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The Nature of Biblical Love: It Behaves Morally

November 25, 2007

 

Agape/phileo - used interchangeably
Matthew 23:6 And love (phileo) the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
 
Luke 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love (agape) the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
 
Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth (agape) he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
 
Revelation 3:19 As many as I (the Lord) love (phileo), I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
 
John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved (agape).
 
John 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved (phileo)…”
 
Agape is not always divine love
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved (agape) darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
 
John 12:43 For they loved (agape) the praise of men more than the praise of God.
 
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved (agape) this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica
 
2 Peter 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved (agape) the wages of unrighteousness
 
Love defined = “God is love”
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
 
God is a moral being
Hebrews 6:18 impossible for God to lie,
 
Psalm 89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 
 
Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
 
Psalm 5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
 
Psalm 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness:
 
Love is behavior grounded in morality
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.
 
1. suffers long ( a verb - present active indicative)
 
Matthew Henry describes the makrothumeo of love:
 
“It can endure evil, injury, and provocation, without being filled with resentment, indignation, or revenge. It makes the mind firm, gives it power over the angry passions, and furnishes it with a persevering patience, that shall rather wait and wish for the reformation of a brother than fly out in resentment of his conduct. It will put up with many slights and neglects from the person it loves, and wait long to see the kindly effects of such patience on him.”
 
1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.  
 
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
 
2. kind  (a verb - present active indicative)
 
The Greek word is chresteuomai  - it means to be of a friendly, generous, or warm-hearted nature. Showing sympathy or understanding; charitable. Having or showing a tender, considerate, and helping nature.
 
Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
 
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
 
John MacArthur notes this about the kindness of love:
 
“The first test of Christian kindness, and the test of every aspect of love, is the home. The Christian husband who acts like a Christian is kind to his wife and children. Christian brothers and sisters are kind to each other and to their parents. They have more than kind feelings toward each other; they do kind, helpful things for each other—to the point of loving self–sacrifice, when necessary.”
 
3. love does not envy (a verb – present active indicative)
 
The Greek word is zeloo – it actually means to burn or boil.  It can speak of burning with envy.
 
Acts 7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
 
Matthew Henry comments:
 
“Charity (love) suppresses envy: It envieth not; it is not grieved at the good of others; neither at their gifts nor at their good qualities, their honours not their estates. If we love our neighbour we shall be so far from envying his welfare, or being displeased with it, that we shall share in it and rejoice at it. His bliss and sanctification will be an addition to ours, instead of impairing or lessening it. This is the proper effect of kindness and benevolence: envy is the effect of ill-will. The prosperity of those to whom we wish well can never grieve us; and the mind which is bent on doing good to all can never with ill to any.”
 
4. love does not parade itself (a verb – present active indicative)
 
The Greek word is perpereuomai, it literally mean “self-display” – to excessively show off ones own accomplishments.
 
Love has no high opinion of itself BBE
Love is not bragging CLV
It doesn't sing its own praises GW
It is neither anxious to impress Phillips NT
Love makes no parade Moffitt NT
Love doesn't strut  Msg
 
Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth
Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
 
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
 
Love is happy to go unnoticed by everyone!
 
5. LOVE...is not puffed up (a verb – present passive indicative)
 
The Greek word is phusiooit literally means to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up. Figuratively speaking it means to have an inflated ego.
 
It speaks of puffed up with arrogance and pride.  It means to have an exaggerated opinion of one-self.
 
An attitude of superiority over others.
 
1 Corinthians 4:6 “…that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.”
 
Colossians 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  
 
6. LOVE...does not behave rudely  (a verb – present active indicative)
 
The Greek word is aschemoneo it means to behave in an ugly, indecent, unseemly or unbecoming manner.
 
7. LOVE...does not seek its own (a verb - present active indicative)
 
The Greek phrase is referring to someone that is preoccupied with themselves. They put self over others.
 
it takes no thought for itself BBE
is not self-seeking  CLV
It does not insist on its own way ESV
It doesn't think about itself  GW
does not pursue selfish advantage  Phillips NT
never selfish Moffit NT
Isn't always "me first," MSG
it is not self-serving NET
It does not demand its own way  NLT
 
Philippians 2:3-5 Let nothing be done through strife [selfish ambition or self-centeredness] or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
 
Philippians 2:20-21 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.  21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
 
8. LOVE...is not provoked (a verb – present passive indicative)
 
The Greek word is paroxunoit means literally to make sharp or sharpen. Figuratively it is used to stimulate, spur on, urge; to irritate, provoke, arouse to anger.
 
The Phillips NT translates it:  “It is not touchy”
 
This is someone that is easily offended.  They quick to take everything personally!
 
Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. 
 
9. LOVE...THINKS NO EVIL (a verb - present active indicative)
 
The Greek word THINKS is logizomai – it is a term which means to calculate – as an accountant keeps the books – he adds up and calculates.
 
The Greek word EVIL is kakos – which means wicked or bad.
 
This phrase can be interpreted as the Nkj version has it “LOVE…THINKS NO EVIL”
 
This phrase can also be translated as “Love…does not take into account any wrongs suffered.” Nasb
 
It takes no account of evil BBE
It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do CEV
It doesn't keep track of wrongs  GW
never resentful  Moffitt NT
it keeps no record of being wronged. NLT
 
The implication is that love always forgives – it chooses not to remember.
 
Warren Wiersbe said this about remembering wrongs:
 
“He once knew a man who actually kept a written list of the rotten things people had done to him. He also said that man was one of the most miserable people he had ever known. Many people keep mental lists of the slights they have suffered. They never get over what happened in the past. They dwell on it, they live in it, they ferment in it, and as a result, they let the past shape their present and their future. But true love has a bad memory of wrongs done to it. Love is quick to hit the Delete key. Love is always ready to say, "I'm putting that in the past and I'm not going to bring it up again."
 
10. LOVE...does not rejoice in iniquity (a verb – present active indicative)
 
This Greek word for INIQUITY is adikia  it means unrighteousness (acts of disobedience).
 
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
 
Love never condones wickedness, it has absolutely no delight in evil works. Love is not afraid to point out something is not right.  It is never soft on sin.
 
11. but rejoices in the truth (a verb – present active indicative)
 
Love delights in the truth.
 
12. bears all things (a verb – present active indicative)
 
The Greek word is stego which is from the noun stege which literally means “a thatch or roof or covering of a building.” Therefore it means to cover closely, to protect by covering and then, to conceal and then, by covering, to bear up under.
 
Love is always supportive CEV
quietly covers all things MKJV
always slow to expose Moffitt
It always protects NIV
 
John MacArthur writes:
 
“Basically means to cover or to support and therefore to protect. Love bears all things by protecting others from exposure, ridicule, or harm. Genuine love does not gossip or listen to gossip. Even when a sin is certain, love tries to correct it with the least possible hurt and harm to the guilty person. Love never protects sin but is anxious to protect the sinner. Fallen human nature has the opposite inclination. There is perverse pleasure in exposing someone’s faults and failures...that is what makes gossip appealing.”
 
12. believes all things (a verb – present active indicative)
  
Vine's explains the phrase love believes all things...
 
“It does not mean that it accepts as true all that is stated. Love is never taken in thus. It is, however, ready to impute the best motives even to one whose act is unkind or detrimental. In bearing with evil conduct, it seeks to avoid undue suspicion. Where there is any element of doubt as to the real intention, love decides to regard it as good and honest.”
 
13.  hopes all things (a verb – present active indicative)
 
Vine's explains the phrase love hopes all things as:
 
“Love delights to entertain the best expectations. If there is absence of anything to prompt them, the hope is there; if conditions are adverse, love still hopes for the best. Even if the hope meets with repeated disappointment, love waits on expectantly and perseveringly.”
 
14. endures all things (a verb – present active indicative)
 
The Greek word is hupomeno which speaks of perseverance and tenacity in all circumstances. It means to endure in times of pain, suffering, deprivation, hatred, loss, and loneliness.  
 
Barnes explains that agape love...
 
“Bears up under, sustains, and does not murmur. Bears up under all persecutions at the hand of man; all efforts to injure the person, property, or reputation; and bears all that may be laid upon us in the providence and by the direct agency of God.”
 
12. Love never fails (a verb – present active indicative)
 
The Greek word NEVER means: not even at any time, never at all, neither at any time, does love fail.
 
The Greek word FAILS means: to fall, fall down, to fall into ruin, to perish, lose authority, no longer have force.
 
Love will always overcome!  It will never lose.