The Different Kinds of Love Mentioned in the Bible
The Greek language in which the New Testament was written uses several words
translated "love." The first two listed below are found in the New Testament.
Understanding their meanings helps us better comprehend God's expectations of
us.
Agapao (verb) is a special word representing the divine
love of God toward His Son, human beings in general and believers. It
is also used to depict the outwardly focused love God expects believers
to have for one another. Agapao (including its noun form, agape)
is "the characteristic word of Christianity, and since the Spirit of revelation
has used it to express ideas previously unknown, inquiry into its use,
whether in Greek literature or in the Septuagint, throws but little light
upon its distinctive meaning in the N[ew] T[estament] . . ."
This special type of Christian love, "whether exercised toward the brethren,
or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does
not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself
only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered" (Vine's Complete
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, "Love").
Reflecting the fact that human marriage is modeled after the divine relationship
between Christ and the Church, husbands are told to love their wives with this
kind of outgoing, selfless love (Ephesians 5:25,31-32).
This kind of love is perhaps best expressed in Jesus Christ's statement
in John 15:13, "Greater love [agape] has no one than this, than
to lay down one's life for his friends." Jesus Himself perfectly exemplified
this kind of love throughout His lifetime, continually giving of Himself
and His time and energies to serve others and ultimately offering up His
life as a sacrifice for all of humanity. This is the kind of love God
wants each of us to exemplify in our lives and particularly in our marriages.
