Study on Love – Part 1 – 10

 

There are eight words for love in the Greek language but there are only two that are frequently used in the New Testament (agape and phileo).

Love is used over 300 times in the New Testament and has been spoken of and defined in a variety of ways.

McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia states that our love for God is manifested by a high appreciation, and an earnest desire for communion with him. It includes joy in all that serves God, absolute submission to him, and a desire to do everything for his glory. Consequently, anything that is in opposition to this is an enemy to our love.

 

The love of those who feel themselves bound together by that common bond is essentially of the same character. Our love for others should be an expression of God’s love for us.

 

Yet in the divine love itself there is a distinction made, inasmuch as God’s love towards those who love him and keep his commandments is a strengthening, sustaining pleasure in them (John 14:21,23). While his love towards the others is benevolence and pity, which, according to their conduct, the disposition of their hearts, and their receptivity, is either not felt at all by them, or only produces pain, fear, or, again, hope, desire, etc., but not a feeling of complete, abiding joy.

 

So, in the love of the children of God towards the human race we find the distinction between brotherly and universal love. In both we find the characteristics of kindness and benevolence, sympathy, willingness to help, gentleness, and patience.

 

Love also derives a special determination from the personality, the spiritual and essential organization of the one who loves, and also his particular position. It manifests itself in friendship as a powerful attraction, a hearty sympathy of feelings, a strong desire for being together and enjoying a communion of thoughts and feelings.

 

In sexual love it is a tender reciprocal attraction, a satisfaction in each other as the mutual complement of life, and a desire for absolute and lasting community of existence.

 

Parental, filial, and brotherly love can be considered as a branch of this affection. Both friendship and love have the full sanction of Christian morals when based on the love of God. As wedded love is an image of the relation between the Lord and his people, or the Church. Paternal, filial, and brotherly love are respectively images of the love of God towards his children, of their love towards him, and of their love towards each other.

All these relations may want this higher consecration, and yet be well regulated; they have then a moral character.

 

But they may also be disorderly: friendship can be sensual, selfish, and even degenerate into unnatural sexual connection; sexual love may become selfish, having no other object but the gratification of lust. Parental love may change to self-love, producing over-indulgence, and fostering the vices of the children. Brotherly love can degenerate into flattery and spoiling. Thus this feeling, which in its principle and aim should be the highest and noblest, can become the most common, the worst, and the most unworthy. Both kinds of love are mentioned in Scripture. The highest and purest tendency of the heart is in the Bible designated by the same name as the more natural, immoral, or disorderly tendency.

 

ISBE states that while the Hebrew and Greek words for “love” have various shades and intensities of meanings, they may be summed up in some such definition as this:  Love, whether used of God or man, is an earnest and anxious desire for and an active and beneficent interest in the well-being of the one loved.  Different degrees and manifestations of this affection are recognized in the Scriptures according to the circumstances and relations of life, e.g. the expression of love between husband and wife, parent and child, brethren according to the flesh, and according to grace; between friend and enemy, and finally between God and man. It must not be overlooked, however, that the fundamental idea of love as expressed in the definition of it is never absent in any one of these relations of life, even though the manifestation thereof may differ according to the circumstances and relations.

 

The New Bible Dictionary states that the Hebrew word (aheb) for love is in every way as broad in its usage as the English word, and easily the most common word for every range of its meaning.  In the Old Testament love, whether human or divine, is the deepest possible expression of the personality and of the closeness of personal relations.

 

The New Bible Dictionary says love (Greek “agape”) is the most common word for all forms of love in the New Testament. This is one of the least common words in classical Greek, where it expresses, on the few occasions that it occurs, that highest and noblest form of love which sees something infinitely precious in its object. Its use in the New Testament derives not directly from classical Greek so much as from the LXX, where it occurs in 95% of all cases where the English version translates the Hebrew “love”, and in every case of love from God to man, man to God, and man to his neighbour. The dignity which the word possesses in the New Testament has been contributed by its use as a vehicle of the Old Testament revelation. It is pregnant with Old Testament associations.

 

Strong’s says that agape is affection or benevolence in a social or moral sense. It is primarily a love of the will rather than the emotions.

 

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary states that love for God with the whole personality (Deut 6:5) is God’s demand; though this is not to be understood as meaning merely a punctilious observance of an impersonal divine law but rather as summoning to a relationship of personal devotion created and sustained by the work of God in the human heart.  (Deut 30:6)

 

Strong’s states that Phileo is the alternative word to agapao. It is more naturally used of intimate affection, and of liking to do things which are pleasant. Phileo is to be distinguished from agapeo in this, that phileo more nearly represents tender affection, though there is considerable overlapping of usage between the two words.  Yet the distinction between the two verbs remains, and they are never used indiscriminately in the same passage; if each is used with reference to the same objects, each word retains its distinctive and essential character.

 

The goal of this study is to look at the scriptures to see how God conveys love to us through his word

 

This will be broken down into several categories.

 

Love is the key element woven throughout the New Testament. It is the element seen in the two great commandments and is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:28-34

 

Love is a word that has been thrown around and pondered for centuries. For us to truly understand love we must understand God for God is love.        1 John 4:8,16

 

If we want to become like God we need to learn to love like God. God desires us to be made perfect in love. (1 John 4:15-21)  Not the love that is of this world but with the love that is of God. If we want to have a love that is like God’s we will need to embrace his morals and make them part of our being. For the love of God is a reflection of his moral charter.

 

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John 3:16-17   For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.   WEB

 

• In the Greek the tense of the verb loved points to a specific action in the past; that is the giving of his Son to redeem man that they may not be judged.

 

• Seeing that the price for the forgiveness of sin was the death of a perfect obedient sinless man and Jesus the Christ the Son of God was the only man that qualified.    Rom 5:15-21

 

• The willingness of God to allow his only begotten son that was in perfect fellowship with him to suffer for our sake shows us the greatness of his love.    Mt 3:17;17:5;   Col 1:12,14;   Isa 52:1-12

 

1 Peter 3:18   Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;   Eph 2:11-22   WEB

 

Rom 5:6-8   For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die. 8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.   WEB

 

• In Greek the verb commends appears in the present tense, which is to indicate for the readers that God’s love for us is not limited to the past, but has its relevance for the present as well.

 

Rom 8:38, 39   For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   WEB

 

• The phrase “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” conveys little, if any, meaning to the English reader in this form. This love of God through Christ Jesus may be expressed in some languages as “God’s love which he has shown by means of Christ Jesus our Lord,” “God’s love which we experience because of Christ Jesus our Lord,” or “God’s love which Jesus Christ our Lord has caused us to experience.”  UBS Handbook Series

 

Eph 2:1-7   You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; 3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;   WEB

 

• For is ”dia” in Greek means through or on the account of his great love.

 

• The Greek “his great love with which he loved us” is emphatic, the writer using both the noun and the verb.

 

Titus 3:4-7   But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 which he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.   WEB

 

• V 4   His love toward man, The philanthrophy of God our Saviour.” love of mankind

 

• In the Old Testament God used Joshua to save his people physically from their oppressors and in the New Testament he used Jesus the Christ to save us spiritually from the bondage of our oppressor which is sin and death.

 

John 16:25-27   I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you, that I will pray to the Father for you, 27for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God.   WEB

 

• V 27   The Father loves the disciples. Therefore Jesus will not have to petition him in their behalf. The Greek verb used here for love is phileoo.

 

• Ye have loved me pefileekate (NT:5368). Perfect active indicative of fileoo (NT:5368), “loved and still love me warmly.” Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

 

Heb 12:4-6   You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by him; 6 For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, And scourges every son whom he receives.”   WEB

 

• Because we are his children he cares about our lives.

 

Eph 1:3-6   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; 5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved,   WEB

 

• 4   In love. Join with “foreordained,” Eph 1:5. “Having in love foreordained.”

 

• God has had a plan for our lives from the very beginning of creation and is working in our lives to bring it about.

 

• 6   The beloved. Christ. Beloved “par excellence.” Compare “the Son of His love,” Col 1:13; also Matt 3:17; 17:5.  Vincent’

 

1 John 3:1-3   Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.   WEB

 

• His glorious and wonderful love is seen in that we are called his children and as children we are to be a reflection of who he is.

 

John 17:22-26   The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; 23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.

 

• God’s great love for us is seen in the great love he has for his son.

24 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for loved me before the foundation of the world.

• The Father glorified the Son because of the love he has for him and we will be glorified in him.

 

25 Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”   WEB

 

• v. 26  In Greek the last clause of this verse reads “in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” TEV renders “the love with which you loved me” as the love you have for me, and it supplies the verb may be in the clause “and I in them.” To avoid the idea of one person being in another person, GeCL translates “the love which you have for me must also fill them, and I will work in them.”                         UBS Handbook Series

 

If you are not sure of any thing else you can be sure of this that you are totally and fully loved by God. So let us let him be our Father and let us truly be his sons in all we do and say that we may glorify him.

 

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Jesus proved that he loved the Father by the love that he had for his children. If we truly want to be the children of God let us learn by his example and love in all ways like him. (1 John 4:20)

 

John 11:33-37   When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection (or love, ephilei) he had for him!” 37 Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?”   WEB

 

• Both “phileo” and “agapao” are used for the love that Jesus had for Lazarus.

 

John 11:3   So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love (phileis) is ill.”   ESV

 

John 11:5 Now Jesus loved (egapa) Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ESV

 

• 1 John 5:1, 2

 

John 13:1   Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved (egapesen) his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.   WEB

 

• The act of Jesus willingly giving his life was proof of the love that he had for his own.

 

John 15:9   Even as the Father has loved (egapesen) me, I also have loved  (egapesa) you. Remain in my love (agape).   WEB

 

• v. 9 Literally, “in the love, that which is mine

 

• The love that the Father has for the Son is seen in the love that the Son has for us.

 

John 19:25-27   But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved (egapa) standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.   WEB

 

• Even as Jesus was dying on the cross his love was seen in that he was more concerned about the well being of others than for his own.

 

Gal 2:19-20   For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved (agapesantos) me, and gave himself up for me.   WEB

• Jesus did not only die for us but he also lived his entire life for us.

 

Eph 5:1-2   Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved (agapeta) children. 2 Walk in love, (agape) even as Christ also loved (egapesen) you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.   WEB

 

• Christ’s life was a walk of love and we are to walk as he walked. (John 13:34)

 

Rev 1:4-6   John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves (agaponti) us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; 6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.   WEB

 

• Him who loves us: the use of the Greek present participle “the one loving us” emphasizes the continual, never-ending love of Jesus Christ for all his people.

 

• agapaoo occurs again at Rev 3:9 (and see the noun agapee at 2:4); another Greek verb, phileoo, is used at 3:19.  UBS Handbook Series

 

Rev 3:19-22   As many as I love, (philo) I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. 21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”   WEB

 

• V 19  I love: the personal pronoun I is emphatic in the Greek text. The Greek verb phileoo carries a warm emotional content. With the meaning “to love” it is not, nor can it be, used in the imperative mode.   UBS Handbook Series

 

The love that Jesus has for us is not only a social and moral love but it is also a love that stirs the emotions of the heart and is guided by the love of God. This is the love that we need to perfect in our lives and walk in.

 

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God has made special promises to those that love him and desires to reveal them to us that we may grow and walk in all that he has prepared for us in our relationship of love with him.

 

Rom 8:28-30 We know that all things work together for good for those who love (agaposin) God, to those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew (to know before hand), he also predestined (predetermined) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 Whom he predestined, (predetermined) those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.   WEB

 

• • • God is more than willing to work on our behalf to help us to be conformed to the same image as his beloved son because of our love for him.

 

• • • Our love for God is the key element that is necessary in being conformed, without it this will never take place.

 

1 Cor 2:6-13 We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained (predetermined) before the worlds (ages) for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, Which didn’t enter into the heart of man, These God has prepared for those who love (agaposin) him.” 10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God’s Spirit. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.   WEB

 

• • • God is pleased to reveal him self and what he desires and has prepared for us that love him.

 

1 Cor 8:1-3 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love (agape) builds up. 2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves (agapa) God, the same is known by him.   WEB

 

• • • Our relationship with God is to be based on love, our love for him and his love for us.

 

Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love (agapes) which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.   WEB

 

• • • What pleases God is not the works that we perform but the labor we do out of our love for him and his name.           (Matt 7:21-23)

 

• • • This kind of love he will not forget

 

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love (agaposin) him.   WEB

 

• • • Love in its distinctive biblical understanding is more than “like”; it is unconditional, involving more will than emotion. It is always relational and often implies faithfulness and loyalty. So in this context it refers more to a sense of loyalty toward God.   UBS Handbook Series

 

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved (agapetio) brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love (agaposin) him?   WEB

 

God has called us to be a loving functional family and being part of this we are heirs of his kingdom and to all that goes along with being children that love and honor him and his name.

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There are many standards that the world puts forth to define what love is but the world is not the place to look to find a true standard for what love is to be.

 

The place to find the answer for this is in the book that contains the greatest love story ever told, the Bible and this we will do. This by no means is a full picture of the subject but will at least show us the path that we should walk.

 

Matt 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love (agapeseis) your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love (agapate) your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love (agapesete) those who love (agapontas) you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Luke 6:32)   WEB

 

• • • This is a social and moral love, a decision of the will to do that which is right before God.

 

• • • How and to whom we express our love is not to be based on the standards of the world but on the charter and heart of God.

 

• • • If we truly want to be like God we must learn to love like him.

 

Rom 12:9-21 Let love (agape) be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 10 In love of the brothers (Philadelphia)be tenderly affectionate (philostorgoi) one to another; in honor preferring one another; 11 not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; 12 rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 19 Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, (agapetoi) but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.   WEB

 

• • • We must avoid those things that would cause our love to be hypocritical and live out the things that are a true expression of phileo towards our brothers and sisters and agape towards those contrary to us.

 

Rom 13:8-10 Owe no one anything, except to love (agapan) one another; for he who loves (agapon) his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not give false testimony,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love (agapeseis) your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love (agape) doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love (agape) therefore is the fulfillment of the law.   WEB

 

• • • Our tender affection of phileo towards each other as children of God must be balanced out in our lives with the moral love of agape.

 

1 Cor 8:1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love (agape) builds up.   WEB

 

• • • Agape actively works to build us up into a full grown mature child of God.

 

1 Cor 13:4-8 Love (agape) is patient and is kind; love (agape) doesn’t envy. Love (agape) doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love (agape) never fails.   WEB

 

• • • Love is not only defined by what it does but also by what it does not do.

 

1 Tim 1:3-5 As I exhorted you to stay at Ephesus when I was going into Macedonia, that you might charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith— 5 but the end of the charge is love, (agape) out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;   WEB

 

• • • Love should be the end result in what we do and say. Not just any love but a love that is pure and clean and untainted.

 

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection (philadelphian), love (agapesate) one another from the heart fervently:   WEB  

 

• • • The exhortation to love one another is grounded on the purification of the believer; this purification is a result of their obedience to the truth, and in turn results in a sincere love for fellow believers.

 

Purification leads to sincere love for fellow believers. Literally, the expression used here is “sincere brotherly love,” which was formerly used to refer to the love between actual brothers and sisters. In the New Testament, however, “brothers” has come to mean fellow believers. The adjective sincere means negatively, free from hypocrisy or deceit, and positively, “genuine”

After laying the groundwork, Peter moves on to the imperative: love one another earnestly with all your heart. The exhortation to love one another already appears in 1 Peter 1:17 and will be mentioned again in 3:8 and 4:8. Earnestly appears again in 4:8, and in both instances contains the elements of steadiness, ferventness and constancy. Taken as a whole, to love earnestly with all your heart is to involve the whole being in the task of fervently and constantly loving others.  UBS Handbook Series

 

• • • Not only are we to be sincere in phileo but in agape as well. (2 Cor 6:3-10)

 

2 Peter 1:5-10 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness; 7 and in godliness brotherly affection (pliladelphian) ; and in brotherly affection (Philadelphia) , love.(agapen) 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.   WEB

 

• • • The last thing on the list is love, which appears also in other New Testament lists (2 Cor 6:6; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2; 1 Tim 4:12; 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22; 3:10; Titus 2:2; Rev 2:19; and so on). As contrasted with brotherly affection, love is first of all not limited to family members or to fellow-believers but is universal in scope and has as its object all people. Secondly, love is unmotivated, that is, it doesn’t expect anything in return, whereas brotherly affection has the element of a mutual love, which will be returned by the other person. Love in this context, then, is not referring to “love for God” but “love for others” and should be translated in this way.   UBS Handbook Series

 

• • • Love without morality will never be made perfect.

 

1 John 3:11-18 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love (agapomen) one another; 12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. 13 Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love (agapomen) the brothers. He who doesn’t love (agapon) his brother remains in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 By this we know love, (agapen) because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love (agape) of God remain in him? 18 My little children, let’s not love (agapomen) in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.   WEB

 

• • • Our entire way of life needs to be based on a sincere, true and active love. It should become part of our nature just as it is part of our Heavenly Father‘s.

 

1 John 4:7-12 Beloved, (agapetoi) let us love (agapomen) one another, for love (agape) is of God; and everyone who loves (agapon) is born of God, and knows God. 8 He who doesn’t love (agapon) doesn’t know God, for God is love. (agape) 9 By this was God’s love (agape) revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, (agape) not that we loved (egapekamem) God, but that he loved (egapesen) us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, (agapetoi) if God loved (egapesen) us in this way, we also ought to love (agapan) one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love (agapomen) one another, God remains in us, and his love (agape) has been perfected in us.   WEB

 

• • • The words “His love” do not refer to our love for Him, nor to His love for us, but to the love which is peculiarly His own, which answers to His nature (Vincent). “Is perfected”‎, “to bring to completion, to accomplish, finish.” If saints have this ‎love (agape) habitually for one another, that shows that this love which God is in His nature, has accomplished its purpose in their lives. It has made us loving and self-sacrificial in our characters. This love has been brought to its human fulness in the lives of the saints. The verb “is perfected” is perfect in tense, speaking of a past completed act having present results. Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament

 

1 John 5:1-2 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Whoever loves (agapon) the father also loves (agapa) the child who is born of him. 2 By this we know that we love (agapomen) the children of God, when we love (agapomen) God and keep his commandments.   WEB

 

• • • Loving God and loving his children go hand in hand. Love is what binds us together and makes us one with God and each other. (1 John 4:20-21)

 

In the center of love is God. The love that he has shown to us is the standard that we are to be conformed to and live by. This will take place as we allow our relationship with him to deepen and grow.

 

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There are many things that motivate us in life but when it comes to our relationship with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Saints, our motivator should always be that of love.

 

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love (agapes).   WEB

 

• • • Love is the avenue that our faith is to travel through to be working properly.

 

Gal 5:13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love (agapes) be servants to one another.   WEB

 

• • • Again through (dia) is used a primary preposition denoting the channel in which an act is done.

 

Eph 3:14-19 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (agape) 18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know Christ’s love (agapen) which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.   WEB

 

• • • Being rooted and grounded gives the idea of being stable and consolidated.

 

• • • In (en) is a primary preposition denoting a fixed position

 

• • • Our love needs to be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water.

 

Eph 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love (agape) ; 3 being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.   WEB

 

• • • The way we deal with one another is to operate in the realm of love.

 

Eph 4:14-16 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15 but speaking truth in love (agape) , we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; 16 from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love (agape).   WEB

 

• • • Speaking the truth is not always easy but when it is spoken it should be in love with the heart to help and not to destroy.

 

Col 2:1-2 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love (agape) , and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,   WEB

 

• • • Love is the yarn that will knit us together and make us one.

 

Col 3:12-14 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved (egapemenoi), a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. 14 Above all these things, walk in love (agapen) , which is the bond of perfection.   WEB

 

• • • Walking in love is that which will lead us to perfection and will hold it together.

 

1 Thess 1:2-3 We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love (agapes) and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.   WEB

 

• • • Labor done out of love seems to feel not like labor at all.

 

1 Thess 5:12-13 But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, 13 and to respect and honor them in love (agape) for their work’s sake.   WEB

 

• • • Those that truly work on our behalf deserve to be recognized and loved for their concern and dedication for our well being.

 

2 Tim 1:13 Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love (agape) which is in Christ Jesus.   WEB

 

• • • The teaching is to be held, preached, and practiced, not as a mere schedule of conduct, however excellent, but with the strong conviction of faith and the fervor of love. Vincent’s Word Studies

 

Philem 8-9 Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, 9 yet for love’s (agapen) sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.   WEB

 

• • • Our actions should not be driven out of obligation but out of a heart of love.

 

1 Cor 16:13-14 Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong! 14 Let all that you do be done in love (agape).   WEB

 

• • • Our entire life should be a life motivated by love.

 

1 Cor 13:1-3 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, (agapen) I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, (agapen) I am nothing. 3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, (agapen) it profits me nothing.   WEB

 

Without love operating in our lives what ever we do is empty and void of true purpose. God has called his children to walk with him in a relationship filled with love. So let love be the motivator in all that we do and say in sincerity of heart. Let love become part of our nature as it is of our Heavenly Father.

 

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As in any loving family there are things that help cultivate love and there are things that can cause it to die, this also true in the Family of God.

 

John 15:9-10 Even as the Father has loved (egapesen) me, I also have loved (egapesa) you. Remain in my love (agape).( 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; (agape) even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love (agape).   WEB

 

• • • Keeping the commandments is evidence that we love.   John 14:15; 1 John 5:2; John 14:22-24

 

• • • We are commanded to love and when we love we fulfill the commandments and remain in his love.   Matt 22:36-40 John 13:34-35; John 15:12-17 Rom 13:8-10   2 John 4-6

 

1 Thess 4:9-12 But concerning brotherly love, (philadelphias) you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love (agapen) one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; 11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we charged you; 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.   WEB

 

• • • We have been taught of God how to agape by all that God has done for us and out of that phileo for each other is a natural response.

 

2 Tim 2:22-23 Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, (agapen) and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.   WEB

 

• • • We are to pursue love and the things that promote it and flee from the things that tear love down.   (Phil 4:6-9; Gal 5:22,23; 1 Cor 13:4-7; 2 Peter 1:1-11; Matt 24:11-12)

 

Heb 10:23-25 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. 24 Let us consider how to provoke one another to love (agapes) and good works, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.   WEB

 

• • • Let us consider: Let us so regard the welfare of others as to endeavor to excite them to persevere in the Christian life. The idea is, that much might be done, in securing perseverance and fidelity, by mutual kind exhortation. They were not to be selfish; they were not to regard their own interests only; they were to have a kind sympathy in the concerns of each other. They had, as Christians have now, the same duties to perform, and the same trials to meet, and they should strengthen each other in their trials and encourage them in their work.
    • Provoke: We use the word “provoke” now in a somewhat different sense, as meaning to offend, to irritate, to incense; but its original meaning is to “arouse, to excite, to call into action,” and it is used in this sense here. The Greek is, literally, “unto a paroxysm of love” the word “paroxysm” meaning “excitement or impulse,” and the idea is, that they were to endeavor to arouse or excite each other to the manifestation of love. The word is what properly expresses excitement, and means that Christians should endeavor to excite each other. There is no danger that Christians will ever be excited to love each other too much, or to perform too many good works. Barnes’ Notes

 

 

Luke 7:41-43 “A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love (agapesei) him most?” 43 Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.”   WEB   Luke 7:36-50

 

Let us remember how much we have been forgiven and be thankful and remain in the love of God that we have through Christ Jesus. Let us remain rooted and grounded in love.   Eph 3:17

 

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Even as agape and phileo are used to describe the love expressed by and for God, the saints and the unsaved it is also used to describe the love for thing both good and bad.

 

John 3:19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved (egapesan) the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.   WEB

 

• What we choose to love reveals what kind of person we are.

 

Luke 20:46-47 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love (philounton) greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts; 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”   WEB   Matt 6:5-6; 23:6-8

 

• Self-serving love is like a sponge that soaks in but never gives out.

 

John 12:42-43 Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue, 43 for they loved (egapesan) men’s praise more than God’s praise.   WEB

 

• It is a sad thing when our church leaders and our place of worship become more important than the one that deserves our worship.

 

Matt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love (agapesei) the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.   WEB   Luke 16:13

 

• Mammon refers to material wealth of all kinds. God is not against wealth but when it becomes a god that you love and serve it then comes into direct opposition with the one and only true God.

 

Rev 12:11 They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love (egapesan) their life, even to death.   WEB   John 12:25 (philon)

 

• It is not only the things that we love but it is also the things that we do not love that prove our love to God.

 

3 John 9-10 I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first (phipoproteuon) among them, doesn’t accept what we say. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.   WEB   Mark 10:42-45; Luke 14:10-11

 

• Walking all over others to be first is not a love that comes from the heart of God.

 

Rev 22:14-15 Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves (philon) and practices falsehood.   WEB

 

• Loving the wrong things will cause us to be separated from the God of love.

 

2 Thess 2:8-10 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; 9

even he who’s coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love (agapen) of the truth, that they might be saved.   WEB

 

• We live in a world filled with people that do not love truth and could care less about seeking it out. True worshipers of God will seek to worship him both in spirit and truth.   John 4:24

 

2 Tim 3:2-5 For men will be lovers of self, (philautoi) lovers of money, (philarguroi) boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, (aphilagathoi) 4 traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure (philedono) rather than lovers of God; (philotheoi) 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.   WEB

 

• The kind of charter you have is seen in the type of love you express.

 

2 Tim 4:9-10 Be diligent to come to me soon, 10 for Demas left me, having loved (agapesas) this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.   WEB

 

• If we love the world system, we are enemies of God.   James 4:4

 

2 Peter 2:13-16 receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; 14 having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; 15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved (egapesen) the wages of wrong-doing; 16 but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.   WEB

 

• Loving the wrong things will only lead to misery and death.

 

1 John 2:15 Don’t love (agapate) the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves (agapa) the world, the Father’s love (agape) isn’t in him.   WEB

 

• There is a love that is born out of the world and there is a love that is born out of God. The love we show will reveal whether we are of the world or of God.

 

2 Tim 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8 From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved (egapekosi) his appearing.   WEB

 

• The kind of relationship we have with the Lord will determine whether or not we are looking forward to his appearing.

 

Titus 1:7-9 For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; 8 but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, (philagathon) sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; 9 holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.   WEB

 

We live in a world filled with things that are competing for our love. The things we give our love to will either cause our love to be defiled or purified. If we love God and align ourselves with his moral codes our love will mature and be perfected. Love that has been made perfect will cast out all fear (1 John 4:18).

 

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Phileo comes from a word that has the meaning to be a friend. It means to be fond of an individuals or objects. Phileo denotes a personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling being chiefly of the heart.

 

Phileo speaks of the love that the Father has for the Son.

 

John 5:20 For the Father has affection (philei) for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does.    WEB

 

The love that he has for the Saints.

 

John 16:27 for the Father himself loves (philei) you, because you have loved (pephilekate) me,   WEB

 

And even the love that the world has for its own.

 

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love (ephilei) its own.   WEB

 

Paul makes the statement that if we do not phileo the Lord let him be accursed. Even though we are not commanded to phileo it should be a natural response because of what the Lord has done for us and if not, there is something deeply wrong with our relationship with him.

 

1 Cor 16:22 If any man doesn’t love (philei) the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed   WEB

 

• Some manuscripts omit Jesus Christ

 

Phileo also has the meaning of being a friend, someone that you are fond of or is dear to you.

 

Jesus referred to Lazarus as his friend and the disciples.

 

John 11:11 “Our friend (philos) Lazarus has fallen asleep;”   WEB

   

John 15:13-15 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (philon). 14 You are my friends (philoi), if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends (philous), for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.   WEB

 

James 2:23   “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;” and he was called the friend (philos) of God.   WEB

 

James 4:4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship (philia) with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend (philos) of the world makes himself an enemy of God.   WEB

 

Philema a kiss: Another form of phileo is philema which means to kiss, an expression of tender affection.

 

Paul tells the church to greet each other with a holy kiss. A pure expression of your tinder affection for the body of Christ.

 

Rom 16:16   Greet one another with a holy kiss (philemati).   WEB

   

1 Cor 16:20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss (philemati).   WEB

 

1 Peter 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss (philemati) of love (agapes).    WEB

 

• A kiss that is based on a social and moral love.

 

Kataphileo to kiss earnestly: The compound verb has the force of an emphatic, kissing “tenderly, caressing.

 

Luke 7:44-47 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss, (philema) but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss (kataphilousa) my feet. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved (egapesen) much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves (agapa) little.”   WEB

 

• Her expression of tender affection comes out of the moral love she has for Jesus. The love of the heart and mind are joined together to reveal the deep thankfulness that is alive in her being.

 

Luke 15:20 “He (the prodigal son) arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed (katephilesen) him.   WEB

 

• Kissed ‎katefileesen‎. Note perfective use of ‎kata‎, “kissed him much, kissed him again and again.” The verb occurs so in the older Greek. Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

 

Acts 20:36-38 When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed (katephiloun) him, 38 sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more.   WEB

 

• Kissed him ‎katefiloun ‎‎auton‎. Imperfect active of ‎katafileoo‎, old verb, intensive with ‎kata ‎and repetition shown also by the tense: They kept on kissing or kissed repeatedly, probably one after the other falling on his neck. Compare also Matt 26:49. Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

 

That which was a sign of tender affection Judas used as a sign to betray Jesus.

 

Matt 26:47-49 While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priest and elders of the people. 48 Now he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, “Whoever I kiss (phileso), he is the one. Seize him.” 49 Immediately he came to Jesus, and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed (katephilesen) him.   WEB

 

• Kissed him. The compound verb has the force of an emphatic, ostentatious salute. Meyer says, “embraced and kissed.” The same word is used of the tender caressing of the Lord’s feet by the woman in the Pharisee’s house (Luke 7:38), of the father’s embrace of the returned prodigal (Luke 15:20), and of the farewell of the Ephesian elders to Paul (Acts 20:37). Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

 

Phileo is used in conjunction with a number of other words to form compound words. Knowing and understanding how these words are used in scripture will help a person to obtain a clearer picture of what is trying to be conveyed.

 

Philadelphia fraternal affection: from the word phileo (love) and Adelphia (brother).

 

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection (Philadelphian),

 

Philadelphos fond of brethren, i.e., fraternal:

 

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, (philádelphoi) tenderhearted, courteous,   WEB

 

Philandros fond of man, i.e., affectionate as a wife and philoteknos fond of one’s children, i.e., maternal:

   

Titus 2:4 that they may train the young women to love their husbands, (philandrous) to love their children (philotéknous),   WEB

 

Philanthropia fondness of mankind

 

Acts 28:2 The natives showed us uncommon kindness; (philanthropian) for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.   WEB

 

1 Cor 11:16 But if any man seems to be contentious (philóneikos), we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.   WEB

 

Philonexia hospitableness:

 

Rom 12:13 contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality (philoxenían).   WEB

 

Philosophia love of wisdom Here it means what is merely human wisdom, as contrasted with the divine wisdom in the Christian message.

 

Col 2:8 Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy (philosophías) and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.   WEB

 

Philostorgos cherishing one’s kindred, especially parents or children); fond of natural relatives, i.e., fraternal towards fellow Christian: Love one another warmly

   

Rom 12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate (philostorgoi) one to another; in honor preferring one another;   WEB

   

Philotimeomai fond of honor, i.e., emulous (eager or earnest to do something):

 

2 Cor 5:9 Therefore also we make it our aim (philotimoumetha), whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.   WEB

 

Philophronos friendliness of mind, i.e., kindly:

 

Acts 28:7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously (philophronos) entertained us for three days.   WEB

 

There is much more that could be said about this subject but for now we will call it good. I will leave you with this, a list of scriptures that use phileo in one form or another. May your love grow in God and towards and each other.

 

SCRIPTURES WITH PHILEO

 

With Strong’s numbers

 

(5368) Matt 6:5, Matt 10:37 (2x), Matt 23:6, Matt 26:48, Mark 14:44, Luke 20:46, Luke 22:47, John 5:20, John 11:3, John 11:36, John 12:25,

John 15:19, John 16:27 (2x), John 20:2, John 21:15, John 21:16, John 21:17 (3x), 1 Cor 16:22, Titus 3:15, Rev 3:19, Rev 22:15  

(2705) Matt 26:49, Mark 14:45, Luke 7:38, Luke 7:45, Luke 15:20, Acts 20:37   (5360) Rom 12:10, 1 Thess 4:9,  Heb 13:1, 1 Peter 1:22,

2 Peter 1:7 (2x)   (5361) 1 Peter 3:8   (5362) Titus 2:4   (5363) Acts 28:2, Titus 3:4   (5364) Acts 27:3   (5365) 1 Tim 6:10  

(5366) Luke 16:14, 2 Tim 3:2   (5367) 2 Tim 3:2   (5369) 2 Tim 3:4   (5370) Luke 7:45, Luke 22:48, Rom 16:161 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12,

1 Thess 5:26, 1 Peter 5:14   (5373) James 4:4   (5377) 2 Tim 3:4   (5380), 1 Cor 11:16   (5381) Rom 12:13, Heb 13:2   (5382) 1 Tim 3:2,

Titus 1:8, 1 Peter 4:9   (5383)   3 John 9   (5384) Matt 11:19, Luke 7:6, Luke 7:34, Luke 11:5 (2x), Luke 11:6, Luke 11:8, Luke 12:4, Luke 14:10,

Luke 14:12, Luke 15:6, Luke 15:9, Luke 15:29, Luke 16:9, Luke 21:16, Luke 23:12, John 3:29, John 11:11, John 15:13, John 15:14, John 15:15,

John 19:12, Acts 10:24, Acts 19:31, Acts 27:3, James 2:23, James 4:4, 3 John 15 (2x)   (5385) Col 2:8   (5387) Rom 12:10   (5388) Titus 2:4  

(5389) Rom 15:20, 2 Cor 5:9, 1 Thess 4:11   (5390) Acts 28:7

 

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The verb (25) Agapao

 

Matt 5:43, Matt 5:44, Matt 5:46 (2x), Matt 6:24, Matt 19:19, Matt 22:37, Matt 22:39, Mark 10:21, Mark 12:30, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33 (2x),

Luke 6:27, Luke 6:32 (4x), Luke 6:35, Luke 7:5, Luke 7:47 (2x), Luke 10:27, Luke 11:43, Luke 16:13, John 3:16, John 3:19, John 3:35m,

John 8:42, John 10:17, John 11:5, John 12:43, John 13:1 (2x), John 13:23, John 13:34 (3x), John 14:15, John 14:21 (4x), John 14:23 (2x),

John, 14:24, John 14:28, John 14:31, John 15:9 (2x), John 15:17, John 17:23 (2x), John 17:24, John 17:26, John 19:26, John 21:7, John 21:15,

John 21:16, John 21:2, Rom 8:28, Rom 8:37, Rom 9:13, Rom 9:25 (2x), Rom 13:8 (2x), Rom 13:9, 1 Cor 2:9, 1 Cor 8:3, 2 Cor 9:7, 2 Cor 11:11,

2 Cor 12:15 (2x), Gal 2:20, Gal 5:14, Eph 1:6, Eph 2:4, Eph 5:25 (2x), Eph 5:28 (2x), Eph 5:33, Eph 6:24, Col 3:12, Col 3:19, 1 Thess 1:4,

1 Thess 4:9, 2 Thess 2:13, 2 Thess.2:16, 2 Tim 4:8, 2 Tim 4:10, Heb 1:9, Heb 12:6, James 1:12, James 2:5, James 2:8, 1 Peter 1:8, 1 Peter 1:22,

1 Peter 2:17, 1 Peter 3:10, 2 Peter 2:15, 1 John 2:10, 1 John 2:15 (2x), 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:11, 1 John 3:14 (2x), 1 John 3:18, 1 John 3:23,

1 John 4:7 (2x), 1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:10 (2x), 1 John 4:11 (2x), 1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:19 (2x), 1 John 4:20 (3x), 1 John 4:21 (2x), 1 John 5:1 (2x),

1 John 5:2  (2x), 2 John 1, 2 John 5, 3 John 1, Rev 1:5, Rev 3:9, Rev 12:11, Rev 20:9.

 

The noun (26) Agape

 

Matt 24:12, Luke 11:42, John 5:42, John 13:35, John 15:9, John 15:10 (2x), John 15:13, John 17:26, Rom 5:5, Rom 5:8, Rom 8:35, Rom 8:39,

Rom 12:9, Rom 13:10 (2), Rom 14:15, Rom 15:30, 1 Cor 4:21, 1 Cor 8:1, 1 Cor 13:1, 1 Cor 13:2, 1 Cor 13:3, 1 Cor 13:4 (3x), 1 Cor 13:8,

1 Cor 13:13 (2x), 1 Cor 14:1, 1 Cor 16:14, 1 Cor 16:24, 2 Cor 2:4, 2 Cor 2:8, 2 Cor 5:14, 2 Cor 6:6, 2 Cor 8:7, 2 Cor 8:8, 2 Cor 8:24, 2 Cor 13:11,

2 Cor 13:14, Gal 5:6, Gal 5:13, Gal 5:22, Eph 1:4, Eph 1:15, Eph 2:4, Eph 3:17, Eph 3:19, Eph 4:2, Eph 4:15, Eph 4:16, Eph 5:2, Eph 6:23,

Phil 1:9, Phil 1:16, Phil 2:1, Phil 2:2, Col 1:4, Col 1:8, Col 1:13, Col 2:2, Col 3:14, 1 Thess 1:3, 1 Thess 3:6, 1 Thess 3:12, 1 Thess 5:8, 1 Thess 5:13,

2 Thess 1:3, 2 Thess 2:10, 2 Thess 3:5, 1 Tim 1:5, 1 Tim 1:14, 1 Tim 2:15, 1 Tim 4:12, 1 Tim 6:11, 2 Tim 1:7, 2 Tim 1:13, 2 Tim 2:22, 2 Tim 3:10,

Titus 2:2, Philem 5, Philem 7, Philem 9, Heb 6:10, Heb 10:24, 1 Peter 4:8 (2x), 1 Peter 5:14, 2 Peter 1:7, 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:15, 1 John 3:1,

1 John 3:16, 1 John 3:17, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:10, 1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:16 (3x), 1 John 4:17, 1 John 4:18  (3x), 1 John 5:3,

2 John 3, 2 John 6, 3 John 6, Jude 2, Jude 12, Jude 21, Rev 2:4, Rev 2:19.

 

The adverb (27) agapetos

 

Matt 3:17, Matt 12:18, Matt 17:5, Mark 1:11, Mark 9:7, Mark 12:6, Luke 3:22, Luke 9:35, Luke 20:13, Acts 15:25, Rom 1:7, Rom 11:28, Rom 12:19,

Rom 16:5 Rom 16:8, Rom 16:9, Rom 16:12, 1 Cor 4:14l 1 Cor 4:17, 1 Cor 10:14, 1 Cor 15:58, 2 Cor 7:1, 2 Cor 12:19, Eph 5:1, Eph 6:21, Phil 2:12,

Phil 4:1, Phil 4:1, Col 1:7, Col 4:7, Col 4:9, Col 4:14, 1 Thess 2:8, 1 Tim 6:2, 2 Tim 1:2, Philem 1, Philem 2, Philem 16, Heb 6:9, James 1:16,

James 1:19, James 2:5, 1 Peter 2:11, 1 Peter 4:12, 2 Peter 1:17, 2 Peter 3:1, 2 Peter 3:8, 2 Peter 3:14, 2 Peter 3:15, 2 Peter 3:17, 1 John 3:2,

1 John 3:21, 1 John 4:1, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:11, 3 John 1, 3 John 2, 3 John 5, 3 John 11, Jude 3, Jude 17, Jude 20.

 

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