THE LOVE PROBLEM
John 3:16 “For God so valued the world, that He gave His only born son.”
1 John 4:19 “We value because He first valued us.”
Love is complicated enough without adding Greek grammar problems but when it comes to interpretation of the New Testament, there is more than one translation choice for many Greek verbs and nouns. Context should make the determination of which specific English word to use in translated scripture. Often, with the word ‘love’, translators use that word as a catch-all regardless of context, the author’s original intent.
Think about it, I can say I love God, my child, chocolate, lipstick, baseball, a pet, a movie or anything else using the same word, love. However, not so in the Koine Greek language the New Testament was written in. There is a certain Greek word for love of God, neighbors, enemies or even wives, agapao, ἀγαπάω {ag-ap-ah'-o} which specifically means to value or esteem. Importantly, agapao is a verb and therefore requires action.
Next, there is love, which is a spirit-fruit, agape, ἀγάπη,n \{ag-ah'-pay}, a noun, which means generous or kindly concern, devotedness, priority.
There are even more types of Greek love: brotherly love, erotic love, and familial love. However, I want to limit this writing to agapao and agape.
Suffice it to say that ‘love’ in the Greek language requires a careful contextual application to ensure the true understanding of the author.
Synoptic gospel writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) record the two greatest commandments that launch the discipleship conversation: ‘You will value (agapao) the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (or life), and with all of your ability, and with all of your mind (understanding), and your neighbor as yourself.”
Love (value, agapao) God and your neighbor. Sure. I’d love to. But how? A person cannot give what a person first does not possess. Furthermore, a person cannot produce that which is first not planted inside.
The love problem has much to do with the agapao/agape dynamic. John is the real expert in this area and he does a good job shaking out the cobwebs of confusion.
John 15:1-11 is a long discourse but puts agapao and agape in their perspective places. He opens the door to revolutionary insights about how to value God and value the neighbors. The argument must begin with verse 9: “Just as the Father has valued (loved) Me, I have valued you; be constant (abide) in my generous concern (love, agape).”
John also adds a warning to disciples. 1 John 2:15 says “Do not value (love, agapao) the world or things in respect of the world; if anyone values (loves) the world, the generous concern (love, agape) of the Father is not in him/her.” In other words, placing value on the fleshly world ceases spirit fruit- production, beginning with generous concern, but also joy, peace, patience (long-suffering), kindness (virtue), goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness and self-restraint (Galatians 5:22-23).
The Spiritual Reproductive System, (I made that name up) is in every baptized disciple who is reproducing the fruit that was first planted by the Holy Spirit at baptism.
The Spiritual Reproductive System can be metaphorically likened to a husband who values his wife by planting a seed to produce the fruit of a love-child. In her long-suffering of the pregnancy and in great agonizing labor, the fruit is ultimately produced. In the same way, the Father valued the world so much so that He sent His Son to be the sacrifice for the sin of the world, producing the Holy Spirit seed that gets planted in the believer at baptism, ready to be pruned for fruit- production!
