Copyright © 2006-2008 Robert D. Hosken, M.Min., D.Min.
Probably the sharpest, hardest-hitting text in the Bible describing agape-love is 1 John 3:14-18 -
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love (agapao) the brothers. He who doesn't love (agapao) his brother remains in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. By this we know love (agape), because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 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? My little children, let's not love (agapao) in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth."
Giving of our material wealth and even giving our lives because of God's agape-love that fills our hearts and overflows into actions - "deed and truth" - is the proof of our words. It may be harder to lay down our lives in the daily sacrifice of life-long loving deeds, to die a thousand deaths to self one day at a time, than to die an instant death for another person just once. Even though the word "ministry" is not mentioned in this passage, the concept of ministering is certainly present here.
Meditate Word By Word On These Verses:
Rev. 2:19-21.
How is agape-love related to diakonia: ministry/service? Look at Gal. 5:6 and 13 – "For in the Anointed One, Yesous, neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. ...For you, brothers, were called to freedom. Only don't use your freedom as an excuse to gratify the flesh, but serve one another through love." Faith ministers to or serves others ("works") through love! St. Paul is writing to Gentiles who believed in Yesous, the Khristos, the Anointed One, telling them how to serve one another: through agape-love. Strong's Dictionaries define the noun agape as "love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity," and the verb agapao as "to love (in a social or moral sense): - (be-) love (-ed)."1
Only once in the New Testament is agape used in the sense of a love feast, likely referring to the Lord's Supper itself or the fellowship meal following it: "These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots" (Jude 1:12). This tells us of false "pastors" (shepherds) who brazenly commit the sin of gluttony during the agape love feast. But let us leave behind us this negative aspect, and set our eyes on the goal before us: considering just a few of the New Testament texts where agape is translated as "charity" in the KJV, for a total of 28 times. The most well-known of these, of course, is 1 Cor. 13:1-4, 8 and 13 -
"If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have [charity] love (agape), I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 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 (agape), I am nothing. 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 (agape), it profits me nothing. Love (agape) is patient and is kind; love (agape) doesn't envy. Love (agape) doesn't brag, is not proud. ...Love (agape) never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. ...But now faith, hope, and love (agape) remain--these three. The greatest of these is love (agape)."
Eloquent preaching, the spiritual gift of prophecy, doctoral degrees testifying to intellectual skill and achievements, faith that removes huge obstacles, sacrificing our wealth and even our lives - all these are worthless if we don't have agape-love. When our spirit is motivated by agape-love we will be patient with the slow learner and the stubborn teenager, we won't envy others' possessions, appearance or accomplishments, and we won't show off or brag about our own. Agape-love endures forever, even after gifts of prophecies and tongues, eloquent sermons and vast knowledge have all faded away. Greater even than faith and hope is agape-love. This certainly brings into focus the motives behind our actions of practical ministry and self-sacrifice.
Although "charity" has a different connotation in today's English language, the KJV use of the word "charity" conveys in an excellent way the sense of agape as ministry. Webster's Dictionary defines "charity" in various ways:
"In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men. ... Liberality to the poor, consisting in almsgiving or benefactions, or in gratuitous services to relieve them in distress. Alms; whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the poor for their relief. Liberality in gifts and services to promote public objects of utility, as to found and support bible societies, missionary societies, and others. ... A charitable institution. Charity-school is a school maintained by voluntary contributions for educating poor children."2
Question:
1. In which chapter is the word agape translated as "charity" in the King James Bible? Do you thing that this translation makes sense?
Paul, in writing to his young apprentice-pastor Timothy, gives us an excellent description of how "charity"-love fits into Christian ministry: "Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in [charity] love (agape), in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching" (1 Tim. 4:12-13). It follows and describes a "way of life," one's habitual conduct, and is followed by "faith, purity, reading, exhortation, and teaching," traits traditionally associated with a pastor. But agape-love comes near the top of the list, and shines its glow over all the other characteristics of a pastor. The Apostle Peter gives us another list of spiritual qualities: diligence, faith, moral excellence, knowledge, patience, self-control, godliness, "and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, [charity] love (agape)" (2 Pet. 1:7). Here "charity" or agape-love is the capstone that crowns all other virtues.
In contrast, the Apostle John records the words of Christ to the church at Ephesus: "I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can't tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false. You have perseverance and have endured for my name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you left your first love (agape)" (Rev. 2:2-4). All of our works, toil, perseverance, striving for virtue, against false apostles and evil men is of no value unless we maintain that burning agape-love for the Lord Jesus and for others. Our ministry to Christ and to the widows, orphans, poor, lame, maimed and blind amounts to nothing without agape-love.
Question:
2. What contrast do you find between the descriptions of the Apostles Paul and Peter, and the description by the Apostle John?
(Only one of the following answers is correct.)
The first two describe the work of a pastor/bishop, but the last describes the work of lay people in the church.
The first two describe the work of a pastor combined with agape-love, but the last describes a pastor's work without agape-love.
The final passage using "charity" in the KJV which I would like to consider is Rev. 2:19-21 -
"I know your works, your [charity] love (agape), faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality."
The Apostle John here places agape-love in stark contrast against sexual immorality. Works of charity are incompatible with fornication. Since the 1960s we have witnessed in the West the "sexual revolution" that excuses sexual immorality by claiming that it is "free love," thus hijacking the concepts of freedom and agape-love to justify fornication. These people assert that cohabitation outside of marriage is acceptable "as long as they love each other." The toleration and patience described in 1 Cor. 13 and elsewhere in the Bible is vastly different than the pseudo-toleration of relativism described in Rev. 2 that says anything goes if people "love" (feel passion toward) each other. The problem is that passion fades away, but true love endures: agape-love never fails.
Question:
3. Does the Lord God permit all kinds of behavior if people love each other? What texts in the Bible justify or contradict this idea?
When passion fades, the relationship falls apart, and statistics show the ex-sex-partners will very likely never establish a permanent marriage with anyone else. The damage to society in terms of abortions, abandoned children, single-parent households, venereal disease and population decline is incalculable. As we see in this passage also, having women in prominent positions in the church is not a new phenomenon. Here it manifested itself in two forms: teaching that sexual immorality and idolatry are acceptable, and actually practicing sexual immorality. St. Paul makes abundantly clear in 1 Tim. 3:12 and Titus 1:6 that the qualifications for those who minister (diakoneo) and pastors include monogamous marriage. People who are sexually immoral are disqualified from any type of ministry or diakonia. But as this passage shows, we should give them opportunity to repent, not immediately anathematize them.
The word agape is translated 84 times as "love" in the KJV. The most famous verse on agape-love, of course, is John 3:16 - "For God so loved (agapao) the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." This verse illustrates most powerfully the ministering nature of agape-love: God does not want anyone to perish; He cares so much for us that He sent His Son to become a human being, live among us, learn our weaknesses and our possibilities, then ultimately to die for us. What love! We know about the years of planning and preparation to become trained for ministering to people's needs, both physical and spiritual. Before a person gives up during this process, he should imagine how many centuries it took God to plan and prepare each phase of Jesus' birth, life and death!
Next, let us consider John 13:34-35 - "A new commandment I give to you, that you love (agapao) one another, just like I have loved (agapao) you; that you also love (agapao) one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love (agape) for one another." These words make it abundantly clear that the most important thing and the primary identifier of Christ's disciples is agape-love. We all know this, right? But do we only know it in our heads, stored away in a dusty corner of our brains as a nice little fact? Or do we know and feel it in our hearts? Look at the preceding verses, where Jesus told His disciples that He was about to be glorified (crucified) and would be going away, then just after Jesus taught them the new commandment about love, look at what Peter said: "Oh, no! Where are You going, Lord?" He had filed away those words from Jesus' lips about love as a nice little fact, and promptly ignored them, focusing instead on the thought that he would be left alone when Jesus departed! One of the favorite icons in the Orthodox Church is that of Christ holding the opened Gospels, and if one looks closely and can read the Greek or Church Slavonic words, he sees that the Lord's fingers are pointing to John 13:34-35!
Question:
4. In what context did Christ give the New Commandment (John 13:34-35)?
(Only one of the following answers is correct.)
In the context of His coming crucifixion.
In the context of His ascension into heaven.
In the context of His feeding 5,000 men.
Jesus had already begun teaching His disciples about the connection between being glorified and self-sacrificial love, as we read in the previous chapter, John 12:23-25 - "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves (agapao) his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life." So they should have understood what was about to take place and why the Great Commandment was so important. But alas, they were still thinking on the wavelength of ordinary human beings!
Further on the relationship between being glorified and agape-love, the Apostle John records the following words of Jesus just before His crucifixion -
"In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. Even as the Father has loved (agapao) me, I also have loved (agapao) you. Remain in my love (agape). 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). I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that you love (agapao) one another, even as I have loved (agapao) you. Greater love (agape) has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:8-13).
In John 13 we have seen that Jesus being glorified meant that He would soon lay down His life, and here He also speaks of laying down one's life. But this time He is speaking of His disciples implementing agape-love so completely that they too would be ready to lay down their lives for others. Jesus also speaks here about "bearing much fruit." The first-listed fruit of the Spirit, Paul writes in Gal. 5:22, is agape-love. And this is the first and most important fruit we should bear in order to glorify the Father, even if it means laying down our lives as Jesus did.
Question:
5. How was Jesus Christ glorified (John 12:23-25; 13:31-33; 15:8-13), and in contrast how do people usually get glory for themselves (John 5:44; 12:43)?
We find more on glorifying God by paying the ultimate price to follow Jesus in John 21:15-19 -
"So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agapao) me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection (phileo) for you.' He said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' He said to him again a second time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agapao) me?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection (phileo) for you.' He said to him, 'Tend my sheep.' He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection (phileo) for me?' Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, 'Do you have affection (phileo) for me?' He said to him, 'Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection (phileo) for you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep. Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don't want to go.' Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, 'Follow me.'"
Sermon after sermon has been preached on this text, pointing out that Jesus began by asking if Peter had agape-love for Jesus, and Peter replying that he only had phileo-love for Him. Strong's Dictionaries define phileo as "to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling)," juxtaposing the two loves. But Strong's Dictionaries continue - "while [agape] is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related… the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head)."3 So agape-love is not opposed to, but rather builds upon phileo. Paul uses both phileo and agape together in 1 Thes. 4:9; and Peter combines phileo and agape in 1 Pet. 1:22. So when Jesus asked Peter if he agapao-loved Him, He could see that Peter wasn't quite there yet, but Jesus knew he was on the way. And tradition tells us that eventually Peter did indeed glorify God by death, being crucified upside-down at his own request because, he told his executioners, he was not worthy to be crucified right side-up like His Lord.
St. Paul explains this concept of sacrificial agape-love in detail as follows -
"Owe no one anything, except to love (agapao) one another; for he who loves (agapao) his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 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 (agapao) your neighbor as yourself.' Love (agape) doesn't harm a neighbor. Love (agape) therefore is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:8-10).
But agape-love goes much further than fulfilling these negative commands, to "do no evil." It is possible to obey these negative commands and still ignore or even despise our neighbor. The Russian verb "to hate" is "nenavidet" - literally, to not-look-at (ignore) someone. When we are motivated by agape-love, however, we seek to positively do good to our neighbor, to minister to him when he is hurting, and encourage him when he is discouraged or depressed. The Apostle Paul sums it up very well in Gal. 5:6 - "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love (agape)." Observing the ritual Law of Moses, indicated by the word "circumcision," or not observing those religious rituals is not the point: the point is whether we put our faith to work by practicing agape-love, or just talk it.
The author of the letter to the Hebrew Christians put it this way - "Let us consider how to provoke one another to love (agape) and good works" (Heb 10:24). Here again we see love in action, agape-love that produces good works, and we should be thinking up ways to stimulate each other toward this goal of ministering to the building up of the Body of Christ!
Question:
6. What is the meaning of the word "agape-love" in these texts of Holy Scripture?
(Only one of the following answers is correct.)
We are forbidden to "hate" our neighbor, which literally means "to not look at someone".
To be ready to pay the ultimate price for following Christ, and to do good to our neighbor, which glorifies God.
To observe the whole religious Law of Moses.
Endnotes:
1. Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, op. cit.