, and that’s especially true when we look at the seven different but specific words Greeks use to describe what we simply call “Love.”  They would have been shocked to hear us use a single word to whisper “I Love you” over a candlelit meal or to sign an email “lots of love” or to say “I love pizza” or “going to bed to make love”!  BTW – “Love” appears 509x in the NIV with a variety of meanings!  Maybe we should be more specific in our word choice(s)?  Here’s the first four Biblical meanings:

1. Eros, or sexual passion.  The first kind of love was Eros, named after the Greek god of fertility, thus it represents the idea of sexual passion and desire.  This can be a dangerous, fiery, and irrational form of love that could take hold of you and possess you.  That loss of control frightened the Greeks.  That’s odd, losing control is precisely what many people now seek in a relationship.  They want to fall “madly” in love.  Eros in the Bible is what we call romantic love, like the love found in a bride’s profession of passionate love for her husband in Song of Solomon 1:1-2 -- “For your love is more delightful than wine”.   Eros love is the only type of love that when practiced without restraint becomes sin or sexual immorality and idol worship. (1 Corinth.6:18 & Galatians 5:19) 

2. Phileo, or deep friendship.  The second variety of love was Phileo or brotherly friendship, which Greeks valued far more than the sexuality of Eros.  Phileo is the deep brotherly comradely friendship that developed between brothers in arms who had fought side by side on the battlefield.  How much of this comradely love do we have in our lives?  Phileo love is seen in the account of the death of Lazarus when a witness pointed out the depth of Jesus’s love using the word Phileo to exclaim, “See how He loved him!” (John 11:36)  Philadelphia is known as the city of “Brotherly Love.”  We are expected to extend Phileo love for our neighbor.  “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35)   Are we really practicing Phileo Love when amassing “friends” on Facebook?

3. Agape, or Love for everyone.  The most radical form of love is Agape the highest form of Christian love.  It’s a selfless love or Unconditional Love we should extend to all people.  C.S.Lewis called it “gift love.”  Do we need to revive our capacity to care about strangers?  Perfect Agape Love is famously described by Paul as “Love is patient, Love is kind…” in 1 Corinth.13:4-8.  It’s the highest and most noble form of love, the love that God has for us.  Jesus demonstrated Agape Love for us on the cross by sacrificing his life for the sins for all mankind.

4. Storge is the Familial Love between family members.  How many examples of familial love are in the Bible?  Examples: Noah and his children, devotion to children, Ruth and Naomi, Jairus for his sick daughter to name just a few.  Some Biblical figures displayed notable absence of Storge Love – Cain’s hatred for and murder of his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1-11); and Joseph’s jealous brothers sold Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37:18-36).

Greeks had three more words for love which God understandably did not use in His Word:

5. Ludus, or playful love.  This form of love concerns the playful affection between children or casual couples; like when flirting, teasing and dancing with strangers; such adult frivolity is frowned on by Biblical morality.

6. Pragma: Enduring Love.  The Greek root word “Pragma” applies to a form of mature, realistic love more commonly found amongst long-established couples.  Pragma is about making compromises to help the relationship work over time by showing patience and tolerance.  Do we expend too much energy on “falling in love” and not enough effort to “stand in love”?  Is there enough effort to give love rather than just receiving it.  About a third of marriages end up in divorce in the first 10 years.  Do we need more Pragma Love?

7. Philautic, or self-love.  Aristotle recognized two types of self-love.  The unhealthy variety is associated with narcissism, self-obsession and a focus on personal fame and fortune.  The healthy version enhances your capacity to love – if you like yourself and feel secure, you will have plenty of love to give others.

Points to ponder

Have you ever said “I love something” when you should have said “I like him, her or it”?

Are we too casual or sloppy when we use the word “Love”?  What word(s) should we use?

♫  And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,…  ♫

Brother Joe   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                        July 9, 2024   (Re-edited from August 24, 2021)
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian Faith”
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