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Love". While the Greek language contained three words all translatable by the one word
"love', two of them, by reason of human frailty could not justly bear the new burden
imposed by the true conception of the love of God manifested in the gift of His Only
Begotten Son.
The three Greek words which are translated by the word "love" are agapao, phileo,
and erao. Of these, erao, and its derivatives eros and erastes were rendered impossible
by reason of the sensual associations which clung to the word. A statue to Eros the God
of Love may be a thing of beauty as viewed from the standpoint of art, but when
translated into terms of the moral and spiritual, anything tainted by eroticism must for
ever be forbidden.
Phileo, and its derivatives, while free from the corrupting taint that spoiled the first
word, was unsuitable owing to its confessed limitations. Phileo is used of affection
generally, and when joined with the words to stomati, meant "to kiss", even as philema
means "a kiss". So in the New Testament philanthropia which is once translated as "love
of God towards man" (Titus 3: 4) is rather benevolence, and "philanthropy" has become
a fully accepted English word. Philos occurs twenty-nine times and each occurrence is
translated "friend". There remained therefore agapao and its derivatives. Agape which
is the word selected by the inspired writers, is unknown in classic Greek literature. The
conception of "love" that the highest human culture had reached before Christ was
exhausted in the terms erao and phileo. It must surely be an evidence of Divine
Inspiration, that without the possibility of consultation and collaboration, every writer in
the New Testament was constrained (1) to avoid altogether the word erao; (2) to use
phileo in its broad human sense of benevolence and friendship, and (3) to seize upon
the obscure and practically unknown agape, to bear the new image and superscription of
the God of love.
The following is the way in which the occurrences of the phrase "in love" group
themselves:
A | 1: 4. The Father's motive.
B | 3: 17. Rooted and grounded (figures of growth and building).
C | 4: 2. Forbearing one another in love.
C | 4: 15. Being true in love.
B | 4: 16. Increase and edification (figures of growth and building).
A | 5: 2. The children's walk ["Be ye imitators of God" (5: 1)].
The Father's motive must be the children's example. How can we ever hope to attain
such selfless love in this life. Even with the aid of the Spirit and all abounding grace,
such love seems beyond us. But the very recognition of this will but separate and exalt
the great primary cause of all causes, the Father's love.
Chapter 5: 1 makes it clear that the Father's love, which was before all time and the
love of Christ which manifested itself in its fullness when He gave Himself for us are
associated together as purpose and means are associated. Again, when once the Apostle
was assured of the love of the saints one to another, he could pray for their further