Biblical Love

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The translated word LOVE appears in the Bible numerous times. Depending on the translation you are reading, it may vary but for the purpose of this writing, well just say over 300 times including both the Old and New Testament and we will discuss rough numbers just for context in the remaining. In the Old Testament, it is referenced over 130 times and in the New Testament over 200 times. 


What is interesting is that the Old Testament describes Love with one word in Hebrew, AHAB, which describes a variety of intensely close emotional bonds. The first of these is portrayed in Genesis 22:2 “Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” This leaves it up to the reader to add in the context of the surrounding message. From this one verse, it would seem that AHAB is describing a familial love. However in Genesis 24:67, the same word is used to describe possibly a more romantic/sensual love. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; so Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.  There are numerous accounts for the word love and albeit the base is the same, the exact meaning may differ slightly.


In the New Testament however, as the majority of the original texts are widely believed to have been written in Greek, specifically Koine Greek, there are a few different words that, that particular language has to describe different types of Love. The four separate words that are delineated in the New Testament are as follows.


- Agapao: Which is God’s unconditional love to His people.

- Phileo: This word signifies friendship, personal attachment, fondness.

- Agape: Designates a deep love between people, not in a romantic sense or a brotherly fondness but that which you intentionally desire another’s highest good.

- Philadelphia: Takes root from Phileo but also adds in Adelphos which means brother to give us brotherly love.


This distinction and understanding can help understand what the Bible is trying to teach us. You may have read or gone over John 21:15 “Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”  Now from a glance, it looks as thought Simon answered Yes to Jesus question and that should be the end of it. It may even seem strange that Jesus would continue to ask the “same” question a couple more times over the next few verses. But, when you look at the original Greek text Jesus actually asks if Simon “Agape” Jesus. Simon’s response however was less that favorable when he responded, that he “Phileo” Jesus. If put into plain English text today, the conversation may have sounded something like “Do you love me as God loves you? And Simon may answer “I love you like a brother”  


Ask yourself how you love God today.

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