SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVE (agapē)
There are several words translated into English as "love" from Koinē Greek.
Agapē was a rarely used root in classical Greek. The NT authors took this known but unused term and filled it with new meaning. It came to denote God's self-giving, no-strings-attached, covenant love. It is theologically parallel to the Hebrew hesed (see SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS).
The Septuagint (LXX) chose agapē to translate several Hebrew words for "love." The LXX was the Bible for the early church. This root becomes the one used for theological discussion. Paul highlights this term in his writings. It was the love of God and Christ which was the main theological assertion of all his theology. His beautiful discussion on "love" in 1 Corinthians 13 is a classic!
God's love for mankind is fully seen in His sending Jesus (cf. John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21). This love is mandated in the Great Commission of the early church (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8). The letter of 1 John fully developes this evangelistic mandate into the life of the local church (esp. 1 John 4).
Self-giving love becomes the marker of true, mature Christianity. The influence of the Fall (cf Genesis 3) is fully reversed in NT salvation.
Copyright © 2021 Bible Lessons International