The Plainer Truth about . . .
What is Love?

The Plainer Truth about . . .
What is Love?

What is LOVE?

There are three words in the Greek language for love but only one word in English. When we talk of love in our society today, we can mean the love of a mate, parent or child; we can mean a deep friendship or "liking" for a person or thing; or we can mean sexual love. Love in the Greek language is expressed by three different words:

1. Eros, which is sexual or romantic love.
2. Phileo, which is a brotherly love toward someone we really like.
3. Agape, which is the deepest love, which is based on doing good things for another person.

The latter two Greek words are used in scripture and can sometimes cause confusion.

For example, one passage that is not clear in the King James Version Bible that showcases the difference between Agape and Phileo is John 21:15-17.

Peter had denied Jesus three times while Jesus was on trial (Matthew 26:44; Matthew 26:69-75). Jesus seems to be reminding Peter of his three denials with his three-time questioning of him in John 21. Unfortunately, the English translation hides an important part of the three questions. Let's examine the Greek with each of Jesus' questions and Peter's responses. We will translate Agape as love and Phileo as like to make the meaning clear.

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon. son of Jonas, lovest (agape) thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord thou knowest that I like (phileo) thee." (John 21:15)

What we miss with the English is that Peter is answering with a different word. Jesus is using "agape," which is sacrificial love. Peter is answering with "phileo," brotherly love.

"He saith unto him again the second time, Simon Son of Jonas, lovest (agape) thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I like (phileo) thee." (verse 16)

This is a repentant Peter. He implied before Jesus' death that his devotion was so great for Jesus that it was greater than all the others (Matthew 23:33, 35). In his first question, Jesus asked if Peter had agape greater than all the others. Peter could only answer that he had phileo for Christ. In this second question, Christ has dropped the "more than these," lessening the requirement. Peter still only answers he has phileo for Jesus. This is a humble Peter who now recognizes his weakness. Now we can see why Peter was grieved with the third question.

"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, Do you like (phileo) me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Do you like (phileo) me?" (verse 17).

Christ had dropped the requirement to only brotherly love, which Peter had been saying all along.

Agape, The Love of God

What is this Greek word "agape" for love as the Bible defines it? In Mark 12:30-31 we find Jesus stating:

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. "

Here the word Jesus used for love is "agape."

In 1John 5:2 we find:

"for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

Here again the word for love is the Greek "agape." The book of 2John repeats this by stating:

"this is love, that we walk after his commandments." (2John 1:6)

The apostle James says:

"if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love (agape) thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well . . ."

The law of God has, as its first four commands, instruction on how to love God. God also is our neighbor in the universe (Jeremiah 12:14). He is the neighbor that rules.

So we see that love — as translated from the Greek word Agape — is keeping the commandments of God. It is not just FEELING good but it is DOING good for: "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).